Cromford canal part 2

One of our party had to get back early to go to a surprise birthday party at lunch time, so we thought we would do a bit more along the Cromford canal, starting from where we left off last week. This 6 mile stretch of the canal between Cromford and Ambergate has been given the status, Biological Site of Special Scientific Interest.
We parked opposite the historic John Smedley Mill factory in Lea Bridge and walked down to the canal. The footpath led us to where the Wigwell aqueduct meets the Lengthmans cottage.

North end of the Leawood tunnel

Wigwell Aqueduct with the Leawood pumphouse on the right.

Wigwell Aqueduct last week - what a difference.

There were Pen and Cob swans "twitterpating" in the basin at the start of the Wigwell aqueduct, and the courtship display was amazing to watch.

Cromford Wharf shed with the swans in the foreground.

Rob taking a pic of the  swans in front of the Wharf shed.

From the aqueduct we walked along the old track bed, where we had to negotiate a large fallen tree.

Rob being eaten by a tree

Nice crisp morning

Geoff photographing the railway bridge over the river Derwent.

We passed an old structure which Geoff recognised as the roof of an old railway building which he had photographed in 1963. We had to cross the river at this point and got a few nice railway track shots.

South end of the Leawood tunnel

The footbridge and cast iron aqueduct over the railway track

Ike at an old railway hut.

Ike helping Geoff onto the footpath.

Footpath, aqueduct and south end of the Leawood tunnel

 This cast iron aqueduct over the railway track is where we turned back last week. We walked a bit further south towards the Gregory tunnel where the canal goes through the hillside.

Footpath & cast iron aqueduct.

Newly erected bat boxes

Lovely stretch of the canal with these reflections of the trees.

Rob over an outflow.

This is the76 yards long Gregory tunnel

 from the Gregory tunnel we climbed over the canal and up the footpath towards Lea Hurst.

The boys getting stuck in a deer gate.

 We stopped for breakfast in the shadow of Lea Hurst. This was the family home of the Nightingales where Florence Nightingale spent her summers. She nursed her mother there in the 1880's. For many years the house was a Royal Surgical Aid Society rest home and is now a private residential house.

Breakfast with Lea Hurst in the background.

There were a few roe deer just grazing across the other side of the field, so i had a go at "stalking" them, didn't get to close, but got a couple of decent snaps.

Its OK its only Jim with that bloody camera!!

Rob trying his luck with the deer.

Lea Hurst - The summer retreat for Florence Nightingale.

The historic John Smedley Mill site.

John Smedley and his partner Peter Nightingale set up his spinning mill in 1784 in the village. The brook that runs through the village provided all the power needed for his factory.
This has been a lovely crisp morning for a very pleasant walk along the Cromford canal.
The sun is rising a lot earlier now so the alarm clock will be getting changed for next week.
Cheers for now.