Shipley Country Park - Osborne's Pond 2017
w/e 29 October 2017
All of this week's pictures were taken with a Kodak DX6490



Last Saturday on the final day of Ilkeston's 765th Charter Fair I called in at the Erewash Museum to see the steam engine and the fairground organ. Preparations there were well under way for Halloween with mock tombstones in the garden and a zombie in the old Stanton Ironworks ladle that sits in the garden. I thought that would be a good theme together with the shop window displays all over town that have been decorated with ghosts, ghouls and all things spooky .... but then the sun came out on Friday and it was too good a day to be gazing into shop windows so we enjoyed a stroll around Osborne's Pond in Shipley Country Park instead.

South Side

We began our walk near the overflow channel and the cedar trees in the centre of the picture, walked up the lane by the dam wall towards Derby Lodge and then turned off to follow the path along the south side of the pond.
Path Through Trees

The path winds its way between the trees with the grassy slope on the left leading up to Cinderhill Coppice.
Lone Angler

On the other side of the pond we spotted a lone angler.
Shadows

Near the western end of the pond the path turns into the shadows of the trees.
Feeding Station

At the western end of the Osborne's Pond which is roughly rectangular in shape the path opens out into a wider area along the water's edge and it has become a favourite spot to feed the birds. And the birds know it too as this "feeding station" is where they tend to gather.
To Visitor Centre

From the pond the path continues to rise up the hillside and if we had followed it we would soon be at the Visitor Centre.
Autumn Colours

Instead we crossed the grass to pass through a gap in the trees and bushes but not before looking back towards the pond to admire the autumn colours.
Nutbrook Trail

Turning right to return along the northern side of Osborne's Pond we were now on the Nutbrook Trail.
Wood & Water

There are two paths (at least) along this side of the pond, one which gives access to the fishing platforms and another to the higher Nutbrook Trail. That was the one we walked along from where the water is only visible through the flora.
Overflow Channel

Whichever path you take, you end up back at the overflow channel at the eastern end of the pond and this is where we ended this pleasant stroll on a lovely autumn afternoon.

This walk was less than three quarters of a mile long and there are many short walks that can be found in the Miscellaneous Walks Index including two similar walks around Osborne's Pond from 2003 and 2012.

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