The air was on the move. Vast mounds of atmosphere were in a hurry to get somewhere else, pulling leaves off the willows, pushing water into waves, flicking flags into a flap as they rushed past. The sky was full of sunshine and the world was full of sound. It was a good day to be out.
At Trent Lock the ground was scattered with conkers: glossy brown nuts and their spiky cases. Ahead, past the Erewash Canal, the land was once farmland; then it was dug for gravel. Now the gravel pits are flooded to create a network of lakes and have been designated as a nature reserve.
Immediately after Trent Lock I was on another man-made section of water: the Cranfleet Canal. There was a memorial by the River Trent sign - Bob's Spot - with flower spinners which were whizzing around in the wind. A long railway viaduct crossed the canal and the river, and boats were moored alongside the towpath, hopefully with anything loose well tied down.
The canal section ended at Cranfleet Lock. From here I continued to follow the river around a large S-bend. The path was on a thin strip of land between the Trent and the gravel pit lakes, but it didn't feel much like it, because most of what I could see was brambles and willows. Some parts were surprisingly sheltered from the wind, then a sudden gust would tear through the trees, throwing twigs in front of me.
I crossed a newly-excavated section where waste water from a sewage treatment works ran through a large pipe and out into the River Trent. Severn Trent apologised for not finishing the work earlier, but they had had to cope with several floods in 2024.
Then the River Erewash managed to find its way through the gravel pits and out into the Trent. Now that I had crossed the Erewash, I was finally in Nottinghamshire. And also in Attenborough Nature Reserve, which asked me, "When was the last time you took action for nature?" Hmm. I'm not sure. Does walking in it count?
I ate some lunch in a beautiful new bird hide with views over Clifton Pond. Geese flew overhead, and all manner of waterfowl were pottering around on the lake. The spire of St Mary's poked up from the trees on the opposite shore. One of those moments where I realise again how fortunate I am to do these walks.
Finally I turned off the riverside path to head for Attenborough village. It was pretty obvious where the church was, although there was a toddler group meeting on Monday mornings so I didn't go in, not wanting to gatecrash. One grave read, "Pause: Reflect: Pass on." I felt that summed up my short encounters with so many churches.
Back into Attenborough Nature Reserve. I stopped at the visitor centre for a coffee. With the wind and waves washing around the building, it was like being on a boat.
To return, I followed a very straight track along the railway, crossed the River Erewash back into Derbyshire, and plunged into an odd bit of woodland which looked like it had once been a park. There was a shabby playground and an overgrown car park. It was the first time I'd been off tarmac or gravel on the whole walk.
I passed Spring Lakes Watersports Centre, where inflatable slides rocked in the breeze and waterski cables were strung over the water.
At Cranfleet Lock, I spotted a lifeboat and some fish which I'd missed the first time around. You'd think they would be unmissable, wouldn't you? I guess I was looking at something else.
A short walk past some cows and under two railway bridges brought me back to the Erewash Canal, where the tea rooms had a vintage sign advertising "Good Old Fashioned Dripping Toast". Such a dish is now so old-fashioned as to be virtually unobtainable, I would think, but maybe it will make a comeback. I didn't get to find out if they really offered it.
Trent Valley: Trent Lock to Attenborough
15 September 2025
9.6 miles / 15.5 km
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