Vale of Belvoir Ramblers: July 2019

Hoveringham, Fiskerton, Morton and Bleasby, 28th July 2019

The severe weather warning led to the cancellation of the cycling part of the Outlaw Triathlon which was to take place in the vicinity of today's walk. The forecast torrential rain never materialised but the warnings may have put a few people off and only six started this walk.

Five of the six at Hazelford Weir

Starting outside Ferry Farm, we walked along a very peaceful section of the Trent past Hazelford Ferry to Fiskerton, returning through Morton, Bleasby and Gibsmere. Ten miles in total on surprisingly good tracks considering the proximity of water in all directions and the overnight rain.

River Trent near Hoveringham

Hazelford Lock Moorings

Before the building of the first Gunthorpe Bridge in 1875, Hazelford Ferry was an important crossing point over the River Trent and was the main route to Lincoln avoiding expensive bridges at Newark and Nottingham. This location was thought to be the point where King Charles I crossed the Trent on his way to negotiate with the Scots at Southwell.

Approaching Fiskerton

Lunch at Morton Pinfold

St Mary’s Church, Bleasby

Harby and the Grantham Canal, 24th July 2019

A lovely evening for Rab's stroll from Harby to Dove Cottage and back along the canal.

Bridge 45 - clear water all the way to Grantham

Not so clear all the way to Harby

A welcome rest after a day of record temperatures

Osmaston and Shirley, 21st July 2019

Jan led us on an 8 mile walk, part of the route of the Bonnie Prince Charlie Walk devised to celebrate the Ramblers' Diamond Jubilee. The walk follows the general route taken by Prince Charles Edward Stuart on his march in 1745 from Ashbourne to Derby, through woods and farmland.

In contrast to the last time this walk was done last October with just four members, we had a magnificent turnout of twenty one.

The start next to St Martin's Church, Osmaston

St Martin's Church on a good day

St Martin's Church on a bad day in October

Scarecrows on display in Osmaston for the annual festival

Osmaston Sawmill

The group passed the old sawmill and through the rolling Derbyshire countryside for a coffee stop at St Michael's churchyard in Shirley.

St Michael's Church, Shirley

How does Kim keep her boots so clean?

Lunch at St James' Church in Edlaston

Radcliffe on Trent and Cotgrave Country Park, 16th July 2019

Fourteen on Richard's Evening Stroll from the centre of Radcliffe to Cotgrave Country park and back making use of the recently opened multi-user route along the old railway to Cotgrave Colliery.

Tugby, Rolleston and Glooston, 14th July 2019

Phil led seventeen VBR members and Carrie on an eleven-mile circular walk from Tugby via Cranoe, Glooston and Rolleston back to Tugby.

Briefing in Tugby

Our Great Leader

A coffee (and water) stop was taken in fields near Halston Wood ...

... and lunch was taken on a small green next to the Old Barn Inn in Glooston

After lunch the walk passed through the Noseley ‘Drum & Bass’ Festival site - a mini Glastonbury?

A short refreshment stop was taken at Rolleston Church before crossing fields to Tugby

Lancaster bomber passed over the group

Wysall and Thorpe in the Glebe, 10th July 2019

John J led this amble in the Nottinghamshire Wolds south of the village, returning near the deserted village of Thorpe in the Glebe.

Barnstone, Granby and Langar, 7th July 2019

Elaine led this 6-mile morning walk from the Village Hall in Barnstone, over fields (and a bit of road) to the outskirts of Granby, then round the edge of the old landfill site, past the new biodigester and cement works in Barnstone and out to Langar before returning for the VBR Lunch in the Garden at Brenda's.

Thanks to Brenda and her helpers who made it a very pleasant day.

Village Hall, Barnstone

Just north of Barnstone

River Whipling, just outside Granby

Managing the fuel pile for the biodiester

Merrivale Energy Ltd Anaerobic Digestion facility, commissioned in 2015 and exporting 500kW to the cement works and utilising 730 kW of heat to dry woodchip and digestate fibre. Inputs are local supplies of energy crops, chicken manure, whey and pressed pulp

Barnstone Cement Plant - opened in 1864 to produce lime from nearby blue lias limestone quarries, then Portland cement clinker

Branston and Croxton Kerrial, 2nd June 2019

Tina's 5-mile Evening Stroll started near Saint Guthlac's Church in Branston and explored the ups and downs (200m of ascent) of the headwaters of the River Devon before ending at The Wheel Inn in Branston.