Pushing the Boundaries

Whilst Megan has been with us we have made both good use of her car and of her as a chauffeur! 
We have been exploring the area of Derbyshire in and around Cromford.  We have walked most of the Cromford Canal between Cromford Wharf and Ambergate as well as part of the High Peak Trail around Black Rocks.  If the Cromford Canal was still navigable I feel sure it would be enormously popular with boaters because it goes through an area of both stunning scenery and interesting industrial history.
I’ve heard it said that a picture paints a thousand words so:-

A Walk along The Cromford Canal and part of the High Peak Trail:-

The Canal:-

Lots of wild garlic. 

                                   
              Canal, railway, road and river all following the same route. 
        


High Peak Junction

The canal is a stronghold for Little Grebes.

Walking along the canal towards Ambergate.



Water voles are well-established on the canal.

                 


        

                  

An old Pumping Station - still in use today.  Water is pumped up into the canal from the River Derwent.











And up to Black Rocks:-

          

Views of Cromford  nearby and Matlock in the distance.

  John, myself and the rest of the then 5th Staines Venture Unit were all banned from Matlock back in 1974!  We were most definitely not in the wrong but, none of us to my knowledge have ever been back since!

     
A steep path goes up through the forest to Black Rocks.
The path follows the route of an old tramway which went down to the Junction.  There are lots of other walks through the forest too.

Black (Gritstone) Rocks – very popular with climbers.  There are lots of different climbs – all with interesting names.  Lead used to be mined from here.  Quarrying is still very active and very much in evidence.

All of this is very much on the Derbyshire Tourist Trail.  Beautiful countryside not far from Langley Mill – I’m so glad we were able to access some of it whilst we were here.