Long Eaton - West Park
w/e 03 July 2016
All of this week's pictures were taken with a Kodak DX6490

West Park title

Part 01- Includes Trees 1 to 7

Back in 2009 (updated 2010) I added a four part series to the site titled "The Trees of Victoria Park" in which I noted some discrepancies between Erewash Borough Council's leaflet and the actual site in Ilkeston. These were resolved when new identification posts were installed and a little while later I acquired another leaflet for another Tree Trail in the borough. This one was for Long Eaton's West Park and although I am not as familiar with West Park as I am with Victoria Park, I decided that the time is now right to visit Long Eaton and follow that Tree Trail too. Much of the information about the Tree Trail has been gleaned from the Council's leaflet for which I am obliged.

Bakewell Gates

The route begins at the entrance gates to the park on Wilsthorpe Road. These are the Robert Bakewell gates named after the man who it is thought made them in the early eighteenth century. Bakewell lived between 1682 and 1752 and the gates were made for Alderman Thomas Rivett to be installed at his home in Derby. In 1907 they were acquired by Reginald Sam Boden and moved to Aston Lodge where they remained until 1932 when they were bought for £33 at auction by Long Eaton Urban District Council and installed here at West Park.
Information Board

The above information about the Robert Bakewell gates is an abbreviated version of a section on the board just inside the gates. I have superimposed the Tree Trail route on the above image as a pink line but we parked on the car park south of the gates and before embarking on that route we first passed through the area circled in yellow and there are a couple of images below of this area.
Entrance

Leaving the car park we were immediately struck by the flower beds as we entered the park.
Flower Beds

Turning left to follow the path round to the start of the Tree Trail we passed more flowers and a formal area of raised beds.
Copper Beech

After exiting the park to photograph the Robert Bakewell gates we returned to walk down this tree lined path having spotted first the identification post on the left for a Copper Beech. The council leaflet includes several interesting facts including that one mature Beech produces enough oxygen for the needs of ten people. In olden times it was believed that a wish written on beech wood which was then buried would slowly come true as the wood rotted. On a more practical level beech nuts provide food for cattle and have also been used as fuel.
Atlas Cedar

At the end of the path is a triangular piece of land on which stand a variety of trees. Although we searched for an identification post, we were unable to find one but the leaflet shows that an Atlas Cedar is amongst these trees. Native to North Africa, its usual habitat is in the Atlas Mountains and unlike other conifers, Cedars flower in the autumn.
Plane & Tulip

The next three trees line either side of the cycle/footpath to the left of the triangular piece of land. The first (tree number three and on the left above) is a London Plane while number four (right above) is a Tulip Tree. Although not native to London the London Plane was planted in Victorian times in great numbers as it was tolerant to pollution, Tulip trees are so called because they have tulip-like flowers in early summer. They were once called "canoe wood" by Native Americans as a twenty person canoe could be carved from one log.
Norway Maple

Close by and seen here from under the branches of the London Plane is a Norway Maple, well suited to British conditions as it tolerates not only pollution but also drought and frost.
Crack Willow

Moving on to tree number six and passing more flowering shrubs (top left) we next saw a Crack Willow. The picture above right shows the waterlogged ground following recent heavy rain and flooding in West Park but this is no detriment to the Crack Willow as twigs only need to be planted in damp ground in order for them to take root. Growing to a height of twenty five metres the trees get their name as the trunk grows so fast it often splits under its own weight.
Red Oak

Identification PostPath JunctionTree number seven and the final one in this part is a Red Oak, a fast growing American species that prefers open locations. The wide open spaces of West park are ideal for these trees. The leaves turn dark red in autumn. We continued along the path to where a fenced island (right) marks its junction with another path and it's from here that we will continue in the second part of this series.

West Park Index
Forward to Part 02

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