Car Colston and Screveton, 28th July 2026

Three welcome visitors (and nine regulars) on Dave's 3.7 mile stroll from Car Colston taking us across very dry fields to Screveton for a short break inside the pinfold.  Then we walked up Lodge Lane to Red Lodge near the A46 before dropping down to visit St Mary's Church before ending up back at the Royal Oak for a welcome drink.

Thanks Rab and Bill for the photos.

The start in the car park behind the Royal Oak

The Smithy in Screveton, a well-preserved example of a rural blacksmith’s workshop, dating from the mid-17th century

The Pinfold appeared on the 1882 Ordnance Survey map.  Zoom in to read about all the trades that existed in the village

Taking a break inside the pinfold

Red Lodge Antiques formerly The Red Lodge Inn (1811), situated on the old Fosse Way

Shakerdale Farm, home to a number of businesses including Belvoir Home Care

Approaching Car Colston in a field of buckwheat and lacy phacelia, used as a cover crop

St Mary's Church, Car Colston

An alternative church

Fine brickwork on The Green in Car Colston

Classic 1947 Riley - same as my first car but in better condiion (what did I expect for £35)

Bingham, quiz and tea in the garden, 26th July 2026

Sue and Dave organised this 4-mile walk through Bingham taking in the Linear Walk, the Cemetery, Crow Close, Butt Field, St Mary's Church, the Market Square and Wynhill Playing Fields before serving 20 ramblers with tea and cakes in their garden.  Over 30 questions were provided as well as painted rocks distributed along the route, the winners receiving a  prize at the end.

Thanks Sue and Dave, and others, for the quiz, tea and cake.

The rules explained in the garden

How many carriages are there on the bridge on the Linear Walk?

Where was the original site of the Roman well?

When was the lychgate rebuilt?

Who was remembered at The Buttercross?

Harby, Dove Cottage and the Grantham Canal, 222nd July 2026

Starting at the Harby Village Hall, Angela took eight members on a 4-mile walk through the village and across fields to reach Canal Lane which we took to reach the Grantham Canal near Dove Cottage.  We then followed the very overgrown canal to Colston Lane and back to the start after a diversion for some to the Nags Head.

Harby Village School

Wildlife in Harby - mural on the village school wall

More wildlife?

Bridge 45 near Dove Cottage

Sunset over the allotments in Harby

Retford,the Chesterfield Canal and Babworth, Pilgrim Fathers' Walk, 19th July 2026

Paul's 9.2 -mile Pilgrim Fathers' Walk started in the New Street car park in Retford and took six VBR members and a similar number from other groups including five from Ratford, over the River Idle and through Kings Park to reach the Chesterfield Canal. We then followed it for 3½ miles to Green Lane (once known as the Great North Road), 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.

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.

Map of the Cuckoo Way showing routes of past VBR walks

First view of the Chesterfield Canal in Retford

Canal lock and towpath

A joint Retford Ramblers and Vale of Belvoir Ramblers group - perhaps this how small groups will operate in future

Drinks stop

Forest Lock

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

River Idle in Retford, source of water for the canal

These wharves near the centre of Retford were important trading centres for two centuries until the arrival of the railways

Narrowboats in Retford Basin

A reminder of when Brenda met Robbie Cumming, who was making an episode of BBC Four's Canal Boat Diaries, last time we were here in 2022

Harlaxton and Denton Evening Stroll, 14th July 2026

Starting at The Gregory, Rose's 4.3 mile walk took seven members down Harlaxton Manor drive, through the village and across fields to Denton, then on to Denton Reservoir and Harlaxton Wharf  and up The Drift back to start.

Thanks Terry for the photos.

Distant view of Harlaxton Manor

Harlaxton Lake

Rose's house

Denton Reservoir

Halam and The Tranquil Path towards Farnsfield, 12th July 2025

From the quiet village of Halam, Howard took eleven members on a 7.2 mile, undulating walk on good field and gravel tracks using sections of the Robin Hood Way, via Meadow Farm and through the edge of Combs Wood, in the direction of Farnsfield.  Lunch was taken at the site of the Halifax Bomber Memorial before we returned to Halam by a more direct route.  Good views and just one easy stile with a gentle breeze to take the edge of the heat.

Howard's brief on Church Lane

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

The Robin Hood Way

This long-distance route was planned by members of Nottingham Wayfarers' Rambling Club.  It was opened in 1985 and runs for 105 miles from Nottingham Castle to Edwinstowe Church. This cairn is situated approximately halfway round the route and at one of its highest points at 120m

What a difference a year makes
Howard points out the excellent views to the north, last year and this year

Looking north towards Farnsfield

The Halifax Bomber Memorial

The Halifax was returning to its base at Burn near Selby in Yorkshire after completing its 2nd mission of the day to bomb the V1 Rocket launch site at Croix-Dalle in France. It was seen on fire passing over Nottingham and crashed near this spot at 10.25 pm on 6th July 1944. The memorial was established on the 50th anniversary in 1994.

Lunch in the shade at the site of the Memorial

Approaching Halam