Merry Christmas

   This week's Latest Images at Ilkeston Cam (www.ilkcam.com) all come from the Tree Festival held in St Mary's Church and another image from there is the basis of this greeting. One of the trees in the Festival was topped by a simple message and with the addition of a couple of photos and a bit of clipart, it enables us to say "Merry Christmas" to all the visitors to Ilkeston Cam.

Champions!

   Our first walk in the Erewash and Amber Valley Autumn Footprints Walking Festival took us past a village cricket match last Sunday afternoon at Denby (see picture) but it was back in May of this year that I wrote "With a summer of sport ahead, the Euros, Olympics and Test Matches to mention but three, I shall be keeping a close eye on the Derbyshire Falcons cricketers who have made a winning start to the season and currently stand top of County Championship's second division."

   True to my word I have followed the fortunes of the Falcons throughout the summer where they have been at the top of the Division 2 table. A wobble recently put their finishing position in doubt right up until the last match against Hampshire but they ended with a flourish and secured the championship in fine style as this video of the highlights of the final day shows. After a decade of disappointment, all involved with the club deserve the heartiest of congratulations and the very best of luck for next summer in Division 1.

 

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.

Choices

As I have written before, some weeks it's a problem finding somewhere different to go for the Latest Images page at Ilkeston Cam and other weeks are just the opposite with a multitude of events from which to choose. This last week fell into the latter category. I could have gone to Nottingham on Thursday for the Olympic Torch Relay or Derby on Friday for the next stage in the relay. Both those events would have meant an early morning or late evening outing so we opted for a daytime trip to see the torch in Matlock instead.

At any other time I would probably have chosen the "Swing Back to the Forties" event at the Erewash Museum again for the latest images which was advertised as part of the ongoing Ilkeston Festival. The Forties event coincided with Armed Forces Day which has also been observed in Wollaton Park over the weekend. At a push I might have featured some scenes from the horrendous weather and storms that swept across the East Midlands during the week. So I really was spoilt for choice - but next week, now that's a different story but I'm sure something will turn up.