Cossall - Scenes From A Bridle Road
w/e 25 September 2005
All this week's pictures were taken
with a Kodak DX6490
When I was last walking near Cossall, the sun was
shining and the sky was blue but there was also a frost covering
the ground. That was back in January and then I walked along
the Robbinetts
Arm of the disused Nottingham Canal. This time when I returned
to where the road between Cossall and Trowell crosses the canal,
the sky was still blue but there was much more warmth in the
sun's rays as I followed a Bridle Road in the direction of Trowell.
Bridle "Road" is something of a misnomer as it is little
more than a footpath across the farmland between Ilkeston and
Nottingham. Cutting a level ribbon through the undulating landscape
much like the canals of old, is the M1 Motorway and the constant
drone of the traffic invades the surrounding countryside. The
trees on the left of the picture are those of Oldmoor Wood near
Strelley.
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It is only about a mile from the start of the bridleway to where
it passes underneath the motorway and this view is looking back
across the farmland from about half way along. The distant houses
are those on the edge of Cossall. The path follows a hedge and
tree line and to the left of the view on the other side of the
path there used to be a lot more trees in the area known as Shortwood.
I remember Shortwood from my school days but now most of the
trees have disappeared to be replaced by ploughed fields. The
name lives on in Shortwood Farm.
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Near the motorway, the path widens into a track and runs parallel
with it before turning to pass underneath and on to Trowell.
Despite the peaceful appearance it was very noisy here as lorries
trundled along the tarmac only twenty yards or so to the right.
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This rusty gate is at the point where the track turns to pass
under the motorway and also marked the limit of my walk on this
occasion as I turned here to retrace my steps back to Cossall.
Towards the right of the picture traffic can be seen on the motorway,
while white bales in the distant green fields are nearer the
centre and peeping above Oldmoor Wood to the left of centre is
the mast of the UHF Relay Station at Swingate.
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By this time I had become accustomed to the noise and had managed
to block it out so on the return journey I was able to pick out
the bird song and see things I had missed on the outward leg.
This tree for example was just one of several that would provide
shelter for weary travellers on days when the hot sun beat down.
And the hot sun had been beating down this summer as hoof marks
were baked into the solid earth along the path not to mention
numerous heaps of sun-dried rose fertiliser!
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Almost back at my starting point, here is one more "Scene
From A Bridle Road" - a zoomed shot over the Robbinetts
Arm to another farm. For a closer look at what can be "Seen
On A Bridle Road" I've created an album at Flickr of another
ten images captured on this walk. Click here to view.
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