Vale of Belvoir Ramblers

Keyworth, Stanton, Widmerpool and Wysall, 21st June 2026

Starting in the car park off Elm Avenue in Keyworth, Val and Dave took eight of us on an 8¼ mile walk across rolling fields past the new Wolds Wine Estate near Stanton to Wydmerpool for a drink stop. From there, we picked up the Midshires Way to Wysall for lunch and then the Notts Wolds Way back to Keyworth.

This was an undulating walk in very hot and humid weather crossing several small streams which drain the Nottinghamshire Wolds west of the Fosse and into Fareham Brook which enters the Trent at Clifton or Kingston Brook which drains into the Soar.

Note that the Skylarks Evening Stroll on Tuesday has been cancelled due to the forecast high temperature.

Class of 2026

Wolds Wine Estate - Artisan Vineyard ...

... and Luxury Glamping Pods

Six-year-old vines in the 3.3 acres of the vineyard

Hot (and green and slimy) tub

One of a "wake" of eight kites captured on John's camera and enhanced by AI

Thankful Villages are settlements in both England and Wales from which all their members of the armed forces survived World War I.

Lunch in Wysall. Looking forward to the World Cup

Dave should have gone to Specsavers!
Jubilee Wood
This wood was planted to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's 2012 Diamond Jubilee. It is part of Jubilee Woods, a six million tree planting celebration that saw millions of people across the UK come together to create a lasting legacy for futute generations

Fine lavender on Lings Lane near Keyworth

East Bridgford Evening Stroll and Skittles, 17th June 2026

Starting at the Royal Oak, Sue led nine members past Stokes' Mill, through Springdale Wood, over fields to Occupation Lane and then back through the village to join five others who had reserved their energy for the skittles at the pub.

The start at the Royal Oak

Stoke's Mill and ceramic

Kneeton Mill - originally built in 1792 and rebuilt in 1841, it was famously a six-sailed mill and stood six storeys tall

Skyscape

Ian meets the remaining five

Explaining the rules

Sue strikes out ...

... but has to pick up her own skittles

Eaton, Branston and Eastwell, 14th June 2026

Paul's 7.2 mile walk today explored the headwaters of the River Devon which drains into Knipton Reservoir, eventually joining the Trent at Newark Marina. From the Village Hall at Eaton, we walked north on the Jubilee Way and across fields to St Guthlac's Church, Branston for coffee. We then rejoined the Jubilee Way for a short distance before climbing up to Eastwell then dropping down to the start.

Briefing in Eaton

On the Jubilee Way

Unusual egg vending machine at Sherricliffe Farm near Eaton

Ironstone cottage in Branston

St Guthlac's Church, Branston

Steps down to an ironstone gullet - a long, deep and narrow trench or pit from which the ironstone was quarried

Family day out - sheep shearing

Memorial to the crew of a Lancaster bomber that came down midway between Goadby and Eaton in 1942

You'll remember me when the west wind moves

Upon the fields of barley
You'll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we walk in fields of gold

Hall Lane - passing Eastwell Hall

7.2 miles,130m of elevation

Gunthorpe and Burton Meadows, 10th June 2026

It was a lovely sunny evening for Howard's 5.2 mile walk when he led a very select group westward under the 100 year old Gunthorpe Bridge towards Burton Joyce. We walked past several large fishing and wildfowl lakes on the site of the former gravel pits, and which are home to a selection of wildfowl, before returning to Gunthorpe along the River Trent.

Thanks Val for the photos and description.

The start in the car park near Gunthorpe Bridge

Cocker Beck looking very insignificant despite being the cause of annual floods in Lowdham

Old gravel pits, now a nature reserve

The River Trent

Distant view of Shelford on the other side of the river

Waltham on the Wolds, Bescaby and Stonesby, 7th June 2026

Steve led 18 ramblers on an 8-mile walk starting from the north end of Waltham on the Wolds village. We crossed field paths to the NATS station acting as a beacon for East Midlands airport, before following the gallops of the old Croxton Park race track to Bescaby. Passing through Diamond Wood, coffee was taken at the Bescaby duck ponds. Further paths took us towards Saltby before we turned back towards Stonesby where lunch was taken at the church. Finally we passed through the old Stonesby Quarry to retrace our earlier steps back to the start.

Thanks Steve for photos.