Ilkeston - Shipley Wood
w/e 23 May 2021
All of this week's
pictures were taken with a Kodak DX6490
Apart from a brief view of bluebells in Thompson's
Wood at Wollaton, we have seen very little of the flowers this
year due to the coronavirus restrictions and some inclement weather.
Taking advantage of a break in the rain I went to a local wood
to see if they were still flowering although it is getting late
in the season.
The walk started close to the Ilkeston Community Hospital where
a path on the right at the entrance leads into Shipley Wood.
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The main entrance though is a little further along Heanor Road
opposite the end of Church Street.
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The road from the entrance leads through the wood and according
to one map I looked at, this too is called Church Street.
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The road is lined with fences on both sides but there are occasional
gaps leading to footpaths through the wood.
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It was through one of the gaps that I saw some of the bluebells
and although they are now past their best and are coming to the
end of the season, they were still a delight to behold.
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At the end of the wood the road continues as a private road to
the right to some residential properties and straight ahead as
a footpath to the site of the former American Adventure theme
Park but it was here that I turned left to follow a path through
the wood.
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The narrow path continues between the trees and offered views
through clearings and more distant bluebells but I continued
straight ahead to the edge of the wood.
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As I reached that edge it became obvious I had misjudged that
break in the weather as the rain started to fall. I took the
path out of the wood onto Shipley Common.
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I followed the hedgerow up the Common where the trees offered
a little shelter from the precipitation until a gap in the hedge
led to Laneward Close and Shipley Common Lane.
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And to complete the circuit I continued along Shipley Common
Lane past another way in to the Hospital. A chain across the
entrance prevents access for vehicles and pedestrian access is
also prevented by a warning sign hanging from it that advises
that this is only an Emergency Access. With the rain now splattering
the lens I made my own emergency exit and returned home!
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