Cropwell Bishop, Cropwell Butler and Tithby, 30th October 2022
Langar, Colston Bassett and Cropwell Bishop, 23rd October 2022
Starting at The Unicorn's Head in Langar and ignoring threats of lightning strikes and thunderstorms, Steve led six brave souls along the gated road to Colston Bassett and then across fields to reach and follow the Grantham Canal to Cropwell Bishop for lunch next to the church. More field tracks took us to the ruin of St Mary's Church near Colston Bassett but, enough was enough, and the way back was to retrace our steps along the gated road to Langar.
 |
| Phil preens himself in a convenient mirror before the group photograph |
 |
| There's no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing, AW (Coast to Coast, 1973). Silly old goat |
 |
| Colston Bassett, once named as one of the country's poshest places to live so deserving of two fancy village signs |
 |
| Still raining on the yellow brick ... towpath |
 |
| The last remaining buildings on the Grantham Canal |
 |
| St Giles' Church, Cropwell Bishop - lunch |
 |
| The ruined St Mary's Church near Colston Bassett |
 |
| The River Smite in Colston Bassett - has been over 2m higher in recent years and has caused serious flooding |
 |
| Length 9½ miles as advertised |
Harby and Hose, 19th October 2022
Brenda's 5½ mile walk today took 11 of us (including three visitors) through the village and across fields towards the outskirts of Hose. We then headed towards the Harby Hills before circling back to Harby on good tracks.
 |
| Coffee stop for this shy group |
 |
| Rolling - Harby Hills in the distance |
VBR Christmas Walk and Meal, 11th December 2022
Allington and the VBR Christmas Meal, Sunday, 11/12/2022, 10:30
Meet: The Village Cross on The Green, opposite the Welby Arms, Allington, SK 857402, NG32 2EA
Distance: 5½ miles
Leaders: Brian and Anne, 01400 281723
This leisurely walk takes in routes around the village consisting of some road walking, tracks and field paths. There will be the customary mince pies and mulled wine en route.
Brenda has booked the Christmas Meal for 2:15 at the Welby Arms. We have booked for 35 guests but don't need reservations, menu choices or payment yet.
Menu
Roast Sunday Dinner: Beef, Pork or Turkey, Yorkshire Pudding
Baked Cod in a Tomato & Chorizo Sauce
Chicken Balmoral in a Creamed Haggis & Whisky Sauce
Hearty Root Vegetable Hotpot, Sweet Potato & Celeriac Mash & Tarragon Gravy
All served with vegetables & roast & new potatoes
(Hotpot with mash)
Christmas Pudding, Brandy Sauce
Chocolate Orange Cheesecake
Apple Pie with Custard or Ice Cream
Chocolate & Cherry Tart
Tea / Coffee & Chocolate Mint
£21.95 per person
Retford, Chesterfield Canal and Babworth, 16th October 2022
Elaine's 9-mile Pilgrim Fathers' Walk started in the New Street car park in Retford and took fourteen of us over the River Idle and through Kings Park to reach the Chesterfield Canal. We then followed it for 3½ miles to Green Lane, a green lane heading back towards Retford. A diversion across fields took us to Babworth Park and the famous All Saints Church with its connections to the Pilgrim Fathers.
 |
| The start, New Street |
 |
| Interesting canal mural in Wharf Road, Retford |
 |
| James Brindley's Chesterfield Canal, completed in 1777, runs for 32 miles from the Trent at West Stockwith, through Retford and Worksop to the now-collapsed 1.5 mile Norwood Tunnel near the M1. There is a clearly signposted route though all the way into Chesterfield, the Cuckoo Way, named after the old horse-drawn boats unique to this canal. The canal was built to export coal, limestone and lead from Derbyshire, iron from Chesterfield and corn, timber, groceries, etc. into Derbyshire and was used to transport stone from North Anston Quarry for building the Houses of Parliament. |
 |
| West Retford Lock |
 |
| No traffic on Sunday, just the odd boat on the Monday recce |
 |
| Forest Bottom Lock - coffee break |
 |
| Three men and a lock gate |
 |
| All Saints Church at Babworth. This church is famous as the community start point for the Pilgrim Fathers who left Nottinghamshire for Holland before sailing from Plymouth to the New World in 1620 |
 |
| Lunch stop at the church |
 |
| The Mayflower Trail is a circular tour round historic sites associated with the principal figures in the Mayflower Pilgrim's story. It begins at All Saints Church and leads through Barnby Moor to Scrooby, Bawtry, Austerfield, Gainsborough and Sturton-le-Steeple |
 |
| A rare (for Nottinghamshire) example of exposed bedrock by the track up to the church |
 |
| Recrossing the Idle - view of the river taken from the canal viaduct approaching Retford Locks |
 |
| Fine canal warehouse, now converted into flats |
 |
| These wharves near the centre of Retford were important trading centres for two centuries until the arrival of the railways |
 |
| Robbie Cumming (BBC Four's Canal Boat Diaries) greets a kindrid spirit near his famous boat ... |
 |
| ... the Naughty Lass |
Oxton, Epperstone and Woodborough, 9th October 2022
 |
| The start (and end) point - St Peter and St Paul's Church, Oxton |
 |
| Oxton Dumble, Water Lane, Oxton |
 |
| View westwards from near Epperstone Park |
 |
| Park Farm, home of Sherwood Storage |
 |
| Fine views in very tidy fields |
 |
| Hill Farm Wind Turbine An unusual design - the rotor is downwind of the guyed tower which can be lowered by hand using the boom just visible at the bottom right |
 |
| Holy Cross, Epperstone - coffee |
 |
| Descending Roe Hill by Springwater Golf Club towards the edge of Calverton |
 |
| Oxton Dumble joins Dover Beck on its way to the Trent at Caythorpe. Just downstream are the remains of Oxton Mill, the first of the eleven mills on the Dover Beck |
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)