Spondon - Locko Park
w/e 27 October 2013
All this week's pictures were taken
with a Kodak DX6490
There's already a set of images from Locko Park in
the "Days Out" section of this site but they were captured
in October a dozen years ago. Although we have walked through
the estate several times since then, another collection of views
is perhaps long overdue,
There's a small parking area for about six vehicles at the side
of Locko Road between Spondon and Oakwood and we walked from
there down the entrance drive into the estate.
|
At the end of the drive are pedestrian and vehicular
gates with buildings either side of which this is one, The buildings
are numbers 1 and 2 South Lodge.
|
From the Lodge a lane leads all the way through the estate to
Dunnshill at Dale but we didn't go that far on this occasion.
To the left of the lane the scenery can best be described as
typical parkland - open expanses of grassland dotted with a variety
of trees. Apparently because of the fine summer weather this
year, the trees autumn colours are about two weeks late but whilst
many of the trees are still green, the first signs of autumn
colour are beginning to show,
|
The land to the right is very similar but here it slopes down
to a small water course where it is crossed by a gated bridge
before rising again to the horizon.
|
The whole of the estate is private property and can be crossed
only by way of permitted by-ways and pubic footpaths. Locko Hall
is the centrepiece of the park and a first glimpse of it can
be seen part way along the lane.
|
As the Hall disappears behind the trees, the focus of our attention
turned to the lake where the gentle slope of the lane levels
out to pass along the edge of the water.
|
The lake is a lovely tranquil spot in the park and is a favourite
spot for a variety of waterfowl, the specks on the grass on the
far side of the lake being a flock of Canada Geese.
|
The lane passes all along the southern side of the kidney shaped
lake and in the past we have seen cattle or horses grazing on
the hillside overlooking the lake. This time though no livestock
was present.
|
We walked along the lane until we were able to get a good view
of Locko Hall, Although this, like the park, is privately owned,
the Grade II listed building does host weddings and corporate
events. Whilst looking up information about Locko, I referred
to my copy of "The King's England" for Derbyshire first
published in 1937 from which the following is an extract.
"Here was born in 1830 Sir Drury Drury-Lowe, the famous
soldier who served in the Crimea .... and received the surrender
of Arabi Pasha. ... But two centuries before him Henry Gilbert,
builder of the chapel at Locko Hall ... brought home as his bride
one of the three daughters of Sir John Bernard. who had been
brought up by his second wife Elizabeth, only child of Shakespeare's
daughter Susanna."
|
More information about the history of the estate is available
at Wikipedia and the Locko Park Estate website but having enjoyed
our walk to the lake we returned up the lane and back to the
car.
|
