Tag: Drakelow

May 20th – Another late afternoon ride on a bad stomach – but this time, an absolute blast. Out mid afternoon through Wall, Whittington, Harlaston, Clifton, Overseal, Woodville, Hartshorne, Foremark Reservior, then back via Bretby, Swadlincote, Burton and Catton. 

The derelict cooling towers still loom over the remarkable Willington landscape, including the fascinating undulations in the farmland around; those towers were supposed to be demolished a year ago, but remain, a monument to a lost temple of power, as the station they were part of was demolished two decades ago.

Drakelow at sunset was similarly desolate, with very little evidence except a forest of pylons to ever say it existed. It’s now site of a very large solar farm.

Another wonderful ride that actually made me feel better.

April 17th – When I set out, I wasn’t feeling the love; the afternoon was grey and cold and I really couldn’t detect a good ride in me. I was heading for cake at Fradley in an attempt to lift my mood. It worked.

The day didn’t warm any, but it became sunny, and I found myself pulled along the cycleway through Barton and Dunstall, crossing Sinai Park to Burton.

Burton was gorgeous – I forgot the Ferrybridge and extraordinary River Gardens; this is a very beautiful place. 

Seeing the commercial deer herd at Dunstall was nice, and the oilseed rape and avenue at Sbobnall made me feel so much better.

Returning in the gathering dusk, I was heartened to see work had been going on at the long vacant Drakelow power station site and it’s now home to a 5MW solar power farm, feeding straight into the national grid.

A positive, beautiful ride I wasn’t expecting.