Vale of Belvoir Ramblers: November 2021

South Clifton, North Clifton and the Trent Valley Way, 28th November 2021

Sixteen on Angela's 6½ mile morning walk today starting on Trent Lane, South Clifton, crossing fields to the east of the Gainsborough road before returning through North Clifton and along the River Trent.

Back Lane, South Clifton - the start

Pure Land Meditation Centre and Japanese Garden, North Clifton, a miniature landscape of Japan built by a former monk, Buddha Maitreya

Embankments of the (tidal) River Trent

Fledborough Viaduct - built in 1897 to carry the Lancashire, Derbyshire and East Coast Railway over the Trent but used most recently (until 2003) for delivering coal to High Marnham Power Station. Consists of 59 arches, four metal girder spans and nine million bricks. It is now part of Sustrans Route 647, Worksop to Lincoln Cycleway

What's left of High Marnham Power Station - the pump house and cooling water intake

Southwell, Edingley and Halam, 21st November 2021

Starting at the Southwell Trail Car Park, Keith took ten members on this 8½ mile walk through Reg Taylor's Swan and Waterfowl Sanctuary (£3 if you leave the right of way!) to eventually cross the River Greet at Maythorne Farm.

After joining the Southwell Trail as far as Kirklington Station (for coffee) we cut across fields to Edingley and beyond to rejoin the Robin Hood Way as far as Halam for lunch at the church.

A climb took us to Westhorpe and on paths skirting the edge of Southwell back to the start.

Southwell Trail Car Park

Station House. Southwell was connected to the Midland Railway network 1847 and the line was in continuous use until 1968. The section to Farnsfield is now a public footpath and nature reserve

Cauldwell's Mill on the River Greet - used for grinding corn

Reg Taylor's Swan and Waterfowl Sanctuary

Stages in the growth of miscanthus along the River Greet

Maythorne Mill on the River Greet, built in 1785 as a cotton mill to supply the local framework knitting industry with yarn. Became a silk mill in the 19th century

Kirklington Station on the Southwell Trail - coffee stop

Looking back at Edingley

The 12th century Norman church of St Michael the Archangel, Halam - lunch

Looking back at Halam from Norwood Hill

Polytunnels just SE of Halam

Ratby and Thornton Reservoir, 14th November 2021

Dave C's 8.4 mile walk started in the Ratby Burroughs car park and took 18 of us past the south of Thornton Reservoir to Bagworth Heath Country Park and on to lunch in glorious weather on the north bank of the reservoir. Just to the south of the car park is Bury Camp, an Iron Age hill fort which gives the area its name (burrough means living next to a hill fort).

As well as using parts of the Leicestershire Round and National Forest Way, the walk took us on the Coal Tips to Country Parks route which passes through former coal mining sites now transformed into woodlands and country parks.

Ratby Burroughs car park

Misty view of Thornton Reservoir spillway and dam (1854). The water used to be treated locally but is now treated at Cropston Reservoir next to Bradgate Park

Coffee and remembrance near Thornton Village

Desford's Hanson Forterra brickworks, the largest in Europe. When production commences at the upgraded plant in 2022, it will see brick capacity reach approximately 700 million bricks per annum. The raw material comes from the nearby clay pits (see map below)

This pit winding wheel in Bagworth Heath Country Park is from the old Desford Colliery (1902 - 1984) and sits on an island in the centre one of the three lakes caused by subsidence

Three wise men (according to their self-assessment forms)

Lunch by the side of Thornton Reservoir in improving weather

Looking back at the dam and Thornton Village

Recalcitrant gate - many hands ....

Cotgrave, Tollerton and Normanton, 11th November 2021

Twelve on Brenda's 6-mile walk starting at All Saints Church in Cotgrave and crossing fields to Tollerton and Normanton. Good to see some newish (and potential) members today.

Keyworth, Widmerpool and Stanton on the Wolds, 7th November 2021

Starting at the Elm Avenue car park in Keyworth, Jan's 7 mile walk today took twenty of us across the Keyworth Wolds to Widmerpool for coffee, then up to cross and recross the Old Dalby Test Track and on to Stanton on the Wolds for lunch.