Jo’s Monday walk : Canalside in Nottingham

A faithful companion

A faithful companion

Nothing quite gladdens my heart like stepping out along a towpath on a sunny day.  Canalside people seem to me to be some of the friendliest in the world.  I hadn’t planned to walk along the canal at Nottingham, but I had a couple of hours to spare before meeting my daughter for lunch. The canal runs right by her office, and the sparkle of the water had me hooked before I knew it. Added to which, I couldn’t possibly get lost following a towpath! (my sense of direction being notoriously lacking)

There’s something really delightful about being in the heart of the city and yet totally removed from the hurly-burly and the bustle.  Come and walk with me, and we’ll leave our cares behind.

This was the scene that greeted me on the towpath

This was the scene that greeted me on the towpath

It’s fluffy offspring time of year
The dog sat almost patiently while the geese were fed

It was part of their morning routine to attend to the canal’s wildlife.  The young man was happy to chat while he fed the goslings.  The dog resisted its strong impulse to give chase.

Trams ran overhead

Trams run overhead

But I was more interested in the serenity beneath

But I was more interested in the serenity beneath

Nottingham Canal came into being in the 1790s as a means of carrying coal from the mines, which were scattered around the Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire borders, into the city. Previously the coal had been hauled overland, or via the Erewash Canal and River Trent.  The new canal, which ran for a little under 15 miles, would more than halve both journey and cost.  But, with the advent of the railways and the increasing cost of tolls, the canal was no longer viable.

Following privatisation in 1947, almost any local authority who wanted it could have the land, with the result that much of the canal has been filled in and built over.  I was oblivious to this as I pursued my stroll along the canal.  The downstream section through the city centre, and connecting to the River Trent, remains in use.

Many buildings back onto the canal

Many buildings back onto the canal

There are quiet benches for picnics
And plenty of passing boats to wave to
The British Waterways building
Canalside restaurants
Around the canal basin
While cyclists happily scoot past

Cyclists scoot happily past

The towpath is also part of Nottingham’s Big Track, a 10 mile cycle route which follows the canal from the railway station in Nottingham to Beeston locks, and returns via the Trent riverside path.

Bike track

Bike or walk?  You can choose

Ahead, the excitement of a lock!

Ahead, the excitement of a lock!

Castle Lock beckons

Castle Lock beckons

I don’t walk far before I’m having more encounters with the wildlife.  A coot is a little curious about me, but not sure if he wants to hang around.  Smart apartments line the canal at this point, and I’m rather surprised to come upon a heron, nonchalantly preening himself.  The young man with the dog catches me up and tells me that this is the heron’s regular haunt, seemingly oblivious to observers.

Mr. Coot scurries rapidly away
Then stops and reconsiders
And can you see the heron on the far bank?
Here he is in close-up

The canal twists and turns through the city.  Around the next bend I find a colourful narrowboat and pause to admire the painted canal ware displayed on deck.  A passerby stops to tell me that the boat sells beautiful things.  He thinks it must be moving on today as there are usually many more goods to see.  The owner pops his head out, and we chat about his next destination.

All manner of boats are tied up along the towpath, or come chugging towards me.  I’m looking out for Castle Meadow marina, where I hope I might find some breakfast.  As I approach a barman is putting umbrellas up to shade the outdoor tables.  When he smiles, I ask if he’s doing coffee.  “Not till 11” he says.  My face falls because it’s only 10.20am.  I hover, looking at the boats, and he takes pity on me.  I don’t push my luck and ask for toast, but it’s very pleasant sitting there, at the ‘Water’s Edge’.

Rosie and Jim?
Or a smart canal cruiser
My bench, at ‘Water’s Edge’
Friendly swans. Sorry guys- no toast!
Pot plants look so nice, on board

You know that I couldn’t resist a wander among the boats before carrying on along the towpath, don’t you?  They’re all so colourful and individual.  Do you have a favourite?

A crock of gold?
Another fluffy family
Coot babies are quite spiky!
In search of a firebird
Canal street art!
Just a little scary?
Not like Tinkerbell!

I carry on, not sure how much further I should go because I have a lunch date.  There are some lovely canalside homes and even a boat builder’s yard.  Hawthorn tumbles from the trees and I take many more photos.

The blossom crowds the towpath

The blossom crowds the towpath

Jill looking beautiful in the boatyard

‘Jill’ looking beautiful in the boatyard

With sparkling Vermuyden for company

With sparkling Vermuyden for company

I turn back reluctantly, not sure how much further I could have followed the canal.  If you are interested in the history, this link will tell you a little more.  I joined the canal at Trent Road.

I’m sure some of you will have glazed eyes.  I just can’t help my fascination with boats, and for me it was a lovely respite from a sometimes stressful world.  Time now to put that kettle on and see what everyone else has to share.

walking logo

As always, if you click on my logo it’ll take you to the Jo’s Monday walk page, where I explain how to join me.  Thank you very much to all my contributors for keeping me so well entertained.  Your company is priceless.

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First up, it’s a little dainty stepping out in the desert with Drake this week :

Step’ing stone in the sand 

Tobias enjoys looking for the details :

A short walk around Luxemburgplatz

If you like walking, sometimes you just have to ignore the weather :

Lake District walks : Easdale Tarn

Or how about a pretty little village stroll, complete with clogs?

A bit of green 

Going from green to blue, with somewhere rather nice to sit :

A walk in the woods

Does anyone write a better ‘gardens’ post than Jude?  I don’t think so!

Garden Portrait : Trelissick

Let’s travel to Toronto with a newcomer next.  Please say hello!

Monday walks : Toronto Doors Open

A luscious cacti garden in Arizona next, and Amy’s first humming bird!

The Desert Botanical Garden

Geoff made the very most of a Bank Holiday Monday with…

A Blast on the Heath

Not so much a walk as … varoom- varoom!  A ride :

On the Grid at the Indy 500

Rosemay is ‘under the weather’ in Munich, but what a beautiful city!

A stroll in the Englischer Garten

And last, and totally fabulous- Gilly has us flirting with death on the cliff tops!

A Walk at Morte Point

Thank you so much, everyone!  Definitely living up to my name  this month- next weekend sees me in Norfolk, visiting with Polish family.  I hope to schedule a Monday walk, and I’ll be back Monday evening to chat with you.  Till then, have a wonderful week!

112 comments

  1. Oh Jo, I never get tired of boats either, especially canal boats. What a glorious walk, love the 10 mile cycle track, wish we had one in these parts. The first photo is so cute!! And I think my favourite is ‘Jill’ 🙂 Lovely post to make me smile and forget my computer woes, for a little while at least, thanks lovely lady 🙂 xx

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    1. It was exactly what I needed at the time, Sherri. A nice spirit lifter. 🙂 I need another one now- feeling sad for Rafa. Hope you’re back to ‘full strength’ soon. Hugs, darlin. (I will be boating this weekend in Norfolk so won’t have much time to fret. 🙂 Don’t know where I’d have managed to watch the next round…)

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      1. Yes, me too for Rafa 😦 Thanks Jo, I’m battling on with this old laptop but it keeps jamming on me. Let’s see how it goes while I wait for my ‘new’ one to come back. And oh you know how much I adore boating on the Norfolk Broads 🙂 Have a wonderful time and who knows, maybe by the time you return, I’ll be up and running again. Maybe… xx

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  2. Bits of Nottingham I really don’t know. I’ll be there for a day at the Test Match next month but the next day I may well follow some well trodden path! Next week I ill have the final section of our Thames marathon, from the Source to Cricklade but for now we will make do with a walk around Edinburgh last year when I was up for the fringe festival; the second half of the post is about the shows but the first is about the glories of an Edinburgh morning. http://geofflepard.com/2014/08/23/fringe-benefits-no-3/

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    1. Edinburgh is a lovely city to walk around so thanks for that, Geoff. 🙂 There seem to be plenty of nature reserves around the canal network so it won’t be hard to find a walk. My son lives in Leeds and wanted to go to Headingley the other day but today my husband doesn’t want to talk about the cricket 😦

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      1. Ah, yes. Heads down and avoid my seemingly endless line of Kiwi friends. I will look out a canal walk; when my son was at Uni there, he never mentioned its glories; perhaps his focus was elsewhere?!

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  3. What a lovely walk Jo and in gorgeous sunshine too! We have WiFi at the moment – the cottage people tool pity on us (I said the OH needed access for work) and have brought around a dongle – a little temperamental but it appears to be working at the moment!! Lots of wind here today and very wild and stormy yesterday, but the sky is blue once again so we are out for a wander in a while. Meanwhile a walk from our last visit down here in much warmer weather.
    https://smallbluegreenwords.wordpress.com/2015/06/01/lizard-point/

    See you later hopefully 🙂

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    1. There’s that wonderful term dongle! I have no real conception of what one is but if it works for you that’s good news 🙂 I thought you might be enjoying a rest from IT. Stormy is right! It’s teatime when I’m reading this and I’ve got half an eye on Wawrinka/Federer. Could be an interesting result 🙂 Will be in full cheer leader mode for Rafa tomorrow.
      Thanks a lot, Jude. Have fun! 🙂

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      1. I quite like browsing in the evening (so much rubbish on TV nowadays I don’t know why I bother with one) and we tend to eat out at lunch-time so evenings are for relaxing. Caught some tennis today. Tsonga was lucky! The Rafa match ought to be interesting 🙂

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    1. Thanks a lot, Lucile. 🙂 Lunch was in a Vintage store very near to where Lisa works (she was on her lunch break from work and I was heading home to the north east). Quite inspiring itself – all 4 stories! 🙂

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  5. A lovely walk with so much to see, Jo. You can see the pride in canal life…boats well taken care of, the friendliness of owners and tenders who don’t mind a chat, someone feeding the geese, cleanliness of walkways and canals and a cafe owner taking pity on you. This was enjoyable.

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  6. Jo it looks like such a peaceful walk without a stitch of wind. Such marvelous reflections and I adore the colorful boat. Here in Western Canada we would never see canals like this . I shall hop on my bike and be right there. 🙂

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  7. It’s always so wonderful when one can find a little piece of nature in the noisy urban setting. As for favorite boats, Finnegan’s Rainbow captured the eye with its pot of gold and vibrant red!

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  15. Pingback: Monday Walk: Rainbow Bridge National Monument | The World Is a Book...

    1. Thanks a lot, Paula 🙂 It was just what I needed! Things seem a little better down there and I’m breathing less carefully for a little while (but keeping the prayer mat handy 🙂 )

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  18. What a lovely walk Jo. I have a friend who has been living on one of these boats somewhere in England. A very interesting place to reside!

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  19. How lovely to have this tranquil ‘highway’ through part of the city. And no coffee till 11 shows how laid back is the route; it keeps a time of its own.

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  20. Hi Jo,
    What a wonderful walk: thanks for taking me with you. Some of those canals have really been re-done beautifully. To my mind, they are kind of a national treasure. Ever since I did it first in 1995 or 96 I have liked to tour the canals on a narrowboat.
    Have a great week,
    Pit

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