The Launch

Sorry about the late upload - forgot all about it last week!

   The Erewash and Amber Valley Autumn Footprints Walking Festival was launched at the Shipley Country Park Visitor Centre with representatives of both councils in attendance together with many of the Walk Leaders and the Festival Walk Co-ordinator Marion Farrell (centre) of Groundwork Derby and Derbyshire. We hope to participate in several of the walks over the next two weeks.

   Whilst at the launch on Saturday, I picked up another leaflet (as usual) and this one was for the Derwent Valley Discovery Days for 2012. This is another festival that begins later in October and runs for nine days. This festival also includes a number of walks and there are many other activities as well in the World Heritage Site. I've had a quick scan through the programme and there's an on-line version too (linked below) but don't think Morris Dancing for Beginners will be on my agenda. Could be tempted by some of the other events though - we'll see what shape we're in after Autumn Footprints

Walking Festival

   The Erewash and Amber Valley Autumn Footprints Walking Festival begins on the 8th September and we've already booked to take part in many of the guided walks on offer. This year marks the tenth anniversary of the annual event so we're looking forward to meeting up with some old acquaintances and enjoying their company again as we trek across a mixture of country lanes and open landscapes. Some of the walks we have done before, others will take us to new territory whilst others will be variations of previous routes.

   With over forty walks to choose from during the sixteen days of the festival, there really is something to suit everyone so all we are hoping for is some fine weather and plenty of photo opportunities such as the one above taken last year at the old lock-up in Alfreton. For details of this year's programme click here.

Wanted - A Dose of TLC

We had planned to join a group today for a walk in the Autumn Footprints Walking Festival but an emergency visit to the vets with Pom when his old problem flared up meant we were half an hour late and considerably lighter in the pocket.

Despite our best efforts to catch the group up we never did see the walkers. When we returned home Pom was in need of some TLC and followed me around the garden, rubbing round my legs. Do you know how difficult it is to photograph a cat who just wants you to sit down so he can climb on your knee? This is one of my best efforts and even this is slightly out of focus but doesn't he look sad?

Summer's Back

After the coldest August for seventeen years we started September today with a lovely fine day that made me think that summer is not all over after all. I should not be surprised though as back in my refereeing days I recall that the first matches I officiated at during the first weekend in the ninth month always seemed to be played in heatwave conditions. My refereeing days are long gone but I do enjoy a good walk for exercise so hopefully the fine weather will continue during the month and especially during the Autumn Footprints Walking Festival which is scheduled for the 11th to the 26th.

Country Walks

The object of this exercise was to decide on a new monthly series to begin in the New Year but one benefit I didn't expect was that it forced me into rationalising all the leaflets I have accumulated and put them into relevant categories.


I've already discussed the options of cities, towns and villages so all that remains can best be described as "Country Walks". The vast majority of the leaflets I have collected at various times fall into this category with at least twenty walks described in the Erewash area, another eighteen in Amber Valley to the north plus getting on for another dozen in Broxtowe to the east. Some of the walks cover only short distances and could easily be accomplished in one week's images but other longer walks would need a longer period to do them justice.

I will of course be going just where the fancy takes me most of the time and showing the results on the site but I am planning for a regular series (or two) to be featured the same week each month so now it's over to you. Please make your preference known to me by casting your vote on the home page of Ilkeston Cam. Note that although your vote is recorded it may not appear straight away as the results are only updated every hour.

Life is like getting dropped off in the middle of the woods, and then year by year, gradually walking home. - April Foiles