Visiting Erewash

The borough of Erewash is to be found in the south-east corner of Derbyshire, taking its name from the River Erewash which forms its eastern boundary with Nottinghamshire.

It lies between the cities of Derby and Nottingham with the Rivers Trent and Derwent forming its southern and western boundaries.

Erewash is a Borough of sharp contrasts. Approximately 70 per cent of its residents live in the corridor within one mile of the eastern boundary formed by the towns of Ilkeston, Sandiacre and Long Eaton.

The remainder of the borough is predominantly rural consisting of villages set in the pleasant rural landscape typical of the English 'Shires'. Incidentally, "Ere" comes from the Celtic "irre" meaning wandering or winding, "wash" is later, from an old English word meaning land close to a river.

You can download Essential Erewash from the related documents section. Alternatively you can pick one up from most council buildings.

Getting here

Being centrally placed in the heart of England, getting to Erewash could not be easier. It has excellent links to all parts by road, rail and air.

Road: The M1 motorway runs through the borough with Junction 25 being the main interchange with A52 major trunk road giving quick access to Derby, Nottingham and beyond. Good bus services link all parts of the borough with towns and cities throughout the Midlands.

Rail: Long Eaton Station is served by trains to Derby, Leicester, London, Nottingham, and Lincoln. A further railway station is to be found just to the north of the Borough at Langley Mill.

Air: East Midland International Airport with its growing domestic and overseas services is to be found only three miles from the Borough boundary. Again motorway and other road networks give ready access.

Places of interest

The borough's good transport links put Erewash in easy reach of such key tourist areas as the Peak District (opens in a new window), Sherwood Forest (opens in a new window), the Dukeries and Charnwood Forest and famous stately homes such as Chatsworth (opens in a new window).

The River Trent and the Erewash, Trent and Mersey and Grand Union Canal offer many water-based recreational activities.

Within the borough there are many fascinating features and places to explore. These range from the medieval ruins of the St. Mary's Abbey at Dale Abbey and its unique semi-detached All Saints Church to the origins of the worlds industrial revolution in the form of the Peckwash Mill, Little Eaton, at the start of the recently confirmed Derwent Valley Mills World Heritage Site.

Other places visitors may wish to explore include:

Blue Mountain Cottages, Little Eaton
Clock House, Little Eaton
Breadsall Priory
The Mound, Morley
The Thatched Cottage, Stanley
The Bottle Kiln, West Hallam
Erewash Museum, Ilkeston
Cat and Fiddle Windmill, Dale Abbey
The Moravian Settlement, Ockbrook
The Latin House, Risley
Sandiacre Lock Conservation Area

For those visitors wishing to explore the borough, the Erewash Museum has a wealth of information and leaflets detailing the rich heritage. Mention must also be made of our public rights of way network, much of which has been improved and promoted via a series of circular Country Walks and Rides leaflets available free of charge from council. These are essential for those wishing to explore the 'real' Erewash.

The first Visitor Guide for Derbyshire's World Heritage Site can be downloaded from Derbyshire County Council's tourism website (opens in a new window). Copies of the guide will soon be available from local Tourist Information Centres.

www.SomewhereToGo.co.uk (opens in a new window) is a new, innovative map based tourism website providing information on hotels, tourist attractions and theatres for Erewash and beyond. SomewhereToGo can be a useful tool for exploring the local Erewash area.

Leisure and entertainment

Annual Ilkeston Charter Fair

We have a wide range of leisure facilities serving the needs of both its residents and visitors. One of the undoubted highlights is the Annual Ilkeston Charter Fair held in October each year.

The town centre is closed to traffic and provides the site for amusements and stalls to delight all ages. The Fair dates back to 1252.

We are renowned for our friendly welcoming pubs, restaurants and clubs.

Ilkeston is also home to one of the last remaining independent cinemas in the East Midlands.

The Scala Cinema is to be found in a listed building dating back to 1912 just of the town's Market Place. This compact traditional 'picture- house' shows all the very latest movie releases.

Shopping

Erewash provides for all your shopping needs.

The two major towns of Ilkeston and Long Eaton each have over 200 shops as well as busy markets.

The shops range from the convenience of well known national chain stores to interesting and unique local shops selling a range of locally produced goods.

The less mobile visitor is also well catered for through the Shopmobility service operated in each town. This is open to anyone with a disability problem, loaning out self propelled battery operated vehicles.

In addition the local villages also feature a number of shops and craft galleries that are well worth exploring.