A Sentimental Journey - No. 05 (also No. 06)
Ilkeston To Cossall - Part 3

w/e 10 February 2008
All this week's pictures were taken with a Kodak DX6490

Gonna take a Sentimental Journey, Gonna set my heart at ease.
Gonna make a Sentimental Journey, to renew old memories.

Our sentimental journey so far has taken us in two parts from Ilkeston Market Place to Park Cemetery and then from the cemetery to Potter's Lock. Now we pick up the route again and continue towards Cossall as far as the Nottingham Canal following the route suggested by Derek Thorpe (up Monks Walk to the Top Canal) and also described in similar fashion by Joanne Apergi (the train bridge, up to the first swing bridge). If you want to start the walk again from the Market Place before proceeding from here, click here.

Train Bridge


Over the Erewash to the train bridge.Leaving Potter's Lock and the Erewash Canal behind us we must first cross a small bridge (left) over the River Erewash, passing at the same time from Derbyshire into Nottinghamshire as the river marks the boundary between the two counties. As well as the river, the railway also runs along the valley and the train bridge that Joanne referred to can be seen in the inset above. That picture was taken in October 2000 but in 2002/3 it was removed and replaced by a far less aesthetically pleasing structure (that's putting it politely - I usually call it a monstrosity) that includes ramps as well as steps on each side of the tracks.

Four views - two old, two new.

I can appreciate the need for the ramps and the health and safety aspects of the new bridge but I still find it difficult to find any redeeming features in the structure itself. Back in 2000 and for many years previously it had also been possible to cross the tracks via a wooden walkway (top left). Health and safety in those days was addressed by little more than a "Stop, Look, Listen" sign but now fences (top right) prevent access to the lines. Joanne wrote that her brother was a train spotter back then and no doubt he pursued his hobby from the rusting cast iron bridge (bottom left) but on the new structure the graffiti splattered sides (bottom right) are too high to see over and as they are solid, you cannot see through them either. Oh, for the good old days!
View From The Bridge

At least the vantage point offered from the top of the steps on the bridge gives a good view of Mill Lane up the hill to Cossall Village on the hilltop. The hedgerow running across from left to right marks the position of the Nottingham Canal or "Top Cut".
Mill Lane

View to former slag tipAs was mentioned in the previous part, Potter's Lock was previously called Ilkestonmill Lock due to the proximity of the mill that stood by the river. The mill was also responsible for the name of the lane but unlike the lock, the lane's name has stuck. This view up Mill Lane brings back those dreaded memories of cross country runs whilst at school. In those days I was unaware of the significance of the large stone slabs on the left of the path but now know them to be part of the Monk's Way. They are still there but hidden beneath the undergrowth. Views left and right of the lane are across pretty unremarkable farmland but the distant hill to the left is the former slag heap at Cossall Colliery.
Nottingham Canal

On reaching the canal we can look along its length towards the former tip and in March 2007 we actually followed the towpath through to Station Road (click here to view). The canal opened in 1796 to link Eastwood with Nottingham but like many others suffered as a consequence of the success of the railways and by 1937 it had been abandoned. Parts of the route of the waterway have disappeared altogether due to opencast mining among other reasons so it is no longer navigable but other parts, like here off Mill Lane, have become nature reserves.
Former Swing Bridge

A large pipe now passes under Mill Lane to carry the water but previously the canal was crossed by a swing bridge. Click here to see a photo of the bridge in 1966 at the Picture The Past website from a similar position to the above. It is here that we must bid a temporary farewell to Joanne as her route now follows the towpath on the left of this image towards Trowell. We will return in Sentimental Journey No. 6 to pick up that route.
Back to Ilkeston

From here on though we are about to continue with Derek's route up Mill Lane into Cossall Village which we will see in Part 4. Before proceeding further up Mill Lane, a look back over the Nottingham Canal and across the Erewash Valley shows Ilkeston in the distance with the tower of the Roman Catholic Church of St Thomas prominent on the skyline just to the left of centre.

Cue song:- Never thought my heart could be so yearny. Why did I decide to roam?
Gotta take that Sentimental Journey, Sentimental Journey home.

Click here to continue along Derek's route to Cossall in Sentimental Journey No. 05 Part 4

Click here to follow Joanne's route along the Nottingham Canal in Sentimental Journey No. 06 Part 4

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