Farnsfield and the Halifax Bomber Memorial, 25th February 2018

An excellent turnout (twenty-five) for Janet's walk today, originally planned to pass through Hexgreave Park but instead heading along the Southwell Trail and then south towards Greaves Lane, a section of the Robin Hood Way, Combs Wood and Combs Lane, diverting to the Halifax Bomber Memorial.

No caption needed

Coffee stop

The changing landscape - this part of Nottinghamshire saw a huge growth in the number of wind turbines in 2017

Combs Wood - muddy as always

Halifax Bomber Memorial

The Halifax bomber had been on a mission to bomb the V1 Rocket launch site at Croix-Dalle in France but on the way back crashed here near Farnsfield with the loss of the entire crew.

Maplebeck, Kersal and Eakring, 21st February 2018

John B lead a group of six on today’s 9½ mile walk over rolling farmland and woods starting at Maplebeck, taking in views of Eakring and visiting the hamlet of Kensal.  Here are Roger's and Bill's photographs.

Toposcope at the viewpoint near the start of the walk

We passed through Mansey Common now managed by the Wildlife trust which has been grazed and managed for over 700 years ...

... and then through Dilliner woods.

The new design of electricity pylons at the National Grid test centre near Eakring

Practice for Sunday's Farnsfield walk

Looking back at Eakring

Lunch stop - and rain

Kensal's phone box - a rare sight these days

Looking back at Kelsal

Wymondham and the River Witham, 18th February 2018

Twelve walkers set out on an overcast but dry day to complete an 11½ mile route starting in Wymondham (the original home of Stilton cheese) to search for the source of the River Witham.

Here are some photos from Steve and our leader, Roger.

The route took us north east on tracks and field paths over rolling countryside to Sewstern and then south to Market Overton, returning in sunshine via Edmondthorpe.  The route made use of the Viking Way and the Rutland Round.

The start at Saint Peter’s Church which has a 13 century tower and 15th century belfry with splendid medieval carving

Wymondham village cross that many years ago was moved from outside the village pub to the churchyard

Just north of the village Wymondham Windmill was originally built in the 19th century with six sails.  These are currently being restored and it now has a lovely cafe, craft centre and bike shop.

  

The source?  Despite being one of Lincolnshire’s main waterways the river’s origins are in the Leicestershire Wolds just south of Crown Point Farm.  Take your pick from the following!

 

Lunch in Market Overton, Rutland

Edmondthorpe Hall owned by the Smith family was destroyed in 1943 when a cook threw a rolling pin at a white cat and in the process knocked over a pan of fat (allegedly)

Saint Michael’s and All Angels' church, Edmondthorpe stands close by and dates from the 13th century with 15th century additions

Waltham, Chadwell, Scalford and Goadby Marwood, 11th February 2018

Sixteen (and a dog) on Steve's walk today starting in Waltham on the Wolds and heading west to visit the ironstone villages of Chadwell, Scalford and Goadby Marwood.

The route followed the Mowbray Way through Chadwell in mixed weather, sunshine and hail, blue skies and not so blue skies ...


... to Scalford parish church for coffee.



The church, built about 1100 AD is named after St Egelwin and is believed to be the only one in the country named after this saint.



The name Scalford shows there was once a ford here (obviously). There is still an underground stream nearby which is now channelled to a tap by the road called The Spout.



Most of the villages round here are made from local ironstone, as are many of the churches, a fine example of which is the church of St Denys in Goadby Marwood, built around 1280.

Blidworth and Harlow Wood. 4th February 2018

A good turnout (23) in fine weather for this 6-mile excursion from the centre of Blidworth towards Harlow Wood and some historic parts of Sherwood Forest.

Main route and alternative way back visiting Will Scarlet's grave

 The walk started at the Post Office in Blidworth ...

 ... and used the well-surfaced Robin Hood Way passing between some interesting (to me anyway) rocks.  These conglomerate rocks, also known as pudding stone, are
glacial rock, the same rock as the nearby Druid Stone, deposited during the last Ice Age.

The views from the Robin Hood Way stretch all the way to Gainsborough, interupted only by the Lindhurst Wind Farm, originally comprising five 1.8MW, 125m turbines (the tallest in Nottingham).

Coffee was taken at the Forest Stone.  Situated in the northern part of what was Lyndhurst Wood in Medieval times, it allegedly marks the location of the Swainmote court of Sherwood Forest, one of the great courts of the forest mentioned in the Forest Charter of 1217.

Coffee stop, Forest Stone

We returned south to the Robin Hood Way along the edge of Harlow Wood to reach Fountain Dale ...

... site of a medieval moat, sometimes called Friar Tuck’s Island where Robin Hood was reputedly thrown in the river.  It is a well-preserved example of a small, residential moat, dating back to before 1251 and was the site of a hunting lodge within Sherwood Forest from which the forester Raffe Clerc collected tolls.

The Robin Hood Way goes parallel to Rainworth Water  which runs through several fishing lakes ...

... and passes close to Friar Tucks Well, allegedly close to the bridge shown below ...

... before crossing Rainworth Water to return to Blidworth.

Now a characteristic of Blidworth is the number of stables and horses in the surrounding fields, presumably due to the excellent local bridleways.

Originally, it was planned to divert (see map) to visit Will Scarlet's grave at the Church of St Mary of the Purification, Blidworth.  Not wishing to experience the problems we had had with skittish horses on the recce meant that this was not done.  Here is what you missed.

 The church and churchyard are worth a visit though.