Langley Mill Canal Walk

This walk takes you along the Erewash Canal from Langley Mill to Ilkeston. Starting at the Langley Mill Basin you head south along the towpath with views of the River Erewash.... The route finishes near Ilkeston with a little detour east to visit the adjacent Nottingham Canal. This area includes the Nottingham Canal Nature Reserve and the village of Cossall.
Opened in 1779, the Erewash Canal follows the valley of the River Erewash through a landscape shaped by centuries of coal mining and heavy industry. Originally constructed to carry coal, iron and limestone, the canal is now a peaceful recreational waterway where restored locks, historic bridges and colourful narrowboats reflect its industrial heritage.
Leaving Langley Mill Basin, the towpath passes through a pleasant mix of woodland, grassland and waterside habitats, with frequent views across the River Erewash. The canal supports a rich variety of wildlife, including swans, herons, kingfishers, moorhens and dragonflies, while mature trees and hedgerows provide habitat for many woodland and farmland birds.
Near Ilkeston, a short detour leads to the former Nottingham Canal, where surviving sections of the historic waterway now form the attractive Nottingham Canal Nature Reserve. The reserve combines woodland, wildflower meadows, wetlands and remnants of the old canal, making it one of the area's best places for birdwatching and nature walks. Nearby Cossall is a picturesque village with attractive stone cottages and strong associations with the novelist D. H. Lawrence, who drew inspiration from the surrounding countryside and mining communities.
You can continue your canal walking along the nearby Cromford Canal.

Ordnance Survey Map OpenStreetMap OS Map (Mobile GPS) OpenStreetMap (Mobile GPS)

Interactive Map

Route Video

Nearby Routes

Cromford Canal Erewash Canal Nottingham Canal

Photos

This was at one time the point where the Nottingham Canal joined the Cromford Canal, which in turn joined the Erewash Canal below the lock out of shot to the left. The Erewash Canal nowadays provides the only navigable access to this location. Until the 1990s this scene would have been in Nottinghamshire rather than Derbyshire, the area technically being known as Langley Bridge. The boundary was changed to follow a more logical course along the Eastwood by-pass rather than the River Erewash thus bringing the whole of Langley Mill into one parish.

Langley Lock 1

Langley Lock 2

Erewash Canal at Ilkeston

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Langley Mill Canal Walk.gpx