This covers the second part of my walk from Burton-on-Trent to my home in Ashfield - a journey of 42 miles. The number of pictures caused problems on some peoples computers, so I have split my description of the walk into two separate posts.
This part covers the second part of the walk - from Shardlow, along the River Trent and up the Erewash Canal.
I had planned to walk further through the canal village at Shardlow, but was not sure of my way ahead. According to my map, there is a clear footpath all the way to Trent Lock and beyond - but no obvious way to cross the Trent, cutting the route in two. Instead, I followed the main road eastwards over the Trent, then onto a footpath along the eastern bank of the river. I was pleased that I did, as I saw several interesting things not viewable on my original route. For instance, I passed this old preserved stone listing the scale of charges on the old Cavendish toll bridge over the Trent.
Then, there was a good view of Shardlow Marina, full of boats.
As I turned onto the footpath alongside the Trent, there was a good view across the fields to Radcliffe on Soar power station.
Here is the entrance to the marina from the River Trent.
I caught this gentleman sailing gently along the river. There was very little breeze to help him, so I passed him easily!
I finally arrived at the missing link - a modern bridge that links the footpath along the canal from Shardlow to Derwent Mouth with the east bank of the Trent. This is not on my map - but its nice to know it exists. Shardlow is well worth a more detailed investigation, so I am likely to use it in the future - maybe on a walk to or from Derby.
Just beyond the bridge is Derwent Mouth, the point where the canal from Shardlow joins the River Trent. In this view, the Trent is flowing from left to right. Beyond are the canal outlet on the left and the mouth of the River Derwent on the right.
Here is a view from slightly further downstream. The boat gives a sense of scale to the scene. It is just passing the mouth of the Derwent, with the canal outlet on the far left.
Just downstream is this ugly, but impressive aqueduct carrying water pipes across the Trent.
Then, we reach Sawley, where the river follows a long loop to the left, over a weir. A navigable channel takes boats to the right, along a level stretch called Sawley Cut, to Sawley Lock.
Sawley Church and the road bridge over the Trent come into view to the north.
Then, we pass Sawley Marina, again crowded with boats. The waterways would be very crowded if all the boats in these marinas took trips on the waterways at the same time!
Here is the approach to Sawley Lock. Warning signs suggest that this stretch is hazardous when the river is running very strongly.
Here is the view from the eastern end of the lock - very different in appearance to the locks on the Trent & Mersey canal.
Beyond the lock, the footpath takes a sharp turn left, over a bridge across the Trent to the northern bank. Here, you get a last glimpse, across the fields of Sawley Church.
The sign on the approach to Trentlock shows this to be a major junction. The River Soar and the Erewash Canal join the Trent here. Radcliffe Power Station looms again on the horison.
Here we are at Trentlock. The entrance to the Erewash Canal is on the extreme left. The navigable waterway along the Trent goes left just before the boathouse. The river itself goes to the right of the boathouse and under the railway bridge in the far distance. The River Soar comes in on the right, immediately before the trees. The River Soar is navigable to Loughborough, where it links to the Grand Union Canal.
I now turned sharp left and headed up the Erewash Canal. This is well covered with information boards at major points of interest. The towpath is part of the Erewash Valley Trail.
This is Trentlock. The lock is actually on the canal, not the River Trent.
The Erewash Canal is far shorter than the Trent & Mersey, but mile for mile is probably more interesting - certainly over the bits I walked today. It goes north from Trentlock to Langley Mill, a distance of around 12 miles. Beyond Langley Mill, it tapped traffic coming off the Pinxton Canal and the Cromford Canal. It served a rich coal mining area and thrived even after the coming of the railways. The canal accommodates houseboats at its southern end.
Shortly after joining the canal, I passed this old boatyard called Mills Dockyard, still carrying on its vital work with a dry dock, moorings, repairs and painting services.
The towpath crosses over the Sheet Stores Arm of the canal slightly further north - so called because the buildings in the distance were the wagon sheet stores for the Midland Railway - protective coverings for open railway wagons. Inevitably perhaps, this is now also a marina.
Passing through the outskirts of Long Eaton, the canal is lined with houses. A trendy footbridge crosses the canal opposite the Barge Inn.
Long Eaton Lock is next.
The next phase of the journey is really a story of chimneys - very tall ones.Here is the first, just south of the A6005 road.
The next really tall one is just north of the A6005 - seen here from the south.
The most impressive view of this one is perhaps looking back from the north.
A complete change of atmosphere now, as we reach Sandiacre Lock. Difficult to believe perhaps, but a major railway engineering works and sidings are just to our right.
This is the view looking back from the north. This was the junction for another canal - the Derby Canal, which led south west to Derby, which led off to the right.
Our chimney saga has not yet come to an end. This is the big one at Sandiacre.
North of Sandiacre, we come out into open countryside. Sandiacre Church stands high on a hill to the west of the canal.
Pasture Lock, near Stanton Gate comes next. Beyond here was once a major industrial area with ironworks and coal mines all along the Erewash Valley - now almost all gone.
The canal passes under the M1 and the railway line to Stanton Works, which we pass shortly afterwards. The Nutbrook Canal once diverged near here, heading north west towards Shipley. I saw several swans nesting en route, including this pair.
I have walked the Erewash Canal several times, though only ever southbound before today. I did not feel that I had to do the Erewash Canal again in its entirety. My chosen route led off the canal once I got to the southern fringes of Eastwood - largely because it offered the opportunity of a more pleasant finale to my walk than I would have had from the canal's end point at Langley Mill. Here is a view of the final part of today's Erewash Canal adventure, with Long Lane Bridge and the adjacent lock now in view.
I turned right onto Long Lane and up Church Street into Eastwood. After topping up with water supplies, I headed down Mansfield Road and right into Greenhills Road towards Moorgreen. Avoiding the urban sprawl was unavoidable without going a long way round! I turned left at the B600, then right alongside Moorgreen Reservoir into Highpark Wood. This is always very pretty at this time of year, as it is full of Rhododendron bushes - like this one, caught in the rays of a rapidly disappearing sun.
At the site of Felley Mill, I turned up the valley towards Weavers Lane and Annesley. I stopped briefly at the seat near the top of the hill for a last look back at the beautiful valley.
I reached the village of Annesley in daylight and carried on under street lights the rest of the way home.
I felt very tired at the end, as I had not done a walk of this length for quite a while. I thoroughly enjoyed it though - a nice, pleasant day with lots of interesting things to see. It is also one more length of the Trent & Mersey Canal covered - though there is still a lot more to cover sometime in the future - not to mention many more canals!
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