Harecastle Tunnel North Entrance

The next excitement on the cruise was going back through the Harecastle Tunnel, all 2926 yards (2673 m) or one and  two thirds miles.  Katkatkat took the helm under instruction as she did going the other way, very little instruction was needed.

The blip shows Solace first in the queue waiting until the boats coming the other way are out, then our "convoy" will be allowed in while they wait.
If you look carefully to the right of the tunnel entrance you will see another tunnel.  This is the original tunnel made by James Brindley.  It took eleven years (1766 - 1777) to build.  Brindley died in 1772 and so never saw the work completed.

Why are there two tunnels?  The boats had to be taken through the tunnel by "Legging" a system where a plank is laid across the boat a man lies in each side and "walks" along the tunnel wall, this gets the boat through the tunnel ..........  slowly!  Horses had to be walked over the hill to meet the boat at the other side. So Thomas Telford was engaged to produce a second tunnel in the early 19th Century.  Which would allow a better flow of traffic and so be faster.  This tunnel took three years to build.

Why aren't both tunnels used now?  Subsidence and the collapse of the roof closed the "Brindley" tunnel in 1914.

In case you are wondering the canal is orange owing to iron staining from the ground water.