Fiskerton, Rolleston and Upton, 6th July 2025

Starting in unusual conditions (rain), Dave took six members and two visitors from the car park next to the Trent and immediately north onto the banks of its flood defences.  These were then followed to Fiskerton Mill where we encountered the River Greet for the first time.  After some field walking, we reached Rolleston, former home of the children's illustrator Kate Greenaway, crossed the Nottingham to Lincoln railway line and the Greet flood plain to climb up to Upton, home of the British Horological Institute.  After a drinks stop at the church, we followed the Greet to pass by Southwell Racecourse and Southwell Golf Club to reach Rolleston Mill and then Rolleston Church.  Returning to Fiskerton, we joined the Trent before walking downstream back to the start.

Yes, it was indeed pouring down at the start

Flood defences

Fiskerton Mill

Crossing the River Greet

The Kate Greenaway Trail in Rolleston

Kate Greenaway's blue plaque and examples of her illustrations seen on walls in Rolleston

Fields of buckwheat and lacy phacelia, used as a cover crop

Depicting the nearby Horological Institute
- ravaged by time

St Peter and St Paul's, Upton - on a brighter day

Looking across the River Greet towards Southwell Racecourse

Rolleston Mill - view downstream from the golf course

Rolleston Mill and the River Greet looking upstream

Carefully crossing the railway line

Holy Trinity, Rolleston

Nottingham Universiy Gardens and Wollaton Park, 1st July 2025

Starting at the Lakeside Arts Centre, Angla led six members on a 4.7 mile walk exploring the several and varied gardens of the University and the broad expanse of Wollaton Park and its lake.

The start in the Lakeside Arts car park

Trent Building across Highfields Lake

Rare example of Nottinghamshire's naturally-exposed bedrock next to Highfields Lake

Trent Building

 Highfields Walled Garden (1797) 

Millennium Garden

Taking care not to approach the deer

Wollaton Park Lake

View back towards The Stables from the (just closed) entrance to the Wollaton Hall Formal Garden

The sunken Jekyll Garden designed by Gertrude Jekyll in 1911

Lenton Firs Rock Garden restored 2006-2008 by student volunteers and Friends of University Park

Another rare example of Nottinghamshire's bedrock on top of which lies the Rock Garden

And finally, here is something created earlier.  Guess the painter.

Bingham and Car Colston, 29th June 2025

Paul led seventeen Ramblers on this 4.9 mile walk starting at The Buttercross in Bingham Market Square.  After crossing the Nottingham to Grantham railway at the bottom of Moor Lane, we walked by Archers Lake to cross fields to the fishing lakes north of Bingham.  Emerging from the undergrowth, we crossed by Car Colston Cricket Ground and then stopped by the Royal Oak for drinks.  After a slight diversion to avoid cattle, we took the footpath back to the bridge across Car Dyke and then over Parsons Hill to Bingham.

Then to celebrate VBR's 30th Anniversary, members and friends enjoyed tea and cakes in the orchard at Appletrees provided by hostess Elaine and other members of the Committee.

The start under The Buttercross

Best avoided

A well manage crossing

Paths next to Archers Lake

Wildlife

Drinks stop outside the Royal Oak

Crossing Car Dyke (a tributary of the River Smite) before walking over Parsons Hill

Diversion to see the Roman Well, relocated from the old Margidunum settlement on the nearby Fosse Way

Lunch in the Garden

East Bridgford Woods and River Trent Evening Stroll, 25th June 2025

 Judy's 4.2 mile stroll took us through the village and down to the River Trent before returning to the village tennis courts on Butts Field for a brief and welcome drinks stop.  After passing Stoke's Mill we walked on good tracks to eventually reach Springdale Wood.  Returning along Springdale Lane, we stopped to view Judy's meadow and its wild flowers.

Dropping down to the River Trent

Distant view of Gunthorpe Weir

Fine paths on the return to the village

Stokes' Mill, built in 1828 was operational until 1912. The sails were struck by lightning in 1928 and the cap, machinery and second-floor gallery were removed in 1940.  The attractive mosaic can be seen near the entrance

Springdale Wood was purchased by the Woodland Trust as one of 250 ‘Woods on Your Doorstep’ to mark the Millennium and was planted in November 1999 by local residents

Judy's meadow

Kneesall, Kersall, Maplebeck and Eakring, 22nd June 2025

John's 7½ mile walk starting near the church in Kneesall took thirteen members past Brickyard Plantation, over Hare Hill and on to pass by Kersall and head to Maplebeck for a coffee stop.  We then headed north west towards Parkhill Plantation where we passed the memorial to a crashed Wellington bomber in WW2.  Continuing towards Eakring, we passed close to the National Grid Training Centre before stopping for lunch at a playground in Eakring.  After a morning in sunshine, rain came on the walk back to Kneesall after lunch.

John briefs the members

Saint Bartholomew's, Kneesall

Climbing Hare Hill on good tracks - the farmers having done a grand job, John

Coffee stop near Maplebeck

Looking at Lincoln Cathedral in the distance (allegedly)

Memorial to RNAF crew of the Wellington bomber which crashed here in 1942

Nottingham Young Farmers Tractor Run
See John Young's video at the bottom

National Grid's new T-pylons were built here in 2015 for testing but have only recently (2023) been connected to the grid in Somerset.  In January, however, National Grid abandoned plans to roll out new designs because of their high cost and noise complaints

Lunch in Eakring, famous for its WW2 nodding donkeys

Fields of lacy phacelia, used as a cover crop 

And then the threatened rain arrived