Monday 10^th September 2018

Retracing our steps we set off towards Ilkeston. There is a lot of weeding on the upper sections of the Erewash Canal, at one point reeds totally filled the canal, and it was difficult to see where the channel actually was. Just emerging out of one of the locks, we met a wide beam boat, a lot of manoeuvring took place. They moor at Langley Mill Basin and had been away for a year. They reckoned the canal had never been so badly weeded up in the past.

We were going to moor up beside the A6096 road bridge where we had stopped last Thursday when we visited Ilkeston. We wanted to visit Cossall, a little village on the other side of the canal from Ilkeston. An elderly, local couple, out for a walk, suggested we continue up to the next lock, Potters Lock, and moor there instead. It was a good suggestion. Much safer, much more rural, and the walk up the hill to Cossall was much more pleasant than if we had walked up the main road as was our original intention. We gave this couple a lift to Potters Lock, they live in a bungalow just beside it. They were so excited, they had never been on a boat before and hopefully, we made their day.

Apparently, the lane we walked up to the village was an ancient pathway. Originally, the road between Nottingham and Ilkeston and much used by Monks from the nearby monasteries. Both the lock, and the lane, are known as “Potters” as there used to be many small potteries here about.

We crossed over the disused Nottingham Canal, still in water at this stretch, before entering into the well spread out village of Cossall. It is a stereo-typical English country village and could have been anywhere in the country. Lots of old, picture post card cottages and much larger houses. The church was only small but a beautiful building none the less. It had many old graves, a lovely war memorial and a memorial to three men from the village who fought at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, which brought an end to the Napoleonic Wars. Two of the men were killed during the battle and the third returned and is buried somewhere in the churchyard.

Church Cottage was the home of D. H. Lawrence’s fiancée. A delightfully, well maintained building. The Alm’s Houses in the village were a direct contrast. These were built in 1685, are in a dilapidated condition and, apparently, have been so for a number of years. Disgraceful that such buildings, of this age, are allowed to become so. They were bought last year by a Jewish businessman. Let’s hope he recognises their worth and does something to retain them.

                        

                                                                                 St. Catherine’s Parish Church,  

                                                                                    Cossall, Nottinghamshire                                       

                                                                                  and the Waterloo Monumnet

 

                                                                                                 Church House,

home of

D.H. Lawrence’s fiancee

Alms Houses

Cossall

in a dilapidated condition

                                                                                 Bed of the Nottingham Canal

                                                                                              beside Cossall

We did a circular walk back through the village and along the towpath of the Nottingham Canal. As an aside, the towpath, although designated as a walkway, was full of horse shit. Why is it totally unacceptable to allow dogs to foul, yet a horse can shit all over the place with no thought or attempt to clean up. End of the day, it still makes a mess of your shoes. 

Back at the boat we continued on, doing a further five locks. We were both ready to stop when we moored up on Padmore Moorings in the centre of Sandiacre, lovely landscaped moorings. Although next to a busy road they are next to a traffic lighted intersection so the traffic was slow moving and not too obtrusive.

   

We had a walk through the town, just a small place. We went into a pub just across the road. Very much a local, similar to the Kings Arms in Middlewich. However, a pint of Old Speckled Hen and a pint of Carlsberg - £4.60!!! 

Weather: overcast but mild. Became a bit windy late afternoon.

Day Total: 8 lock; 6 miles; 0 Tunnels; 0 Boat Lift; engine running hours 4.2

Overall Total: 209 locks; 380 miles; 15 tunnels; 2 Boat Lifts; engine running hours 222.2