Kirk Hallam Linear
w/e 30 August 2020
All of this week's pictures were
taken with a Kodak DX6490
This is a three stage walk starting like a majority of the Monday
Strollers' Walking For Health routes at the Victoria Leisure
Centre in Ilkeston. The first stage is just a half mile walk
through Victoria Park, along New Lawn Road and up past the Town
Hall car park to Wharncliffe Road to wait for a bus to Kirk Hallam
to complete the second stage.
The third stage begins after alighting the bus on Godfrey Drive
and returning a little way along Ladywood to access the Nutbrook
Trail for a walk back of about two miles to the Leisure Centre.
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There is an access to the Trail on the other side of Ladywood
Road down a sloping path but from this side, it's a flight of
steps that leads down to it.
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A signpost at the foot of the steps indicates the way north to
Shipley Park and Heanor and south to Long Eaton but I think most
users of the path already know that.
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The stretch of water at the side of the Trail has an interesting
history and is fondly remembered as a boating lake and carnival
site but it is still easy to see why it is know as the Beauty
Spot.
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When I followed the route on Saturday morning it was being well
used by numerous ruunners, walkers, many with dogs, and cyclists.
Nearly everyone I passed spoke even if it was only "Good
morning" or "thank you" for keeping that social
distance that is so important these days.
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This gentleman however did rein in his mount and we chatted for
a few minutes before we continued on our different ways. There
is another path opposite the sign on the left that leads up past
the former Oakwell Brickworks to Derby Road.
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Continuing on the Nutbrook Trail, a former railway line, the
path passes under an old bridge with another carrying Derby Road
visible through the central arch.
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There is an access flight of steps at the Derby Road Bridge but
a little way beyond that the Nutbrook Trail crosses a bridge
over another footpath just shy of the entrance on the left to
Swan Lake.
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From the bridge over the other path the Nutbrook Trail can be
seen coming down from the Swan Lake entrance to continue its
way northwards. Another runner was just about to join the Trail
from the other path and a cyclist had already negotiated the
zig-zag down and can be seen further along the Trail.
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I soon followed both of them but left the Trail to follow the
posts marking the path across the Pewit Golf Course.
After leaving the golf course a path along the Manners Link would
lead back to the Leisure Centre but this Monday Strollers' route
continues along West End Drive, King George Avenue passing the
Ilkeston Ormiston Academy (ex Grammar School) to Bristol Road
where there is a choice of route either straight along the road
or back through the park.
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