Suddenly it's Autumn

From a last burst of summer heat we've descended quickly into full-blown autumn.

On my daily local walks, I've noticed leaves turning yellow, and with the least breeze they seem to be piling up along the edges of paths. 

Nights are drawing in, accentuated by dark, wet evenings, and we'll soon be at the solstice, heading rapidly towards winter.

 

Cool Breezes - and reaching 10k again - at Carsington Water

Summer's surprise return return (after a lack-lustre August) stopped me in my tracks. Hot weather is fine if you're by the seaside, and can easily chill down in the water; not such fun if you're inland, and hiding from the heat behind drawn curtains.

It did seem a shame though to stay home, so off we went to Carsington Water. No swimming here as it's a Severn Trent reservoir but there are seats and picnic tables overlooking the water, and often a breeze (or howling gale) blowing across the dam. 

My intent had been to sit a while, take a short walk under the shade of trees, sit some more, then head home for a late lunch. BUT ... that reliable breeze was blowing and walking along the dam a little way seemed so tempting; then a little further, and a little further. 

People were out in yachts or windsurfing trying to catch that breeze, and after days of oppressive heat it was so pleasant that I walked a little more, with lots of stops on seats, till it seemed more sensible to go forwards than back and to carry on to the visitor centre for lunch.

The Mainsail restaurant has a balcony with marvelous views over the water, but wasps soon forced us inside.

Being midweek and out of holiday season we had a choice of tables so picked one with as glorious a view, although reflections in the glass look like UFO lights signalling beyond the far hills.

I'd hoped to try the scrumptious looking cakes, but my chosen salad wasn't the light meal I'd expected, so cake must wait for another visit.

After a leisurely meal it was time to head back. It's 2 km across the dam from visitor centre to Millfields car park, so the round (or, at least, there-and-back) walk was twice the distance I've managed since my last accident, but the route is well surfaced and virtually flat, with plenty of seats for a short rest. 

Actually the return trip proved easier and less daunting than the outward one, probably because the end was in sight. I was delighted to have reached that magical total of 10,000 steps for the first time since the beginning of June, and I'm hoping it's onward and upward (with lots of stops for lunch and cake) from now on

 

Shipley Park autumn food fair

I'm trying to up my step count in any way possible so last weekend, as a change from dull walking round the block, we headed out to Shipley Park and their autumn food fair. Usually we'd walk from Mapperley at the southern end of the park, but like most events this fair was being held at the Heanor access near the Visitor Centre.

It would have been easy to spend the whole afternoon eating (with tapas, gyros, and more on offer) and listening to the musical acts, but we'd had lunch and I did want to go for a slighter further walk. So after grazing for a while on samples of cheeses and flavoured spirits, we decided to head out of the immediate fair area.

On such a hot day though it was time first for ice cream, specifically an Hungarian chimney cake filled with it. The cake itself was a doughnut-type pastry, light and sweet, and formed into cones. I suppose they could be filled with any sort of fruit or cream, but the ice cream on offer was perfect for the weather.

 

Then we headed off through the wooded area of Cinderhill and suddenly the noise and crowds were lost behind us. The path here circles back quite quickly so at the far side we left the trees and headed into the wider park.

In the distance we could see the tree around the former site of Shipley Hall, which we normally walk to, but it felt too far for such a hot day.My step count had made it above 5000 for the second time in the week, which was very pleasing. I'm starting to feel my legs and ankles are back to being able to cope with longer distances, and I just need some cooler weather to try for them. 

 

Onward and whatever ...

I've mentioned this year's catalogue of setbacks to my health and fitness before  and I've decided that now is the time to start getting moving again. It's a third time lucky thing, I hope, with no more setbacks to come but starting out seems harder than I imagined it would be.

After the last trouble with my knee, I felt absolute rest was needed - so at times during June I was barely doing 500 steps a day. A lot of catching up was needed!

By the end of July I'd decided that a more constructive and structured plan than 'walk round the garden a lot' was needed. I started adding in short walks from my front door. There's a convenient circular route of 900 steps which I attempted first, and found exhausting. But I did it again, and again, and soon started making it a little longer. 

I got my weekly step-count up to 15,000, then 20,000. Onward and upwards. Maybe.

I've been trying over a longer period of time to get my average daily step count over the year back up to pre-pandemic levels. Last year, with a lot of effort in November and December, I managed to get that figure up above 4,000. With this year's level so far standing at 2,500, I worked out that I need to do an average of 7,000 steps a day to reach last year's mark. I doubt I'll get there, but you never know ...

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 

Guess Where?

Kedleston Hall again! 

Where else, to be honest, at the moment? As I've said before, it's local, I know the paths, and I can walk as far (or not) as I feel like. And if I forget where my photographs were taken the deckchairs give me a handy reminder.

This time I decided to be a bit more daring, and head up the Short Walk. Not very far, just to the Hermit's Hut but it was useful practice at a very gradual uphill walk.

It's a pretty path between trees and wildflowers with views on one side over the park, and out over the surrounding countryside on the other. And a convenient seat at the hermitage.

Turning round I slowly headed downhill (it's actually harder on my legs that going up!) and through the renovated stables in search of a snack. This lucky horse had some apples, but the takeaway kiosk in the stable yard had closed.

On we sauntered then for a brief pause in the pleasure grounds - not in the deck chairs which seemed too low for me to ever get out of - while the clouds decided that now, with only minutes left till closing time, would be the best time to clear and let the sun shine.

 

Autumn in the air

 The weather dial seems to have been set to constant 'rain showers' of late. It's like we've skipped most of summer and are now heading for autumn. The days are damp, with downpours stopping barely long enough fro a glimpse of grey sky. The nights are getting longer, with lights on and curtains drawn much earlier in the evening. The garden seems to have entered its late summer lull before the brightness of golden autumn leaves and purple michaelmas daisies.

 Spiders' webs sparkling with raindrops look pretty in late September, but they're not quite what I expect to be trying to photograph in August.

In between downpours I've been trying to find time for a very short walk each day; only round the nearby streets but even here I've spotted signs of autumn arriving - elderberries ripening, rowan berries changing colour.

On the good side, blackberries are starting to ripen. At first they're a welcome treat but soon I'll be complaining of too many. Meanwhile I'll continue to hope for a return of some sun ...