A quick 'better late than never' Five on Friday post
It was a beautiful day yesterday and we took a stroll along the Cromford Canal in Derbyshire in the bright afternoon sunshine.
We saw Dab Chicks or Little Grebes, just one pair unfortunately my photos were too blurry in the sunshine but it was lovely to hear their distinct 'whistling chatter' as they called to each other. We spoke to a couple of people who had also seen a water vole in the exact spot we'd seen them a few years ago. We weren't lucky enough to see one yesterday. The first post I ever wrote on this blog, on 14th March 2005, was about Dab Chicks on the Cromford Canal, we saw more then than yesterday.
Here are five things that caught my eye as we went along our way.
1. St Mary's Church
We parked in the main car park opposite the church and wandered through the trees to take a closer look. The church was originally planned as a chapel for nearby Willersley Castle, home of the mill owner Sir Richard Arkwright. It was completed five years after his death in 1797 and he and some family members are buried in the crypt under the chancel, whilst other Arkwrights are buried in the small graveyard. The church was closed but I've added a link to a photo of the inside - here. The wall paintings look wonderful.
2. Cromford Mill - this was the first water powered cotton mill developed by Richard Arkwright in 1771. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and considered to be the birthplace of the modern factory system. There is a new exhibition called 'The Arkwright Experience' which we didn't visit this time but we intend to go back soon to take a look. Here is a - link - to their website.
3. Wheatcroft's Wharf - N Wheatcroft & Son Ltd Coal & Coke Merchants used to trade from here. Part of it is now a lovely cafe and bookshop.
4. Leawood Pump House - still in full working order. Inside is a beam engine dating from 1849 and made by Milton Ironworks of Elsecar, South Yorkshire. It was used to raise water from the nearby River Derwent into the Cromford Canal.
5. Mallards - plenty of these along the canal, resting near the wharf or flying three or four abreast over the straight stretches of the canal. If we stopped at any point to take photos or chat to a passer by they would come waddling up to us obviously thinking that humans = the chance of food!
Joining in with Tricky and Carly at FAST blog for this week's Five on Friday.
Click on the link to see others who are joining in this week.
What an interesting place to walk, took the link to the church, it was lovely.
ReplyDeleteGlad you followed the link Janet, I'd love to get inside to see the wall aintings:)
DeleteI enjoyed your walk! It's fun for me to "armchair travel" to places I will probably not see in person. Thank you! Have a fun filled week.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Snap. I hope you have a lovely week too:)
DeleteBags of great things to see on your walk. Aren't canals wonderful! 😊
ReplyDeleteThey are one of my favourite places to walk, nature, wildlife and industrial history all together:)
DeleteI really enjoyed the sunny skies on your walk as well as all the interesting places. Love your photo of the pump house. Seems very intriguing. Thanks for sharing your walk with us!
ReplyDeleteThe pump huse is interesting, I went to a steam day a few years ago and it is fascinating:)
DeleteSo much history to enjoy in such a beautiful place. I have never been fortunate to visit. Hopefully one of these days. Hope you are having a sunny weekend. B x
ReplyDeleteCromford Village, Mills and canal are all fascinating and worth visiting if you are ever in that area. Lovely sunny day yesterday and today:)
DeleteOh, I love the mallard couple - soon there shall be little ones :) Happy Sunday Rosie!
ReplyDeleteI love to see the little ducklings when they arrive, such sweet little things:)
DeleteYou always make me smile with your duck pics :)
ReplyDeleteI thought you would like the ducks, Jessica:)
DeleteA lovely walk Rosie - interesting to read of your past sighting of water vole there. I've got Cromford Canal on my very long list of places to visit for that reason - I gather a certain section is quite a hotspot for water voles :)
ReplyDeleteThe church looks very interesting - what a shame it was closed. It is so frustrating when you can't get inside to have a look round. I understand why some churches aren't open but it is very sad.
I can understand why the church is closed as there are so many people about in that area and it is a shame that no everyone is trustworthy. I must look out for possible open days. The voles are always in the same place near the footbridge bridge over the canal at High Peak Junction, where the freight carrying railway from Middleton Top ended its journey to the canal:) The walk along the canal towpath is lovely as is the walk up the trail towards Middleton top, halfway you have Black Rocks and also the Stone Centre which has lots of rocks and fossils and also examples of county by county styles of dry stone walling:)
DeleteGreat post Rosie and wasn't the sky so blue?!!! I love the photo of the mallards - they look just a little smug! x
ReplyDeleteThe sky was very blue and I couldn't resist taking a photo of the ducks:)
DeleteI always enjoy our strolls together.
ReplyDeleteAmalia
xo
Thank you Amalia, glad you could join me on the walk:)
DeleteI adore Cromford. It's a while since I've been. The cafe at the mill is pretty good - if you haven't tried it.
ReplyDeleteWe usually go in the Mill cafe but it was closed for refurbishment. The Wheatcroft Wharf cafe we have been in a few times but not recently and I csn see that it has been altered with an upstairs and looked very nice inside. We didn't stay as the queue was nearly out of the door and we did have a flask of our own coffee with us:)
DeleteFascinating, Rosie. That's a part of the world I'd like to wander in, for the heritage connections of course.
ReplyDeleteIt's a lovely part of the world Mike and Cromford iteslf is fascinating as an historic mill village. There's a great bookshop too:)
Deletesomething about mallards takes me back to my childhood and feeding the ducks bread (which we now all know you're npt supposed to do!)
ReplyDeleteHope you had a wonderful weekend, Thanks for joining in with Five on Friday
Thanks, Tricky. Feeding the ducks is an almost iconic childhood ritual isn't it? I still see people with bags of white bread around the lakes even though they are asked not to feed with it, it's a hard ingrained habit to get out of:)
DeleteWhat a lovely walk to take with you. I learned a lot too!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amy glad you enjoyed the walk:)
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