Along the Tramway

Bugsworth Basins are now a peaceful oasis resting beneath surrounded by high hills but two hundred years ago these basins were at the heart of a noisy, noisome industrial enterprise.  In 1808 some 2000 boats departed from these basins laden with limestone, quick lime and gritstone setts (cobbles...cobbled streets)  for use in agriculture and building.   Lime kilns and stone crushing mills were part of the immediate infrastructure and a horse drawn tramway transported the raw materials from the surrounding quarries at Dove Holes to the basins for processing and transhipment.  This morning I walked the route of the former tramway, now a public right of way that is accompanied by the Black Brook to the left and the A6 to the right.

 Weir on the Black Brook

 

 An abundance of wild Garlic

 

 There once was an ugly ducking..

 

At an former Mill en route there is a 'lake', home to four black Swans and a number of ducks

 Cute

 

 The remains of the former Tramway

 

Floyd's kind of 'stile'

 

I have harvested some of the wild garlic and it is soaking in the galley ready to be added to the spinach that will form part of tonight's Sag Prawn curry and  I will gather more tomorrow whilst it is in season to add to salads.