Weston on Trent to Aston on Trent via the Trent & Mersey Canal

It was a dull and miserable start to the morning when we set off for Weston on Trent. It was nice to have all 4 of us together and it was Robs turn to drive. We set off about 07:15 in the drizzle and straight through Derby and parked up in the main street in Weston on Trent. Got booted up and set off  along the road to Aston on Trent then turned off the road on the track leading down to the canal. These fields were covered with some sort of cabbage crop, not sure what it was.  We met this chap with his dog and it was carrying a huge log, when we stopped to chat it just ripped this log to pieces. We carried on past a derelict building then onto a lovely 3 story building on the side of the canal. At the canal bridge we turned left and took a detour to see the Aston on Trent Lock, from there we headed back towards Weston and carried on until we reached a bridge with the towpath running under it and that's where we stopped for our breakfast. At some point along here i decided to put my camera away because of the rain. After breakfast we carried on to the lock at Weston on Trent and then a short walk back to the car. Geoff is doing a waterways around Derby project and he was satisfied what we had got.

This weeks route

The Green in Weston on Trent

Some nice buildings in these 2 villages

Geoff and Rob checking the map

Huge fields with some form of crop

Just liked this little fence around these old cottages

Quaint little shed

Nice to see a village shop

Old Post Office Aston on Trent

All Saints Church Aston on Trent

All Saints Church Aston on Trent

Ike trying to identify the crop

Fetch

A do it up job

The Trent and Mersey Canal

Aston Lock on the Trent and Mersey Canal

Rob looking like a drowned rat

Geoff photographing the signpost

Weston on Trent Canal Lock

An interesting vehicle

Old post office in Weston

 Just over 5 1/2 miles in the drizzle but nonetheless still an enjoyable morning out with the boys, Geoff's got his pics for his project and we were back home just after 11:00.
See you next week.

Swarkestone Junction to the Trent Viaduct

This week we returned to Swarkestone Junction but we ventured along the eastern course of the canal to the Trent Viaduct via the old railway track.
Before we set off from Plains Lane i had spotted the Waning Moon just above the tree line at the other side of the valley. I got a quick snap and it wasn't until i looked at it on my laptop that i saw i had also got the Planet Saturn in the frame.
It was Ike's turn to drive and we arrived about 08:00 ish, changed into boots and set off. It was a lovely bright crisp morning with a bit of frost and mist about.

The Waning Moon with Saturn in the top left hand corner.

Someone has got the fire stoking up

Gorgeous warm light on the wall of that bridge.

The light catching these overhanging branches and the bridge.

Swarkestone Hall Farm on the left

Ike walking into the Sun

Geoff

Willington Power Station Cooling Towers

Spiders web on the bridge

Lovely mist 

Misty river Trent

We found this old pressure vessel of some sort next to the river, we think it may have been a pump

Ike

The Trent Viaduct

Underneath the arches, i dreamed my life away........

Jet just took off from East Mids

I'm assured this part of the points is called a frog

Geoff getting stuck

Geoff, Ike & Rob

Swarkestone Hall Pavilion also known as Swarkestone Stand and The Grandstand is a 17th-century pavilion. It may have been built to celebrate the marriage of Sir John Harpur in 1630.

The Parish Church of St James was heavily restored in 1874-76, by F.J.Robinson, with only the south west tower and the Harpur chapel remaining intact. The chapel contains alabaster monuments to Sir Richard Harpur (1577) and Sir John Harpur (1627), and a chancel tomb to John Rolleston who died in 1482.

Close up of the Pavilion

Had a nice chat to this barge owner, it was his barge smoking in the first pic.

Another cracking walk, in bright glowing sunlight, you just cant beat a mixture of water and sunrise, magic.
See you next week.