The Coffin Walk - Part 05
w/e 15 July 2012
All this week's pictures were taken with a Kodak DX6490

The final mile or so of this walk is mainly along the route of the old Derby Canal and warrants little more than a sentence in either of the leaflets that describe it. The older of the two published in 2000 talks of crossing three stiles but since then the route has been transformed into a multi-user trail and is part of the National Cycle Route No. 6. Picking up the route at Hopwell Road, a surfaced path heads between the trees (left) and is soon crossed by what at first glance appears to be a bridge (above). This is in fact an aqueduct (right) that carried the pipes over the canal.

Both leaflets add that the route passes between tree plantations and these are now well established. In parts the full summer leaf makes the trail quite dark and tunnel-like. The heavy rain of recent weeks producing the wettest June on record has reduced the ground at the side of the path into a quagmire. Near the end of the trees the long distant footpath, the Midshires Way, joins the multi-user path from the south (left) but leaves again (right) to continue its journey northwards in less than a hundred yards. I ventured off the path here across the waterlogged ground to read the notice on the fencepost which advises of a short but permanent diversion to the Midshires Way.

Once out of the trees the landscape opens up and over the crop fields and our ultimate objective in this walk, the spire of St Michael's Church at Breaston, is visible in the distance. The ever present Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station is a constant feature on the horizon and is seen here through the tall grasses at the side of the path.

To the north the landscape rises slightly and a solitary white building across the fields is Cottage Farm (left). Cycle Route 6 though continues along the Derby Canal route (right) and across the access track (above) to Cottage Farm. This is the point though where we leave the old canal to turn right and head in the direction of the yellow arrow on the fence to follow the access track back into Breaston.

The Cottage Farm access track leads into a small housing estate and on to Holmes Road.

Continuing along Holmes Road from the track soon leads to a small triangle of roads and opposite a footpath (entrance to path can be seen between the parked van and car) runs alongside the fence to a small park.

The park is a two and a half acre site known as Duffield Close and is a pleasant open area right in the middle of the village. To return to the starting point is just a matter of following the footpath directly ahead.

It is worth pausing in the park however to explore two small gardens on the side nearest the centre of the village.The first in one corner of the park is the Butterfly Garden. An information board nearby gives details and information about both butterflies and plants.

In the opposite corner is the Millennium Sensory Garden and here there are seats where it is possible to sit and enjoy all the sights and scents of the plants and flowers.

The exit from Duffield Close leads directly back to The Green and our starting point near St Michael's Church. The route we have covered in five easy stages measures about five and a quarter miles and to see an aerial view of the whole route click here. Back to Part 04

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