Walk around Ogston Reservoir

Well it was just drizzling with rain this morning, just enough to get you damp but we thought we would risk it, so we left Geoff's about 07:00 and decided to go to Ogston Reservoir. Its just a short journey and we were first in the car park. With the grey skies and damp conditions the light was abysmal so unfortunately the photos are not of the best quality, most of them being taken on my pocket camera. This camera is great in nice sunny conditions but a bit "noisy" in dull weather.
While we were booting up Ike told us a story, he bought a new pair of boots about 3 months ago and he got a spare pair of laces with them, well he lost the laces some time ago and guess what he's just found them tucked up in the toe of one of his boots!!!
Well there's not much to say about this walk just that in good weather we will be back it was just around 5 miles and we passed through some great scenery.

5 mile walk around Ogston Res starting from the West Bank car park.

Cormorants 

Me trying out a new hat

Des res looking for a bit of DIY

Dam wall

Clump of Snowdrops

Water cascading down several tiers

Nice little stone bridge

River Amber

Geoff getting through a very small style

Brackensfield Holy Trinity Church built in 1856

Rob & Ike

Snowdrops in the churchyard

Edge of the reservoir

Views of the reservoir

Tree full of bird feeders

A good 5 mile walk in the rain and in the words of Arne "I'll be back" in better weather of course.

See you next week.

Midland Railway Butterley

I sent Geoff a photo of a signal box from Butterley through the week and this was this weeks destination. When i set off this morning at 06:50 the temperature gauge in my car read 11 degrees, for January that's just incredible. A quick chat before we set off and Butterley was decided. It was still quite dark when we got to the car park there and no one about. We walked along the platform crossed the tracks and did a few pics with Geoff at the signal box. He's been in that box when it was in the original location when it was operational. We just wandered along the footpath which was very muddy in places. We ended up at Swanwick Junction and had a good wander around and ended up at the West Shed checking out the Duchess of Sutherland. We had breakfast there and then we were invited into the shed to have a look inside. Some great stuff going on in there and some very historic engines and carriages. Carriage 45000 was used in 1944 by Churchill and other leaders to plan the D Day landings, Geoff gave a donation for our look around. We came out of the shed and retraced our steps back to the car park.

Butterley Railway Station

Geoff on the signal box

There used to be millions of these.

Geoff in the mud

Carriages need a bit of TLC

Abandoned wheels and axles

We don't know what the wire was for, anyone know?

Swanwick Junction signal box

Tin chapel

Massive diesel engine

The Duchess of Sutherland with 2 of the volunteer workers.

Geoff, Rob & Ike

Geoff

Royal Carriage 45000 was thought to be the used where Churchill and other VIP's made decisions about the D Day Landings 

More mud on the way back

This is only 20 minutes drive for us just the other side of Ripley and the walk itself was only under 3 miles but very enjoyable. Its a very large and historic complex and well worth a visit.

See you next week