Nutbrook Canal

The Nutbrook Canal was built to serve the collieries of Shipley and West Hallam. Completed in 1795, it closed again about 100 years later, in 1896.  Parts of the canal still remain and near to where we live, there is a short section still flowing. Recent clearance of brush and trees by the Midlands Electricity Company, has opened this part to the light.

Here, the remains of an old lock can still be seen clearly. I'm not sure , but I think this is all that is left of what was called Mapperley Lock.

Whatever it is (or was) the water still tumbles through it and the removal of some of the trees has meant that we can get see it much better.

Further along the old West Hallam mineral railway lines, where railways and heavy industry once filled the area with smoke and filth, wild flowers now grow in abundance. Bird's Foot Trefoil...

Evening Primroses...

and Perforate St John's Wort were all in full bloom this morning, much to my delight and the delight of the bees too.  All a far cry from the days when the canal and the railways were in full use.