Monday, 27 September 2010

Following the Cromford Canal ~ 2

You're probably wondering why start the second section of my walk with a photo of a rhododendron. Well, we parked near to Lea Rhododendron Gardens and even from the road there were plenty of beautiful flowers to see ...

Holloway and the Cromford Canal ~ 3rd May 2010

We walked down the path on the northern side of the gardens where the overhanging rhodies meant we had to keep our heads low ...
   
Holloway and the Cromford Canal ~ 3rd May 2010

We got down to the main road running through Holloway and passed the church ...

Holloway and the Cromford Canal ~ 3rd May 2010

I don't know that I have ever walked all the way along the main street of Holloway, past Little London and the art gallery. Then we passed the Yew Tree pub, closed for a few years now. We descended the path with Lea Hurst, Florence Nightingale's Derbyshire home, away to our right and with the canal, out of sight, in the valley below ...

Holloway and the Cromford Canal ~ 3rd May 2010

On reaching the canal at Gregory Tunnel we turned left and headed towards Whatstandwell, passing the handful of properties known as Robin Hood ...

Holloway and the Cromford Canal ~ 3rd May 2010

Why Robin Hood I always ask myself.

We continued with the canal alongside us, on our left ...

Holloway and the Cromford Canal ~ 3rd May 2010

Holloway and the Cromford Canal ~ 3rd May 2010

Holloway and the Cromford Canal ~ 3rd May 2010

The canal, in the photo immediately above, looks strange because the surface of the water was covered in thousands and thousands of tiny leaves.

After just a couple of miles [if that] we had to leave the canal to get back to Long Lane, Lea. We were just a few days too early to see the wild garlic in flower.

Holloway and the Cromford Canal ~ 3rd May 2010

Holloway and the Cromford Canal ~ 3rd May 2010

When we reached Wakebridge we walked along the edge of the valley looking down at the views. We got onto Long Lane, the lane leading to the Rhododendron Gardens. There were dark clouds overhead ...

Holloway and the Cromford Canal ~ 3rd May 2010

... and then we were in the middle of a hailstorm ...

Holloway and the Cromford Canal ~ 3rd May 2010

and the hailstones hurt.

Good walk though.

You can see the route I followed on the OS Explore website, here :~ http://explore.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/os_routes/show/19674

Date of walk ~ 3rd May 2010

Length of walk ~ 4 1/4 miles

Total walked so far in 2010 ~ 129 miles

Total walked since 1st September 2009 ~ 259 miles

24 of 2010

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