Edwinstowe, River Maun and Sherwood Forest, 18th December 2022

 


In better than expected weather, Elaine's 7.5 mile walk started at the RSPB car park and took ten of us south through Edwinstowe and along the River Maun before turning north into Sherwood Forest and up to Budby Heath for lunch.  After stopping for a group photo at the Major Oak, we reached the Visitor Centre just before the promised heavy rain arrived.


The end of the Robin Hood Way at Saint Mary's Church, Edwinstowe

Robin and Maid Marian in Edwinstowe

The Duke of Portland's Flood Meadows near the river

Recently diverted bridleway to avoid a collapsed bank of the River Maun

River Maun, part of the Rainworth Water and Rivers Meden, Poulter, Idle, and Ryton catchment which together drain about a third of Nottinghamshire into the Trent at West Stockwith

Archway House in Summer 2016 and Winter 2022, built by the Duke of Portland in 1842



Coffee stop at the edge of the forest
The iron cross with the inscribed stone was placed here by the Duke of Portland in 1912 and marks the location of a ruined chapel or shrine and is dedicated to the dark-age King of Northumbria, Edwin, who was killed at the Battle of Hatfield in 632 AD

The Centre Tree, reputed to mark the centre of the old forest which spread from Nottingham to Worksop

Sherwood Forest has some of the oldest oak and silver birch trees in England, some dead!

Budby Heath, historic heathland wilderness, once part of an ancient hunting forest but now a quite different landscape

Lunch taken overlooking Budby Heath

Returning to the Forest on excellent tracks



Group at the Major Oak

Robin Hood fights Little John at the Visitor Centre

Relocated Robin Hood, originally at the old Visitor Centre


Allington and the Christmas Meal, 11th December 2022

 

As expected at Christmas, when mulled wine is on offer, an excellent turnout (27) for Brian and Anne's 5½ mile walk starting at the Welby Arms on The Green in Allington.  The route took us eastward along Marston Lane returning along Gonerby Lane for refreshments outside the Welby Arms.  A change from the planned route to avoid deep ruts took us west along Bottesford Road to reach and walk along the Viking Way (aka, Sewstern Lane) before turning for home and an excellent Christmas dinner at the Welby Arms.




Brian briefs us on the history of  Allington

Mulled wine and mince pies

Allington Manor, a restored Grade II Jacobean building, now a wedding venue

Bottesford Road deteriorating towards Bottesford.  Note the tyres at the edge of the track to prevent off-roaders accessing the fields, a major irritation near Allington

John thanks Brenda for organising the meal, Sue for the mulled wine and mince pies, Dave C for the quiz and Brian and Anne for the walk


Harby, Barnstone Lodge and Stathern Lodge, 6th December 2022



Six VBR members on Steve G's 6-mile walk from Harby to Barnstone Lodge, Stathern Lodge and Dove Cottage, with stretches of the Grantham Canal.  Photos can be found on John J's Relive video.





Gedling Country Park and Lambley, 4th December 2022

Today's 8.3 miles walk took twelve VBR members firstly round the edge of the park as far as the Bee Garden for coffee and then on to high ground above Burton Joyce.  The route then took us down to cross the Lambley to Lowdham road and up to the high ground above Woodborough.  After descended along Green Lane to Lambley for lunch at the church we walked alongside one of the Lambley Dumbles before climbing back to the park.


Mosaic near the cafe

Gedling Country Park is a 230 acre site hosting a play area, café and parking facilities. Opened in 2015 the site is managed by Gedling Borough Council with the assistance of the Friends of Gedling Country Park

Display board with photos of the demolition of the colliery
Copyright Graham Tavner

The main period of operation of the mine was between 1902 and 1991 and the pit exceeded one million tons in a year sixteen times between 1952 and 1969.  Parts of the mine were over 360m deep with tunnels that stretched out five miles.  The mine faces were up to 220m wide and there were 35 miles of roadway below ground.  In 1924 at its height of productivity, there were more than 3,884 men working there of which 3,257 were underground.  It developed a reputation as the "pit of all nations" because of the diversity of foreign miners who worked there - in the 1960s, ten per cent of the colliery's workforce of 1,400 were originally from the Caribbean

Over 130 miners lost their lives at Gedling Colliery and many more suffered long term health problems.  The Memorial Garden is dedicated to all those who worked here from 1899 to 1991.  The hoops that mark the entrance to the Garden were used to support the mine's tunnels

One of the new viewpoints - distant views over Gedling towards Lincoln Cathedral, Newark, the Trent Valley and Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station (on a good day)

Plans for this solar farm, on a site which had been derelict for 20 years, were initially described by some as an act of environmental vandalism and gross irresponsibility - you can never satisfy some people.  For the record, it covers 14 hectares, has over 23,000 solar photovoltaic (PV) panels each rated at 240W for a total installed capacity of about 5MW, enough power for 1700 homes

The Ivan Gollup Bee Garden, dedicated to the memory of former Gedling Borough Council leader Ivan Gollop, an environmental campaigner and schoolteacher - coffee stop


Holy Trinity Church, Lambley - lunch

Top Dumble, one of two dumbles which join to form Cocker Beck - bedrock visible in the bottom

(Most of the) Group on the bridge over Top Dumble