Latest Images
Town Walk 2026 - Part 17 - Charlotte Street to The Erewash
Canal
w/e 17 May 2026
All of this week's pictures were
taken with a Nikon D3300 camera.
This part equates to parts of Stages 27, 28 and
29 from the original Town Walk from 2004.
Continuing the 'Cotmanhay Loop' as described in the Town Walk
leaflet, we carry on down Charlotte Street passing Haddon Nurseries
and "the impressive three storey building and former
clothing factory has also found a new lease of life as the Elim Christian
Centre." The church was formed as a house group
in the 1960s and worshipped in several locations before moving
to this building in 1993. It changed its name to the Ilkeston
Hope Church in 2024.
To record this photo as your favourite
from this week's selection vote for "Hope Church" below.
|
Near the end of Charlotte Street is a convenience shop called
'One Stop'. Back in 2004 this was the 'Live
and Let Live' pub and although the pub has now gone the sign
attached to the building has survived and been updated to reflect
the change. Between the shop and Cotmanhay Road is Granby
Park.
To record this photo as your
favourite from this week's selection vote for "One Stop
" below.
|
The park, situated on the site
of an old colliery since 1896 has changed little in appearance
since the original Town Walk in 2004 but there does appear to
be more play equipment now which has been added behind the artwork
near the main entrance.
The sculpture has weathered quite a bit since 2004 but it
is still possible to read the inscriptions engraved on the stones
one of which reads "Changing Places - 2000 AD, Breaking
The Mould 1 of 21, Artist - Andrew McKeown".
To record this photo as your
favourite from this week's selection vote for "Sculpture"
below.
|
The next part of the walk is along the Cotmanhay Linear Park
which is accessed after leaving Granby Park by walking along
Cotmanhay Road about as far as "the
vehicle heading towards us" where
"there used to be a railway bridge over the road."
The bridge carried the line from Ilkeston North Station towards
Nottingham and the Linear Park now follows the route of that
line.
To record this photo as your
favourite from this week's selection vote for "Cotmanhay
Road" below.
|
The line was "the route of the
old Great Northern Railway" and we have already walked
some of the route on the Derby side of the station along "Manners
Link between Manners Avenue and Heanor Road." Since
2004 the access to the path through the Linear Park has been
simplified by removing the previous barrier configuration.
To record this photo as your
favourite from this week's selection vote for "Linear Park"
below.
|
The path itself still provides a "pleasant and quieter
alternative way to reach Nelson Street instead of walking along
the busy Cotmanhay Road."
To record this photo as your favourite
from this week's selection vote for "Footpath" below.
|
The Linear Park is in three sections crossing two roads between
Cotmanhay Road and Nelson Street, the first being Ebenezer Street.
To record this photo as your favourite
from this week's selection vote for "At Ebenezer Street"
below.
|
  The Town Walk continues to the next one at Duke
Street where a right turn leads to Awsworth Road. In
2004 I took a photo from outside the Bridge Inn similar to the
one on the left. The Canal Vue Care Home now stands on the Inn
site. I also mentioned the Blue Pig (right) the low bench at the foot of the canal
bridge. It's still there but disappearing under weeds
To record this photo as your
favourite from this week's selection vote for "Duke Street"
below.
|
Continuing over the bridge the
view to the left is over Barker's Lock and this time I was fortunate
enough to see two narrow boats there too. On the other side of
the bridge the view in a similar direction reveals "the
New Manor Ground, home of Ilkeston Town Football Club."
At the end of 2004 the club playing in the Unibond Northern
Premier League, First Division was lying second in the league
and now at the end of the 2025/2026 season it has finished 11th
out of 21 in the Northern Premier League, Premier Division. It
also won the Derbyshire Senior Cup beating Glossop North End
in the final.
To record this photo as your
favourite from this week's selection vote for "Lock/Football
Club" below.
|
The route is now away from the football ground along the Erewash Canal towpath which
gives "a good view of the single track hump back canal
bridge with its very narrow footpath. Visibility from the road
either side of the bridge is very limited" and the image
used in 2004 did not show the traffic lights that were installed
by the end of the year "to ease the flow of traffic over
the bridge."
To record this photo as your
favourite from this week's selection vote for "Canal Bridge"
below.
|
