Cromford part of 'Discovery Days'

THE Cromford Canal is part of the Derwent Valley Mills Discovery Days programme, using its horse-drawn trip boat to help bring visitors to the area and at the same time giving a chance for people to enjoy a trip on a horse-drawn narrowboat.

The High Sheriff of Derbyshire, David Coleman, who was a VIP passenger aboard the narrowboat, Birdswood, on Sunday, is involved with the Cromford Canal restoration being a member of  Friends of the Cromford Canal, that now boasts over 800 members.

Return trip

He took a return trip from Cromford Wharf to Leawood Pump House on the 75 years old heritage narrowboat pulled by 13 years old Chelsea, with handler Corinne Rose, shown in Nic Barfield's picture.

Returning to the busy Cromford wharf side, where crowds were enjoying the fine weather and special events organised by the Friends of the Cromford Canal, the High Sheriff presented a commemorative brass narrowboat and boat horse to Lance and Corinne Rose of Alderwasley-based working horse specialists Arraslea Shires, to mark a successful first season of horse-drawn canal cruises run in partnership with the Friends.

Mike Kelley, the Friends of the Cromford Canal Operations Manager who has guided the Birdswood project since its launch in 2011, explained:

"Our hard-working volunteers and partners have made this project a success in its first year of business. We will now build on this to give Derbyshire tourism a real boost in future years, and to enable many more people to enjoy the peace and quiet of a canal cruise through a beautiful part of the county; and maybe to share the special experience of being pulled along by a horse. After all, there are only five places in Britain where the public can enjoy such a ride."