Last Blog 2nd August

Last blog 2/8/11

I have certainly missed out on blogging for a long time. It is an activity that I quite enjoy and it might be a useful way to remember some of the lessons learned in previous years. Learning is, for me a very important activity and, these days, more important than teaching. After all, who wants to take any notice of a grumpy old man, who is entrenched in the philosophy of the good old days.

My poor blogging record lies in the slowness by which I prepare the images from the raw camera data.

However, here goes. Well nearly. I am reflecting on a comment that my photography aims for technical perfection, but is a ‘were I’ve been’ genre. I am considering a portfolio called ‘The Best of ‘Where I’ve Been’’. Hoping I have the correct collection of apostrophe/quotation marks. Perhaps I would better to format it to “The Best of ‘Where I’ve Been’”. Still looks ugly.

23^rd July - Cossall and the Nottingham Canal

This was the day that we discovered a magical world on our doorstep. Just 10 minutes drive from here is a car park near the village of Cossall. From the car park; alongside the disused Nottingham Canal is an easy walk. At each boundary along the walk the canal changes its character in a very clear way. There was a great deal of colour along the walk, wild life, industrial archaeology; although the town of Ilkeston was only a few fields away. The down side was that there were no cafes or toilets. The latter made for an interesting challenge of finding a secluded spot.

Disused railway viaduct

Heron taking flight

Bull rushes

28^th July - Dale Abbey and Stanton Hall

This was my first visit to Margaret Cornish in her new care home. We decided to combine the visit with a quick walk in Dale Abbey. We have never seen the ground so dry. Most any other time we have been there has been some mud somewhere. Today the driest areas had turned to sand. However even the dry ground did not deter an odd frog from crossing our path.

Frog

Path

Margaret is now resident in Stanton Hall, which is a large house standing in its own grounds.

Stanton Hall

  3^rd August - Millers Dale

This must have been one of the best days of the summer. We headed to Millers Dale with a view to walking along the River Wye to Litton Mill. It was one of the few times this year that we have paid to park. At least there was toilet stop at the start, but no nearby tea room. The walk goes over one of two massive viaducts over the Wye, along the old track bed before dropping down the bank, across the Wye (http://www.derbyshireuk.net/river_wye.html) to Litton Mill. I had visited this area some years before with a school party. At that time we were walking in the much seasonal Peak District rain and we sheltered in a dilapidated building at this spot. Now the buildings have been converted into luxury apartments and holiday homes.

Litton Mill Apartments

Cressbrook Mill and Mill Pond

Sluice Control

Mill Pond Outflow

We arrived at the Mill to find that here the developers had taken over and the refreshment rooms had been closed and looked very dilapidated even though it was not so long ago since our first visit to Monsall Dale. So, we scrambled up to look over Monsall Dale to have the picnic that we are now in the habit of carrying.

Our final stop before the car was ‘The Anglers Rest’ which is charming and close by the river. Here Irene encountered Crabbies alcoholic ginger beer for the first time and enjoyed it. From here it was quite a struggle to climb back up to the main track back to the station.

We did conclude that the map and walk directions for this walk were pretty good.

17^th August – Illam 

This walk day was almost as bright a day as the last one and the walk was superb. The writer of the walk was once more accurate in the write up and the map. Unsure of the area and having parked for free on the road side we wondered off towards Ilam Hall (http://peakdistrict.nationaltrust.org.uk/ilam-hall).This turned out to be a good decision. The hall is now a youth hostel in a stately house building in a wonderful park. Refreshment were good and a good value which we took on the terrace overlooking the hill around the River Dove.

Tea on the Terrace

A View From the Terrace

We walked past the cottages modelled after Swiss cottages. Apparently, a former owner of the hall was so impressed by his visit to Switzerland that he had the buildings visible from the hall demolished and replaced by Swiss style buildings.

Swiss Style Cottages

 The walk took us over fields towards the Dove Dale car park. There was a slight difference between the instructions and the walk. But, this was not serious.

When we arrived at the river we realised that this was truly the Summer holidays. Cars were queuing to get in and we were in crowds headed towards the stepping stones were we had to queue to cross.

Stepping Stones Over the Dove

On our two previous visits, out of school holidays we practically had the place to ourselves. We had thought to have our picnic and return from there, but we had made good time and decided to complete the walk. Fortunately, after crossing the Dove our route took us away from the crowds, around the back of Thorpe Cloud. This meant walking from the confluence of the River Lynn and the River Dove up to the source of the smaller river. Here we found a small cave. Below the cave the ground was deeper green with water plants. Above the cave the ground was the usual moor land. This must be one of the smallest rivers as we could see the end from the beginning. (A bit God-like.)

We were not very clear about the path at the top and kept more to the right of the field than we should have done. We found a nice spot to sit and picnic before going on to the village of Thorpe and a convenient toilet stop.

Picturesque Cottages in Thorpe

 The route took us through the village and down a farm track with a surprise at the bottom of a major road bridge. We found out that a road had been built to go through to Leek, but then it was discovered that the cars of the time would not have the power to climb the incline to Thorpe.

Abandoned Road Bridge

Having crossed the River Manifold the path, sadly, took us away from the river and at one point the path would have disappeared if it had not have been for a brightly coloured, tall way marker. From here it was an easy walk down and along the river back to the car.