Shillito Woods, Ancient Crosses and Guide Stoops

Only 3 of us today and my turn to drive, we had a quick discussion where to go and ended up at the car park in Shillito Woods. We crossed the road and followed the track down into the valley turning right. It was a lovely bright morning although it got down to 2 degrees on the drive up. The first section was like scrub land with trees scattered around. We found a little pond and couldn't resist a reflection shot. The track carried on through some Silver Birch woods with a scattering of Bluebells in patches. We got to what looks like an old drovers track and its strangely called Car Road on the map, we crossed the "road" and ventured into Greaves's Piece where we found a newish pond had been excavated. The track took us up to the A621 but we stayed in the field sitting on a huge rock for our breakfast. After our brekki we headed along the A621 until we got to the top of Car Road and went down there past where we had crossed it. We carried on until we came out onto Fox Lane and turned right up the long hill and i was knackered when i got to the top. We went through a gate into the field and found our way to the Fox Lane ancient cross. After a few photos the track lead us back to Shillito Woods and the car. We went into the woods and had a look at the  ancient cross then back to the car. While we were there a lady told us about the Adder walks and mentioned where they could be seen so we went to have a look to see if there were any about but Rob said it was probably too cold for them to be basking. Its a little copse of trees and in the middle of it is another Derbyshire Stoop, one that we've seen before.

This is this weeks figure of eight route.

Bluebells scattered everywhere

Car Road

Recently formed pond

Car Road

Daffodil 

Bluebells

Rob, Ike

Wood Anemone 

Gold Finch

Gorse

Ancient Cross on Fox Lane

Ike, me & Rob

Ancient Cross in Shillito Woods

Guide Stoop

The Nutbrook Canal

Geoff is doing a compilation of canals and he wanted to visit the last remaining sections of the Nutbrook Canal so off we went towards Ilkeston and we got parked up right alongside the canal.
We set off as usual at 06:00 and got there just about 30 minutes later. A beautiful morning and my first pic was en route when we saw St. Clements church at Horsley shrouded in mist. Arriving at the canal we got booted up and set off, the footpath was dry underfoot and nice and level. The water was unbelievably still and we got some fantastic reflections of the trees. We passed a field covered with cobwebs showing up in the back light. The canal was sometimes flowing other times the water was still and one section was just silted up and full of debris. The trail led us through part of Kirk Hallam with a lovely lake with an island.We eventually ended up at Straws Bridge where we had our breakfast sitting at the picnic benches with a view over the lake. Brother Rob first spotted a Carp swimming close to the shore and then a brown rat running along the bank. After breakfast we started heading back along the old railway track and joined back onto our original track and then back to the car. We dumped our backpacks into the boot and then crossed the road to follow the path to the end of the canal which was only a few hundred yards away ending in the grounds of the old Stanton Iron Works. Then back to the car and off home.

St. Clements Church, Horsley 

Nutbrook canal

Remains of Old Furnace Lock

Rob, Geoff & Ike

This snail was about 6 feet up a tree.

The lake at Kirk Hallam

Coming in to land

Greylag Geese

Came across this apple orchard 

Carp in Straws pond

Rob, Geoff & Ike

It just came up for air

Part of the old railway track

Bluebells

White Bluebells 

This seat is made from old railway material

Rob

The lowly Nettle in bloom 

This is a Speckled Wood butterfly

Another weir

Geoff squeezing between these giant concrete pipes

Don't know what these water grasses are called

Fisherman at work

Part of the old Stanton Iron Works being reclaimed by nature

Ike, Rob Geoff

Last look up the canal

Part of this track we hadn't been on before so new territory. A beautiful morning and we met a couple of very interesting people especially a chap walking his dog recounting his days as a miner.

See you next week