Cromford - Aqueduct Cottage and Nightingale Spur

I haven't been back to Cromford since my latest hip/knee injury, in fact it was the short flat walk there that convinced me that I should rest completely, but even before then my walking at Cromford had been confined to the same short walk along the canal near Arkright's mill - partly because of the limited distance I could walk, and partly because of a closed road leading from Cromford village to Lea Bridge. Now, at last, the road has re-opened so my nice short walk can start in a different place, the High Peak Workshops. 

From the car park on Lea Road there's a nice circular walk to High Peak Workshops, along the canal to Aqueduct Cottage, up the spur which once led to the Nightingale works, and back a short distance along Lea Road. It's possibly only a mile or so in length, but that feels far enough for me at the moment.

There's only one snag about this walk, and that's the unpredictability of the local sewage works. This day unfortunately they were smelly, and the wind blowing towards the canal, so I decided to not bother with ice cream from the visitor centre but just set off walking. 

This whole area is full of reminders of the days when it was the heart of the Industrial Revolution. Arkright's famous mill is a mile away in Cromford village, and the canal was constructed to move good from there. The canalside path passes Leawood Pumping Station. It's been restored, and on certain days I believe it's open to the public.

Then the canal goes over the river Derwent on a short aqueduct to reach the appropriately named Aqueduct Cottage.

This recently completed restoration has turned a ruin into an information hub, and even though it wasn't open it's a good spot to sit in the sunshine and taken in the view.

The cottage sits at the junction of the main canal and the Nightingale spur, and this was the point for me to turn away from the main route and double back.

I think this section is one of the prettiest now. The trees crowd closely over the water, and this short distance has a more natural feel than the main canal. It probably wasn't the case back when both sections were in regular use, but today it's peaceful and quieter (unless a train comes rushing under the hill)

 Behind its charm the Derwent valley is  a busy communication route. Here the river is crossed by the railway, and the canal crosses above that. Out of site to the left, the A6 carries traffic to Matlock and beyond.

We'd been stood here a while and I was watching the tracks for an approaching train when the hillside behind me started to rumble - a train was coming! I still find it exciting to spot a train, and although it's quite easy to see them walking by the canal it's rarer to actually be stood on the bridge as they pass!

 To find out more about Aqueduct Cottage's history and restoration see here