The Donettes trip to Long Eaton was a rather exclusive affair and due to low numbers started with a coffee at my house before Jan ran us to West Park for the start of our walk. Having had the introduction at home we proceeded through the park admiring the scenery and all the facilities. Cricket, Rugby, Football, Tennis, Bowls, Playgrounds for Children, Skate Park and Fitness Track to name a few.
We exited the park via the canal bridge and admired the mosaic on the front of the library before making our way to The Duchess Theatre. One of the blocks outside the entrance was sponsored by a certain DG & CA Wood of Breaston. The clock tower on the old Co-operative Society Building was quite imposing as was the brick building beneath it built in 1900.
Once on the High Street which is now pedestrianised we were able to look up beyond the shop fronts at many of the Victorian and Edwardian Buildings. Hazel was able to purchase a gift for John whose birthday it was as he had to stay at home and supervise some new windows going in. Having lived all my life in the Long Eaton area there was a good deal of my social history to add, including the Parish Church of St Laurence where I was both baptised and married. This was the oldest building in the town dating back to the 11th century in parts. Our route continued to The Green, now a roundabout, and along Derby Road, over the canal bridge and back into West Park . We were able to see into the grounds of
Trent College and then on to the flower beds laid out to represent the planets in our solar system with a sun dial in the centre. Fortunately we had decided to come back to our house for our picnics and arrived just before it started to rain.
Carol Wood