[Snake Oil]

Starkerley Culvert, Bolton

March 2013 - Explored with ViralEye

After two fails earlier in the day ViralEye reminded me about a pipe in a field that has been on my 'to do' list for a long time that I was hoping led to a culvert first reported on in 2011 by Cossienick and Dubstyle while it was still being repaired/replaced. Happily, it did.......

Starting at the outfall we are met with two small 3' RCP sections to choose from, which lead into the first chamber giving a good chance to have a stretch after the initial stoop/crawl. Through this chamber the RCP opens up to around 5' and passes through the main feature, a massive newly built access/inspection chamber around 60 feet high. All the hardware in this chamber is made of pikey proof plastic/GRP, including the landing stages and ladders.

Pressing on the RCP goes for another hundred feet or so before opening up into a much older section of stone arch, the first part spray-creted the latter bare stonework with the badly silted/rubble floor reducing headroom to another stoop. This eventually changes back to 5 foot RCP for the final section to the grilled (but thankfully unlocked) infall.

This is where it all went a bit tits up, after getting a shot of the infall grille I went back up the RCP to get another shot of the older section but never got there. Instead I lost my footing on the slippery concrete and with nothing to hold onto landed squarely on my arse in the water taking my camera for a swim with me.