Bradgate Park, Linford Newtown and Cropston, 22nd March 2026

From Swithland Wood, we crossed Rowcliffe Road,  entered the Country Park and climbed up to Old John Tower and the important geological site where the fossil Charnia Masoni was unexpectedly discovered by a schoolboy in 1957. We then dropped down to Newtown Linford and passed  the church before stopping for coffee next to the River Lin back in the park.  After lunch overlooking the reservoir, the route back took us to Cropston Village, across the dam and back to Swithland Wood.

The start in Swithland Wood

Sign at the entrance to the park

Distant view of Old John Tower

Steady climb up to Old John Tower ...

... for a well-deserved rest

Toposcope next to Old John.  Views of Melton Mowbray – 15 miles, Burrough Hill – 14¾ miles, Leicester Cathedral – 5¾ miles, Scraptoft – 8¾ miles, Rothley Temple – 9¼ miles, Tilton on the Hill – 14¼ miles, Billesdon Coplow – 12½ miles.
This indicator was given by the people of Newtown Linford from the proceeds of their pageant of Lady Jane Grey held in the ruins 1951-1952

Old John Tower from the opposite side.  A post mill used to be sited here but became unsafe after a storm in 1784 and was relaced by this stone tower in 1786.  By 1792, this archway had been added in affectionate memory of Old John, possibly the old miller, who had been killed in an accident during celebrations on the hill.  John liked his ale so the  archway was modelled on the handle of a beer mug (allegedly)

Site of discovery of the fossil Charnia Masoni, found in 1957 by schoolboy Roger Mason.  It was the first fossil ever identified from the Precambrian period.  It is now protected from small chidren with geological hammers

The Old Forge, Linford Newtown

All Saints' Church

Painting of Linford Newtown in the church

Dr Who?

Fine specimen on the trail through the park

Bradgate House, a once-magnificent Tudor mansion and the birthplace of Lady Jane Grey, Queen of England for nine days in 1553

Fine thatched cottage in Cropston

View of Cropston Reservoir from the end of the dam.  Originally designed to collect local supplies of water, it now receives most from Ladybower via the Derwent Aqueduct

Cropston Reservoir outfall

Intake tower and walkway (artistic composition from Terry)

6½ miles

Queniborough, Gaddesby, Barsby and South Croxton, 15th March 2026

Starting at St Mary's Church in Queniborough, Paul took ten members on an 8-mile walk to Gaddesby for a brief coffee stop and then on through Barsby to St John the Baptist's Church in South Croxton for lunch.  The route made use of surprisingly good field paths alongside  Queniborough Brook and Gaddesby Brook, two streams which eventually join the River Wreake.

The start in Queniborough

Queniborough Dovecote, built in 1705 but relocated and rebuilt in 1988 when it threatened to fall down

Inside the dovecote

Coffee stop at the Cheney Arms

Second crossing of Gaddesby Brook

Fine brickwork in Barsby

Lunch - St John the Baptist, South Croxton

Wait for me!

South Croxton - celebrating the Queen's Golden Jubilee, 2002

A stile too far.  Tweny four stiles today - a record

Spring flowers back in Queniborough

Fine memorial in churchyard to Lance Corporal Eugene Benjamin Thomas Weldon 4850605 1st Bn. Leicestershire Regiment, shot and killed in Castlereagh in 1921

Nottingham to Radcliffe Waterways, 8th March 2026

John led ten members on a 7.4 mile walk from the bus stop near  Nottingham Railway Station along the canal to Trent Bridge for a coffee stop.  We then followed the Trent past the City Ground but were forced towards Lady Bay to avoid the groundworks associated with the new Waterside Bridge.

We returned to the Trent and followed it to Holme Pierrepont Watersports Centre for lunch next to the canoe slalom course before moving on past Holme Pierrepont Hall to catch the bus in Radcliffe.

The start near the Nottingham and Beeston Canal

Tinkers Leen

Fake news!

Canal meets the Trent after leaving it at Beeston Lock

Trent Bridge - coffee stop

Notts Area Ramblers are planning some sort of event here on the day the bridge opens later this year - watch this space

Waterside Bridge, from Lady Bay to .....

Holme Pierrepont Country Park

Lunch stop above the canoe slalom course

Holme Pierepont Hall

Access denied - the end of the Cotgrave to Radcliffe Greenway.  

This track was recorded on a Garmin device every 10m and also using the OS app on a smartphone at 1 second intervals for comparison. 
Garmin: waypoints = 1290; distance = 7.4 miles
Smartphone OS app: waypoints = 12,000; distance = 7.8 miles
Smartpnone track uploaded to OS on laptop: waypoints = 906; distance = 7.6 miles

This is a map of the first part of the walk.  Refections of the gps signal from the high buildings on both sides of the canal, the so-called canyon effect, degrades the accuracy of the GPS

Hoveringham, Dover Beck and Gunthorpe, 1st March 2026

 Angela's 4.3 mile walk took ten members from the Trentside car park at Hoveringham along the river before turning towards Hoveringham and the fishing lakes in the old quarry.  After reaching the Dover Beck at Hoveringham Mill, we followed it to Caythorpe where flooding prevented us taking the planned route to Gunthorpe and forced us back to the Trent.

Leaving the car park on Hoveringham Road next to the flooded river

Crossing one of the many drainage channels

Hoveringham Cricket Pavilion

Crosssing Dover Beck

Hoveringham Mill, one of eleven on the Dover Beck: Salterford Mill, Oxton Mill, Epperstone Mill, Woodborough Mill, The Paper Mill, Carby’s Mill, Parkinson’s Pit, The Lord’s Mill, Cliff Mill, Hoveringham Mill and Caythorpe Mill

Following Dover Beck towards Caythorpe Road

Caythorpe Mill (1745)

Debris from the Trent when it last breached its banks in February