Autumn Footprints 2020 - The Virtual Festival
w/e 20 September 2020
All of this week's pictures were
taken with a Kodak DX6490
Go Walking- follow the Leaflet!
This year Covid-19 has put a stop to the usual annual
Autumn Footprints. Normally this would consist of a range of
guided walks led by local knowledgeable volunteers over sixteen
days in September. However with Covid-19 restrictions this has
had to be revised and there will be no led/guided walks. Instead
some previously produced walk leaflets have been collected together
onto the website to be enjoyed in family/friends groups –
obviously observing strict social distancing guidance. Log onto
www.autumnfootprints.co.uk to download
the leaflets from the homepage.
Please note the leaflets have been produced over the last 20
years. Therefore, it may be that there are some public houses
and cafes that are no longer in existence. There may be some
sections where the paths are narrow. All routes are to be walked
in accordance with strict government guidance on social distancing.
See also the Special
Features section of this site for various Country, Family,
Town and City Walks, Village Trails, Walking for Health routes
and other Miscellaneous Walks.
Below are a few images from a previous Autumn Footprints Festival
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The Sawley River and Canal Walk (2010)
This walk was led by the Sawley Walking For
Health Group and was extended from their usual three mile route
to over four miles for the Autumn Footprints Festival but with
an opportunity to cut it short at the half way point. About sixty
walkers started the walk and most of them completed the extended
length.
Although both Amber Valley and Erewash Council areas, which is
where the Festival is held, are both in Derbyshire, this walk
did briefly stray over the border into neighbouring Leicestershire
as it left Sawley and headed towards the Marina.
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The reason for the excursion over the border was to cross the
bridge of the River Trent to access the towpath of the Sawley
Cut which bypasses a section of the river. This view from 2010
is likely to change in the not too distant future as the Ratcliffe
On Soar Power Station is to be decommissioned and the site redeveloped.
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After passing Sawley marina on the opposite bank of the canal
the towpath soon reaches the Sawley Lock gates where the canal
rejoins the River Trent. The bridge centre left of the picture
carries a railway line over both the canal and the river and
there is also a footbridge alongside over the river for pedestrians.
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This is the view back from the footbridge over the pontoons on
the river with the canal now on the left as we crossed back into
Derbyshire.
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Turning right and under the railway line the path now continues
along the north side of the river with the Trent Lock Golf Centre
on the left.
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The walk now follows the river for about a mile to Trent Lock.
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At Trent Lock the stream of walkers crossed another bridge over
the Erewash Canal.
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And the next mile was along the towpath at the side of the Erewash
Canal seen here near the start of the canal at Trent Lock.
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After an almost straight run of that mile the canal turns under
the Tamworth Road bridge to continue northwards through Long
Eaton, Sandiacre, Ilkeston and on to Langley Mill.
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But it was here that watched by a single swan, we left the canal
at Tamworth Road and doubled back over the bridge to follow the
road for another mile all the way back to Sawley where the walk
had started.
Route
Map.
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