Walk

I thought it might be nice to take a few 'general' pictures of our walk this morning.  Just a short walk of little more than 3 miles as there are always so many other people on the weekend pathways.
We started, as we so often do, heading south from our estate into Shipley Park.

Wanting to get off the main paths, we went 'off piste' and across the flower-filled field.

Nearing the Nutbrook Canal, we crossed one of the many small bridges which cross and re-cross the brook and canal and which once carried coal, steel and various minerals on the hundreds of railway lines which criss-crossed this part of the walk.

Through the trees and out again into the sunshine to turn north-west along the route of more old railway lines which once supported the West Hallam Colliery.

This part of the walk is beautiful, but there are still some patches of ground which are sterile and barren, the result no doubt of poisoning from many years of industry.

Eventually, we turned off this path and headed north, taking us through the small collection of houses near Head House Farm.

Ignoring the attempt at intimidation by a Black Labrador and a Jack Russell, we walked on, past the farm.

Just beyond the farm building, the vista opens out again to take in the view of Shipley Hill past the old Oak trees which line the lane, known as Slack Road.  The bright yellow of millions of Buttercups can be seen in the middle distance in this picture.

Turning east again at the end of this lane, we started back for home...

... taking us through a small copse of Ash and Maple trees.

Out once more into open fields, we were 'buzzed' by two radio-controlled planes along this stretch of meadow and hedgerow.

Walking around the field instead of cutting across it lengthened the walk a little as it was such a nice day and at the far end, we crossed another small bridge which spans another small section of the old Nutbrook and then faced a short, but very steep climb up the bank.

The path then turns south for a while as we walked along the top of the bank.

Reaching the end of the track, we once again turned east, back down off the bank and into the estate once more, heading home for coffee.