Radcliffe on Trent and Shelford, 31st October 2021

 

Radcliffe Railway Station eastbound platform wall
Mosiac created by children at Radcliffe on Trent junior school and artwork created by fine art students from the South Nottinghamshire Academy.  The work was commissioned by the Poacher Line Community Rail Partnership and East Midlands Railway

On a very soggy morning, starting at Radcliffe station, Marion took eleven hardy souls along the Radcliffe on Trent Cliff Walk and the Trent flood defences to Shelford church for coffee, returning in much improved weather on footpaths across fields to Rockley Memorial Park and down Shelford Road.

Briefing at the station

River Trent, looking upstream

Radcliffe Cliff Walk - part of the Trent Valley Way from Radcliffe to Shelford

Trent flood embankment, Stoke Bardolphe in the distance

St Peter and St Paul's Church, Shelford - coffee stop

Rockley Memorial Park

Bradgate Park, Broombriggs, Beacon and Windmill Hills, 24th October 2021

Scott led 16 VBR members on an 8.4 mile walk starting in a very busy Swithland Wood South Car Park making extensive use of both the Leicestershire Round and the National Forest Way.  From the wood we skirted the edge of  Bradgate Park thus avoiding the climb up to Old John Tower (221m) and instead circled back across the Charnwood Forest Golf Club fairways towards Woodhouse Eaves.

The group then climbed up towards the first of today's hills, Broombriggs Hill (237m), before descending to Beacon Hill Country Park.  After a climb to the trig point (248m) at the top we lunched in the shelter of the hill before dropping down to Beacon Hill Lower Car Park then climbed the third hill of the day, Windmill Hill (164m).  The return was through Woodhouse Eaves and past the slate quarries in Swithland Wood.

Scott briefs us at the start

Setting off in Swithland Wood

Distant view of Old John Tower, climbed often ...

... but not today

Circumnavigating Bradgate Park

Coffee stop after leaving the golf course

Ewe and Lamb - one of many wood carvings in the Country Park, see link below

Uncooperative highland cattle

Shepherd and Ram

Trig point on Beacon Hill (248m), distant view of .. well, not much

Geological origins of local rocks

Lunch on the sheltered slopes of Beacon Hill

Workshop of Peter Leadbetter, local chainsaw artist in residence

Old Man

What's left of the windmill, now topped with an observation platform

Distant view of Broombriggs Hill from Windmill Hill

Folly next to one of the many slate quarries in Swithland Wood, some dating back to Roman times  

8.4 miles, 414m of ascent

Bestwood Country Park, 21st October 2021

Start - Bestwood Country Park, Old Winding House car park off Park Road, SK556475, NG6 8UE.  

Getting there - take A611 north for 2.6 miles from Nottingham Ring Road; take B683 Bestwood Road right for 0.9 miles; turn right along Park Road.

Or take B683 Moor Road for 2.2 miles south from Papplewick Village.

This is a 5.4 mile walk which first goes to the Mill Lakes on the River Leen before circumnavigating the Country Park on excellent, gravel paths.  There are fine views towards Nottingham and to the west from the highest point on the walk before you drop down to the track to Alexandra Lodge, the base for the Park Rangers and a study centre.  Toilets are nearby.  At the end, take a short excursion to visit the impressive Bestwood Colliery headstocks.

Mill Lakes - now a nature reserve but once the site of a water mill, one of several in the Leen Valley ... 

...which was once heavily industrialised

Alexandra Lodge (1877)

Dynamo House, the former electrical sub-station serving the colliery

The headstock and winding house of Bestwood Colliery, 1875 to 1967.  There are free tours between 10am and 12 noon on Saturdays and Bank Holidays

Update

A revised walk will take place early in the new year and will include an excursion into Bulwell Hall Park.

Rowthorne, Hardwick Park (and Teversal), 17th October 2021

Dave took ten VBR members and three guests on this 10.3 mile walk starting at Rowthorne Trail car park, taking the trail and fields to Rowthorne itself and then  Ault Hucknall for coffee before entering Hardwick Park.  A trip round the fish ponds and a climb up to the Old Hardwick Hall was followed by lunch just after the Stone Mason's Cottage.

After passing through Lady Spencer's Wood, Elaine and three others left us at Norwood House to cut out 3 miles and the remainers crossed fields to reach St Katherine's Church in the manorial village of Teversal (the fictional home of Lady Chatterley) for a break.  The route back then followed the Teversal Trail to regain the Rowthorne Trail and the car park.

Dave welcomes the visitors

Our leader with two visitors from Broxtowe Ramblers

St John the Baptist's Church, Ault Hucknall

Coffee in the cemetery, Ault Hucknall

Entering the Hardwick Estate

All the stone used to build the Old and New Halls was quarried in Hardwick Park

View across the fish pond of the Hardwick Halls

Leaving the fish ponds

Duck Decoy.  There is a covered channel nearby which was used to trap ducks (for eating)

Hardwick Hall - National Trust

Hardwick Old Hall, birthplace of Bess of Hardwick

Stone Mason's cottage - worth a visit when open to see how Hardwick Hall is being restored

St Katherine's Church, Teversal

The long route (10.3 miles) and the shortcut.