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| Swingate Water Tower |
With a promising weather forecast, I caught a train down to Ilkeston in Derbyshire. The station is on the eastern boundary of the town and close to the county border with Nottinghamshire.
At first I was cursing the weather people because no sooner had I alighted from the train than a big grey cloud sprinkled holy water upon me. But it didn't last long. Soon I was plodding by the disused Nottingham Canal.
Then along to the pleasant village of Cossall where D.H.Lawrence's girlfriend Louie Burrows lived. In 1910 they were engaged to be married but it didn't work out. David Herbert had other romantic diversions.
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| Church House in Cossall - childhood home of Louie Burrows |
Onward to Strelley Hall then back over the M1 motorway, following Robin Hood's Way to Swingate where there is a magnificent sandstone water tower. It was built in the middle of the last century next to a reservoir that serves the city of Nottingham.
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| Prancing horses at Turkey Fields Farm |
Four hours after arriving, I was back at the railway station and on my way home to Sheffield. An annoying passenger with a mobile phone and a piercing tone of voice made reading almost impossible so I checked out the forty or fifty photographs I had snapped on my latest ramble while fantasising about making the passenger eat his Apple.
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| War memorial and Church at Strelley |
There are some pleasant canal walks in the Nottingham/Derby area. Used to like the Grantham canal which could be joined to walks along disused railways.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip Tasker.
DeleteThat is a handsome water tower. Our water towers tend to be very utilitarian; they are made of metal and look a little like a UFO on stilts.
ReplyDeleteI think there needs to be a law against phone calls of over, say, two minutes, on public transit. How can people not see - or care - how rude they are being and how they are ruining the trip for everyone around them? When I hear about these things, I'm kind of glad we don't have public transit!
He may have been annoyed that I was trying to read a book but at least I wasn't making much noise - just the turning of pages and oh, I was also breathing.
DeleteI love that brick house in Cossall and it is interesting to hear about it's connection with D.H.Lawrence. Those horses look like they are having fun jumping about in the mud. You had a wonderful walk by the looks of it!
ReplyDeleteYes I did. It was varied and interesting Bonnie.
DeleteThe water tower and the brick house are my kind of building (even though they are not ruined!). Louie? If I had come across the name without context, I would have believed it to be a male first name. But then I do get confused about male/female names in the English language every now and then, I must admit. There are Charlies of both sexes, there are Lindsays and Lindseys and similar, and the only one I never get mixed up is Frances/Francis.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about reading being impossible with other passengers talking loudly (either among each other or on the phone). I find it easier to read in English on the train, since most (but by no means all) conversations around me are in other languages, such as German, Turkish, Russian or Arabic. As soon as I try to read a German book, it becomes a lot more difficult with other people around.
How interesting that the language of the book makes a difference Mike/Meike!?
DeleteThat water tower is impressive. Modern architecture just doesn't compare in my opinion.
ReplyDeleteThe tower is essentially functional but they made a statement with its construction. It is visible for miles around.
DeleteMy first thought upon seeing the top picture was--it's the letter L. Another good photo day for you. Love the action shot of the prancing horses.
ReplyDeleteLike you, I can't abide people talking loudly (or at all) on their mobiles, especially on public transportation. Had one of them behind me on a train from London to Glasgow (so much for the quiet coach). Luckily, they got off halfway there. Even noise-canceling earphones don't block them out.
It's so damned selfish. By the way, I hadn't seen the "L" until you mentioned it!
DeleteMary, I had not spotted the "L" until I read your comment, but of course you are right!
DeleteThere are some advantages to having a hearing impairment. If I encounter noisy fellow passengers I can switch off my hearing aids.
ReplyDeleteI would have happily switched my ears off on that train.
DeleteNot to be a downer here but you still feel okay, taking public transportation? Perhaps I am being way too overly concerned. In the great scheme of things, a loud-talking, phone-call taking person is but an annoyance while someone carrying a virus can cause real problems.
ReplyDeleteAll in all, its probably healthier for you to get out and walk than it is for you to stay home and fret.
I think you are a little ahead of the game Mary. Those anxieties are only just beginning to creep in. In a week's time they will be more stark and real.
DeleteI love the prancing horses! And Louie Burrows' home looks dreamy. It's like something right out of E. M. Forster.
ReplyDeleteRegarding the horse picture...They were just nuzzling each other as I aimed my camera at them and then fortuitously the one on the left reared up jut as I was about to press the button. I think they were filled with the joys of spring.
DeleteI have a mother in law whom I like but she talks on speaker phone when people call so everybody gets to hear both sides of the conversation, very loudly, and everybody else has to stop talking because we have more manners.
ReplyDeleteI love the church house in Cossall. It looks cozy and very English.