Ilkeston - Four Days In May
w/e 13 May 2012
All this week's pictures were taken
with a Kodak DX6490
It was one of those weeks where I had nowhere specific
in mind and the changeable weather conditions with plenty of
rain forecast meant walks in the countryside did not seem all
that attractive.
Although this picture from Wednesday appears to be in the countryside,
it is actually close to the town centre. The open green space
where dandelions were making a valiant effort to take over lies
between Chaucer Infant School to the left and the Junior School
to the right. Just beyond the fence is Chalons Way (see the street
lights) and the tower of St Mary's Church is visible above the
trees on the right.
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On Thursday we went a little further afield and took a ride out
to a car park alongside the Nottingham Canal between Trowell
and Cossall. Looking back towards Ilkeston over the recently
erected information board detailing the route of the Erewash Valley Trail, a 30 mile route on
both sides of the valley, the predominant colour of the landscape
was again yellow but this was a rape seed crop and not dandelions.
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  I walked
a little way along the canal towpath and over the rape fields
Ilkeston and St Mary's Church tower could again be seen. I retraced
my steps when it started to rain but on the other side of the
canal the undulating land rising up to Trowell Moor (left) is
the subject of a planning application (right) to turn it into
an opencast mine. There is likely to be strong opposition from
local groups and residents who consider the plans amount to rape
of the landscape of an entirely different nature.
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By Friday the weather had started to improve but by the time
I took a walk around the Rutland Sports Park in the evening sunshine
it was turning cold again. Despite numerous signs on buildings
and boards around the ground, most locals would still refer to
it as "The Rec." and the old name still figures on
the disused ticket box at the end of Oakwell Drive. When Derbyshire
played County Cricket matches here I remember queues forming
to pass through here to gain access to the ground.
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Nowadays County Cricket is no longer played here and access to
the ground is more open. Developments to the ground in recent
years which also included the name change, resulted in an indoor
tennis centre to the left and a gym and fitness centre opposite.
Beyond that there is an athletics track, jumping and throwing
area and an all weather football pitch that can also be used
for ball games requiring smaller courts.
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I walked around the rec to the other side and, now with the tennis
centre on the right, as the shadows lengthened I looked back
across the cricket pitch towards the old pavilion were there
was a great deal of activity as youngsters were put through their
paces learning the finer points of the game and having lots of
fun in the process.
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I left the rec to return to Oakwell Drive and by the entrance
was this bed of purple tulips and pansies looking wonderful in
the evening light.
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On Saturday the sun shone just as brightly but by the afternoon
when we visited the Erewash Museum for the Motorcycle Day event
it was feeling much warmer. Bikers on machines of all ages had
turned up and it was "standing room only" in the grounds
of the museum, so much so in fact, that several bikes had to
be parked outside.
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The bikes were lined up on the paths and on the lawns and large
numbers of non-bikers also turned up to inspect and discuss the
lovingly tended machines.
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This is just a small selection of the motorbikes and the people
present at what must be one of the museum's most popular events.
So from the dark skies early in the week to the sunshine at the
end, these are just some of the sights to be seen in and around
Ilkeston in just four days in May.
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