Church Warsop, Cuckney and Norton, 19th October 2025

Paul took a small group on this 8.3 mile walk from Church Warsop on the River Meden over to Cuckney on the River Poulter and back across the Meden. The group set off in fine weather and walked quickly so as to be finished before the rain - almost did it. There were lots of poppy displays in villages and fine woodland paths with lots of sweet chestnuts.

Thanks Paul for the photos and route.

St Peter and St Pauls's Church

War Memorial

Fine display in Church Warsop

Cuckney Water Meadows

 Cuckney Water Meadows information board
(see below for detail)

Church Warsop display

Cuckney Water Meadows

A water meadow is a man-made pasture irrigation system designed to allow a shallow layer of water to flow over ‘panes’ of grass during cold winters – a practice called ‘floating’ or ‘drowning’ the meadow.  In contrast to flooded meadows, the flowing water was kept oxygenated and being warmer than frosty soil, stimulated growth. This allowed more hay to feed livestock, and therefore more manure to fertilise surrounding land. The system was also used to irrigate hay crops in summer, naturally supplying the soil with nutrients and sediment.

Water meadows are operated by finely tuning the levels in rivers and adjacent carriers (artificial channels), to provide a continuous trickle of water over the area. The stream is spanned by a ware, that can be used to hold back water and to raise the level on the upstream side so that it will flow through the meadow. Sluices on the carrier can be raised to permit water to flow out over the turf.

After passing through the meadow the water enters a bottom carrier and is taken back to the river below the ware or the carriers. By carefully operating the ware and the sluices, the drains have a greater fall than the mains to prevent the land becoming waterlogged and to ensure water is carried away as fast as possible.

Water meadows once ran almost continuously along the River Poulter from Cuckney to Minthorpe. They were commissioned by the 4th Duke of Portland between 1839–1850 and are thought to be the last primarily intact water meadows constructed by the Welbeck Estate. The main section of water meadows was watered from Cuckney dam, along a man-made channel called ‘The Water Lane’ the remains of which can still be seen today.

Farnsfield and Halam - a Traquil Path, 12th October 2025

On a misty, moisty morning, Howard's 8.6 mile walk took twelve members from the excellent car park off Parfitt Drive in Farnsfield through the recreation ground and the nearby Millennium Wood and then up through Combs Wood to reach and cross Greaves Lane. More hills and sunken lanes followed until we dropped down to Halam church for lunch and swap one member for another. Gentler hiils took us back to Farnsfield.

Parfitt Drive car park

Planted in 2000 - alledgedly

Howard points out the excellent views to the north - as advertised

Entering Combs Wood

This sunken, green lane, known as Rob's Lane on old maps, is an ancient packhorse track that might date back to Norman times

Crossing Halam Beck on a new footbridge replacing the one dislodged in 2023 and subsequenty closed

Approaching St Michael the Archangel Church - lunch stop

Last climb before dropping down to Farnsfield - sunshine at last

Bunny Moor, Hill and Old Wood, 5th October 2025

Jan's leisurely 5.7 mile walk took 12 members from the church in Bunny west across the flat fields of Bunny Moor, then up Rough Hill to the outskirts of East Leake.  Then it was east along Ash Lane (with good views) to Bunny Hill and across the A60 into Bunny Old Wood and back.

St Mary the Virgin, Bunny

Bunny Moor

Crossing Fairham Brook

Fairham Brook on its way from near Old Dalby to join the Trent near Clifton Bridge. Shown here draining The Moors, a flat fenland landscape comprising Bunny, Bradmore and Gotham Moors

Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust's Bunny Old Wood is an ancient coppiced woodland – referred to in the Domesday Book in the 11th Century. It is believed that Saxon settlers harvested timber here and, in 1487, Henry VII and his army camped nearby ahead of the Battle of East Stoke. The wood, which covers 16 hectares, was donated to Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust by British Gypsum in 1985.  Whilst famed for its springtime displays of bluebells, the wood is home to a wealth of other wildlife. Trees include ash and field maple and more than 50 species of bird, including lesser-spotted woodpecker, have been recorded. Elm used to be the dominant canopy species before Dutch Elm disease took hold in the 1970s. Some regrowth still remains and provides food for the caterpillars of the white-letter hairstreak butterfly

British Gypsum in 2022 helped create this bat hotel in an old ammunition store in Bunny Old Wood

Silver Seal Mine entrance
Gypsum mining in the area first started in 1914, currently takes place at Marblaegis Mine and now covers an area of 3,850 hectares.  Marblaegis Mine is actually made up of two mines, Marblaegis and Silver Seal.  Silver Seal was entered from here and the Marblaegis is entered via a drift at British Gypsum near East Leake

Almhouse in Bunny built by Sir Thomas Parkyns (1662-1741)