This is a mostly off-road ride of about 11 miles partly following NCN Route 6 which runs between Derby and Leicester. A new road, Infinity Park Way, has been built recently and this runs between Sinfin and Chellaston giving us an alternative to the rough track which is Sinfin Moor Lane. The new road has wide cycle paths alongside the main 40 mph carriageway for motor vehicles.
We start at the County Hotel on Sinfin Lane, this being at the junction of the three relevant roads.
This is Thakeray Street, directly opposite the County Hotel,
which is our preferred route for this ride.
It has no way through for motor vehicles, but cyclists can get through the bollards, turning left at the trees. The Golf Course entrance is on the right.
After a few yards, we turn right onto the path alongside Wilmore Road..................
............... and see ahead the Rolls-Royce aero engine test beds.
After this building, Wilmore Road goes to the left, and we come onto the new road, Infinity Park Way
Keep on the wide cycle path from here on .....................
.......... turning left at this building.
From here on it is a straight run almost into Chellaston ..........
....... crossing Sinfin Moor Lane, our alternative route, and subject of an earlier post on this blog dated March 2016.
Sinfin Moor Lane (seen here) is a bridleway much frequented by horse riders ........
...... and they have their own dedicated crossing with buttons at an appropriate height.
At the end of the noise screen fencing (left) we meet again the alternative path from Sinfin Moor Lane and we cross here to pick up the path to Swarkestone Lock.
Looking back on the old path which has been nicely relaid with new tarmac.
Cross the old narrow bridge ..................
..... and follow the tarmac path .............
....... beneath the A50 road bridge. Pity about the graffiti. The A50 trunk road connects the M1 motorway to the M6 motorway.
Here we approach Swarkestone lock on the Trent and Mersey Canal.
View from the bridge. we follow the towpath on the right.
Looking back here is the lock and below is where the Derby Canal once joined the Trent and Mersey Canal. One day to be re-instated, we hope.
This was once the lock keepers cottage, but is now a private house.
Useful sign at Swarkestone.
Follow the towpath beneath Cuttle Bridge (ahead) which carries the B5134 Chellaston to Melbourne road over the canal.
Turn right at the railway bridge as we leave the canal to join the old railway route.
Up this path (steeper than it looks here).
And here we see the viaduct crossing the River Trent. The concrete decking here was crucial to getting NCN Route through from Derbyshire to Leicestershire as there are few other bridges over the Trent in the area.
View looking upstream towards Willington.
And downstream towards Kings Mills and Shardlow.
After this gate, leave the railway path, taking the path on the right up to Trent Lane in Kings Newton.
Right here..............
Up the hill .............
Straight on at junction ............
To .............................
So called because of the whale's jawbone which used to form a pair of gateposts but are now set in the hedge. See following photograph.
These are the whale bones.
So on into Melbourne via Station Road. Sadly there is no station, nor in fact, any signs of one.
Take a look around Melbourne, it is a nice place, unspoiled as so many places are by modern developments. It has many lovely old buildings - Melbourne Hall (occasionally open to the public), a beautiful church, lots of places to eat and drink, and of course Melbourne Pool, our stated destination.
Melbourne Hall
To get to Melbourne Pool, follow the path left of the church and right of Melbourne Hall. There is a nice cafe on the left here.
Note that cycling is prohibited beyond the gates, but hey it's a nice little walk around the Pool.
Melbourne Pool
The Old Mill.
Melbourne Pool.
The Market Place.
And a nice place for a pint. Cheers!
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