After the rain, the sun...

  We've had rain, rain and more rain this week

  until Friday when the weather changed again.

  September is here and it does seem as if 

     the Summer is over and we have to be prepared for

      the colder days of Autumn in the UK.

     We're glad of the covered yard which throws out heat

from the brick walls and is an extra place to sit, 

       to grow vegetables and is also Gino's domain.

It's also good to be able to use the vegetables

growing there just outside the kitchen door.

We've also had some black figs from the tree

in the back garden and my husband has dug up some

 of the potatoes from the allotment and stored 

them in the garage.

 

A visitor comes to Sheffield

and now for something different...

We didn't venture far on one of the busiest weekends of the Summer holidays on the roads.  

However, we did spend an afternoon at two separate community events held on adjoining recreation grounds in our area.  Both events attracted quite a crowd, but we particularly enjoyed the one put on by the emergency services.  A controlled demonstration on how not to put out a pan of frying oil by throwing water onto it was a spectacular visual lesson.  I was interested in the museum pieces of the older type of fire fighting equipment and the grandchildren enjoyed seeing the latest police cars, motorbikes and other emergency service transport.   

The Rivelin Valley Nature Trail

We live close to the Derbyshire border and fairly near to two of the five rivers in the area where they converge at Malin Bridge. These rivers and streams with their fast flowing water from the surrounding peaty moorland heights were ideal for powering the wheels of up to twenty mills along their courses.  One of the most famous was Mousehole Forge at Malin Bridge which produced anvils that were exported worldwide.

Malin Bridge Corn Mill is a listed building that has had a new lease of life after a period of decline by being converted into apartments.  The water wheel is now just a show piece.

A plaque marks the site where this mill
(using a tilt hammer) stood.

There are several conservation groups in these valleys who work to preserve and record the heritage of this industrial past and encourage the effective management of the wildlife habitats in the area. Many of the 20 mills and forges no longer exist, but the artificially created ponds which used to feed them do.  The area around the dam nearest to Malin Bridge was upgraded for recreational use with bench seating and this is the pond we have been coming to in the Rivelin Valley. 

Below the pond is the river and I go and explore.

I hear rustling behind a tree.  The squirrel freezes and I stay still

as I take the photo before it scampers off. 

I walk along the path by the pond and cross a stone walkway
at the head of the dam.

Which path do I choose?  The right one continues along the river bank
and the left one leads to the road.

In fact, a walk (or drive) along the Rivelin Valley Road is a pleasant one.  Once a cart track it's now a main road that leads out to the Derbyshire Reservoirs and the Snake Pass route to Manchester, Lancashire and Cheshire.  The Rivelin Valley still runs through farmland and for 5 kms it's lined by an avenue of lime trees.

I pass a stone bridge which leads to another village.
 The Holly Bush Inn is close by the bridge on the far bank.

I rejoin the river side by another bridge where there's a cafe 

and children's play area.

I pass another weir before walking through the woods

back to the pond. It's a good circular, short walk.

We usually sit near this tree and just around the bend in the path

 I know Mr. P and grandson will be there hoping for some action!

An old timer, Ebenezer Elliott, wrote some verse....

Beautiful river! goldenly shining, 

Where, with the cistus, woodbines are twining,

Birklands around thee, mountains above thee,

 Rivelin wildest! Do I not love thee