Medbourne and Hallaton, 24th February 2019

After a tricky drive down to Medbourne in thick fog, blue skies appeared just in time for the start of the walk outside St Giles Church.  Steve then took us on this 8-mile walk across very attractive, rolling countryside to Nevill Holt then (another) St Giles Church, Blaston for coffee and Hallaton for lunch.
St Giles Church, Medbourne
The start
Buffalo Lodge near Nevill Holt
This is the rolling countryside


Coffee in Blaston
St Giles, Blaston
Lunch near the Buttercross (and War Memorial in the background). The Buttercross plays a role in an event that transforms Hallaton every Easter Monday, and has done so for hundreds of years – the hare pie scramble and bottle-kicking contest

The Buttercross - before the hoards arrive
Looking suitably terrified (not) after John's verbal assault
Recently renovated, 13th Century packhorse bridge  over Medbourne Brook, used to bypass the ford when it became impassable when Medbourne flooded



Wellow, Kirton and Ollerton, 17th February 2019

Starting at Maypole Green in Wellow, Phil took us on this 9 mile walk skirting Wellow Wood to St Matthew's Church, Boughton for coffee, then across fields to Whitewater Wood for lunch.  Afterwards, we followed the River Maun upstream to Ollerton before passing the Watermill and returning to Wellow for a drink.


St Matthew's Church, Boughton
Fine brick bridge over the River Maun

Looking downstream, Boughton Pumping Station just visible in the background

What we missed - Ollerton Watermill

Upstream of the watermill

Refreshments on the Green



Youlgreave, Lathkill Dale and Bradford Dale, 10th February 2019

Paul's 10½ mile walk started in the Moor Lane car park just west of Yougreave and followed the Limestone Way over to Cales Dale and the Lathkill Dale National Nature Reserve before climbing up to One Ash Grange Farm.  Then we left the Limestone Way to descend to the (dry) valley of Lathkill Dale.

After a coffee stop, we followed the dale and eventually the river down to Alport before rejoining the Limestone Way, turning up Bradford Dale, with Youlgreave above on the right, and climbing back to the start.

Colourful start in the Moor Lane car park

Lathkill Dale is one of the five dales which make up the Derbyshire Dales National Nature Reserve, the others being Cressbrook Dale, Monk's Dale, Long Dale  and Hay Dale.  These five dales represent some of the best examples of wildlife and geology in the White Peak
Slippery descent into Cales Dale


Cales Dale


Climbing out of Cales Dale towards One Ash Grange Farm
Long term residents of the farm
Interesting pig styes at One Ash Grange Farm, now Grade II listed buildings.  The  farm was originally an outpost of Roche Abbey, settled by the Cistercian monks in 1147
Coffee in Lathkill Dale

Looking down Lathkill Dale

Lathkill Head Cave - the source of the river in winter ...
... but dry in summer
Waterfall in Lathkill Dale
Lathkill Dale was heavily industrialised in the nineteenth century and there are remains of old lead mines, pumping houses, crushing circles, ponds, aqueduct and leats everywhere.
Evidence of a mill
One of the most unusual devices to be found here was a disc pump, invented in about 1831, evidence of which can be seen by going over a footbridge into the remains of Bateman's House and descending a shaft on a steep ladder.


The nutating disc pump

Weirs and fish ponds in the Lower Lathkill - lunch stop in the sunshine

Snowdrops and crocuses near Alport

Lower reaches of Bradford Dale, Youlgreave above the trees



Papplewick, Linby and Newstead, 3rd February 2019


Gedling Ramblers organised this 7½ mile walk today in connection with the Nottinghamshire Ramblers AGM at the Village Hall in Papplewick.  The route made use of the network of trails in the Leen Valley, taking us through Linby to Newstead Abbey and exploring the mining heritage of the area.


Tributary of the River Leen in Linby

Linby Top Cross

The Ranges, the top of the restored spoil heap of the Linby coal mine
Wildlife in Freckland Wood, the restored area of woodland on the former spoil heap of Annesley Pit Top
The Upper Lake in Newstead Park (the source of the Leen) and The Fort, a mock fort built about 1770 for the fifth Lord Byron

Literary connections in the gardens of Newstead Abbey