Six of us, led by David Heppleston from the Barn, went on the river Derwent using 2 open canoes, one of which had been expertly restored by Dave Pearson.

A canada geese family

We launched from Mill View Gardens and canoed the length of the nature reserve, exploring the bank, and carried on round the big oxbow bend upstream of the reserve.

Steve Lonsdale from the Derbyshire Mammal Group joined us, but unfortunately there were no sightings, though we found several holes in the bank and some vertical scratch marks suggesting an animal had been attempting to climb the bank.

Sadly we found no evidence of sand martin holes, although we know they nested there in 2008 and 2009.

We all returned safely, and dry, and hope to be able to repeat the venture sometime. 

Checking the west bank

Hole in the bank

Low hole in the bank

West bank hole

Scratches on west bank