Ilkeston - This Looks Familiar
w/e 18 January 2015
All of this week's pictures were
taken with a Kodak DX6490
It's inevitable when you've been walking and photographing
the footpaths and the landscapes in the same area for a number
of years that some repetition occurs and having reached that
point we decided this week to follow a route we covered in different
conditions back in 2010. It is not only for that reason that
these images may appear familiar but also because I tried to
take similar shots from the same places as previously. For comparison
see the original Snow,
Snow Snow page from December 2010.
We have walked parts of this route both before and after that
snowy walk but this is the first time we have completed the whole
route since that cold December day. We again walked from the
Market Place down Pimlico and West End Drive and paused by the
side of the Recreation Ground for this first picture. Apart from
the absence of snow and children sledging the main differences
from earlier appear to be that lights have been installed at
the edge of the path and the cricket screen is now in the shot.
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We continued past the Rec to the Pewit Golf Course. The slopes
in 2010 were also covered by children sledging but although there
was a touch of frost, this time it was only golfers who were
out on the course.
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Some flood prevention work is nearing completion and this has
entailed some heavy vehicles using the track at the side of the
golf course, turning it into a muddy quagmire in parts. When
the flood work is completed the track will be resurfaced and
a pile of hardcore is visible on the right of the picture. Beyond
that point the resurfacing work has already been carried out
but to reach that point the better option is to walk on the grass.
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We followed the track to join the Nutbrook Trail and turned right
to walk along it towards Shipley and Heanor, stopping at the
entrance to Pewit Carr to repeat this shot of the bridge. The
bridge itself and the post with information about the National
Cycle Network look just the same but there is a lot more leaf
on the surrounding vegetation than back in December 2010.
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The nearby seat is still there but despite the low temperatures
it was not cold enough for ice to form on Manner Floods. It was
cold enough however for the anglers to take shelter in a tent
whilst pursuing their hobby.
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  I don't know whether it was down to
the flood prevention works but the waters in the Nut Brook (left)
were flowing at a greater rate than seen for many a long year.
After passing under the old railway bridge (right) we continued
along the Nutbrook Trail towards Shipley. Our snow walk had been
hard work along here but a brisk walk under a weak winter sun
soon warmed us up this time.
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Despite over four years growth the solitary tree at the side
of the Trail did not seem any bigger but part of the adjacent
fence has now gone missing.
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 As with the
previous walk, we met several people walking in the opposite
direction on the Nutbrook Trail and as we reached the Shipley
View estate there were some children on the play equipment. It
was here last time that we left the trail as the snow began to
fall again. We also left the Trail again near here but followed
a different path into the estate and walked through the maze
of streets and passages to eventually reach Heanor Road. True
to form the weather changed as we walked down Heanor Road (right)
and it began to rain and there was even a flake or two of snow
in it. So like before we caught a bus and headed home for a warming
drink.
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