Cossall - The Other
Side Of The Tracks
w/e 25 March 2007
All
this week's pictures were taken with a Kodak DX6490
 I
had fully intended to devote this page to Ilkeston images but
a fine afternoon tempted us to take a walk along the Nottingham
Canal (or Top Cut) that lies between Ilkeston and Cossall Village.
Seen here from the Erewash Canal bridge at Potter's Lock, our
walk would take us across the River Erewash into Nottinghamshire,
then over the green railway bridge to the other side of the tracks
and up the hill towards Cossall (right) before turning left along
the hedgerow in the middle distance that marks the contour line
of the Nottingham Canal. Passing behind the hill on the left,
our return would be via Ilkeston Junction.
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We were not the only ones out enjoying the fine weather - there
were several people in front plus an inquisitive dog and at this
point on Mill Lane as we approached the Nottingham Canal, a crocodile
of people with a Walking Group stretched out behind us. I wondered
how many of them were aware of the stones of the Monk's Way that line the left hand side of
the path at this point.
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At the intersection of the canal and Mill Lane we turned left
to follow the towpath through what is now a nature reserve. There
are paths on both sides of the canal but we chose to stay on
the western side. The tree covered hill on the left was originally
the slag heap at the former Cossall Colliery.
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This series of images was captured at various points along the
canal. The second from the left with the blue sky and fluffy
white clouds reflected in the water shows the view across the
canal to Cossall whilst the third makes it obvious if it wasn't
already apparent, that the canal is no longer navigable as the
path on the eastern side crosses to merge with the towpath on
the west. Nearing Coronation Road, what water remains in the
canal disappears into two large pipes and the path descends to
a slightly lower level.
A feature of the walk in this area is the large amount of gorse
to be seen on both sides of the path. The shrub can be killed
by severe frosts but it has not been affected by this winter
and should remain in flower until June. The plant is much appreciated
by small birds as the sharp foliage provides some excellent cover
for their nests.
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  Coronation Road is crossed by a footbridge at a lower
level to the aqueduct carrying the water pipes (see left) and
once across we descended the gorse lined steps (right) to road
level. The industrial site that lines the left hand side of Coronation
Road, as seen from the footbridge above, stands on the site of
the former Cossall Colliery. It would seem that nowhere is safe
from the vandals who daub graffiti and slogans on buildings as
the blue and white paint on the industrial units show!
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On our way back towards Ilkeston Junction along Coronation Road
and opposite the industrial units, we passed the old church school
that has now found a new lease of life as a hotel and restaurant
called Chatterley House Hotel after the area's connections to
the author D. H. Lawrence, who was born in nearby Eastwood.
In fact as we re-crossed the tracks back to the Ilkeston side
of the railway we could see the tower of the church at Eastwood
some two or three miles distant beyond the Bennerley Viaduct.
Also from this position overlooking the site of the former Ilkeston
Junction Station - note the widening of the gap between the lines
where the platform once stood - some new fencing stands out on
either side of the railway. This marks the position where the
new link road, work on which has now begun, from Awsworth and
Cossall to Ilkeston will cross the railway. From here a few more
steps put us back, excuse the pun, on the right side of the tracks
and once we had crossed the River Erewash, we were back in Ilkeston
and Derbyshire.
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