Teversal - On The Trail
w/e 26 February 2006
All this week's pictures were taken
with a Kodak DX6490
Another ride out northwards from Ilkeston recently took us about
15 miles to Teversal where we parked at the Visitors Centre which
is a good access point to the Teversal Trails. Close by on a
grassy area near the start of the trails a 'Coal Garden' has
been constructed containing a number of artifacts from the former
coal mining industry that was so important in the East Midlands.
The garden is dedicated to the industry as a reminder of the
many lives that were lost in the area's pits. As well as the
winding wheel and methane gas pump seen above, there are also
various coal tubs and wagons and a representation of a drift
mine.
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The trails actually follow the route of some old railway lines
that were closely associated with the mining industry. There
are several trails in the area but not all are suitable for pushchair
or wheelchair access. The one we chose to follow along this tree-lined
path is known as the Easy Access Trail and although it is level
with only a couple of large kissing gates to negotiate, recent
rainfall had left the top covered with a thin layer of cloying
mud, decaying leaves plus a little old coal dust.
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It is easy to imagine even now steam engines hauling wagons laden
with coal along here as the trail passes under an old bridge
and through a cutting.
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To maintain the level aspect of the trail, the cutting is soon
replaced by an embankment where it looks as though some of the
old railway sleepers have been used to make a flight of steps
at another access point. This one though is obviously not suitable
for those wheeled conveyances.
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 After
about a mile walking eastwards, another information board (left)
shows the network of footpaths and trails and the Easy Access
route turns north along the Skegby Track for approximately another
mile. Walkers coming in the opposite direction warned us of very
muddy conditions ahead so we called a halt to our outward walk
here and retraced our steps back to the Visitors Centre. The
Centre is manned on a regular basis by volunteer workers who
not only serve refreshments but are also on hand to advise about
the network of paths.
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It was perhaps not the best time of year to be walking along
the Teversal Trails but it is a very popular area and we did
meet a goodly number of people, many of them exercising their
dogs. The absence of leaves though did enable some views of the
surrounding countryside through the trees that maybe would not
be visible in the summer months.
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