Ilkeston Cam on Holiday in ....
w/e 15 October 2023
All of this week's pictures were taken with a Nikon D3300.
10 - Father & Son Time
During our time in Scarborough we had visited or seen many of
the tourist attractions from The Mere and Oliver's Mount to Peasholm
Park and Scalby Mills, from the Castle and the harbours to the
sea front and The Spa. But one place that we had seen marked
on Google maps (see below) that we had not caught sight of, despite
passing the area several times, was the Victorian Pet Cemetery.
If it was marked on the map, surely it was worth at least a look.
On the last evening before returning home Adam and I decided
to investigate.
We descended the hillside along the path from Valley Bridge and
scoured the area. We asked a council worker busy cutting the
grass but all to no avail. Eventually we found a way into an
area of scrub land by climbing a wall and found the said cemetery.
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Approaching the same from Valley Road, we found another way to
the site through this gate but still had to scale a three foot
high wall to reach the cemetery.
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There we found a number of headstones scattered about among the
trees and undergrowth. Although we are supposed to be a nation
of animal lovers, it seems as though the Victorians were more
caring about their pets than later generations as the cemetery
now seems to have fallen into a neglected site.
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Mission complete, we moved across to the other side of Valley
Road where there are a number of interconnected ponds, this one
with a fair amount of algae but also with a bird house.
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We followed the path between two ponds and under Valley Bridge.
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The path passes another pond at a lower level which was completely
covered with algae.
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The two ponds are connected by a small waterfall.
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We paused here before descending to the lower pond and viewed
the Valley Bridge structure which was originally built as the
Lendal Bridge in York. Sadly whilst being constructed there in
1861 it collapsed killing five men. It was recovered and re-erected
here, supported by two piers, opening in July 1865 as a toll
bridge until 1928. The increase in traffic in the early part
of the century resulted in the bridge being widened and now,
like Ernie Wise's wig, you can't see the join!
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With one last glance back at the manicured lawns and colourful
flower beds, we crossed back over Valley Road to return up the
hillside and bring an end to our father and son time.
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