Bingham Linear Park and the River Smite, 31st December 2023

 This year-end, morning walk of 6½ miles took an impressive 21 members from Bingham Market Place along the old sunken track of Jebb’s Lane to view Bingham’s Roman Well near the cemetery.  A short climb up Toot Hill then gave us views over the Vale of Belvoir towards the buildings of RAF Newton.  At the Tythby Road Bridge, we dropped down to Bingham's Linear Park on the disused Bingham to Melton railway line and followed it as far as the River Smite which we walked alongside for a short distance.  Turning north-west, we headed back across open fields to re-join the Linear Park and then walk back through Bingham to the Buttercross in the Market Square.

The start near Bingham's Buttercross

Gathering round the Roman Well

This well was relocated to Bingham following its discovery during archaeological investigations at the Margidunum Roman settlement on the nearby Fosse Way

Dropping down to the Linear Park

Information about the Linear Park - more on the website

Friends of Bingham Linear Park, 2002 - 2020
Fine mosaic which used to be on display at the Tythby Road Tunnel

One of two murals under Tythby Road Bridge

Not always dry going on the old railway track

River Smite in full flood

Open, flooded, hedge-less fields as we head back to Bingham

Group assembling after re-joining the Linear Park

Journey's end - the other Butter Cross

Buckminster, Skillingon and Sproxton, 17th December 2023

John Y led 19 members on this dry but windy 8-mile walk starting at the junction of Main Street and Stainsby Road in Buckminster.  The walk went north to Skillington for coffee before heading to Sproxton for lunch, making use of parts of the Viking Way and Mowbray Way.  

Note that there is no walk on Christmas Eve but there is a new walk from Bingham on New Year's Eve, 31st December - see Walks Programme for details.

The start in Buckminster

Former stables of Buckminster Hall

Coffee stop - Skillington

Village sign in Skillington

A half-decent stile

Woolsthorpe Wharf and the Grantham Canal, 10th December 2023

 Sue's walk took 22 members on this 4½ mile walk from Woolsthorpe Wharf, along the Viking Way / Grantham Canal, before turning off before Stenwith Bridge onto Woolsthorpe Lane.  After a welcome stop for mulled wine and snacks, we walked along Longmoor Lane to the Grantham Canal, following it to cross it on Bridle Bridge before a climb up to re-join the Viking Way.  After crossing Cliff Road and entering woods above Woolsthorpe Village we dropped down to Sedgebrook Road, Dirty Duck Lane and Woolsthorpe Wharf for the Vale of Belvoir Christmas Lunch at the Dirty Duck.

Thanks Brenda for organising the lunch, Sue & Dave for providing the mulled wine, snacks and quiz and Elaine for the splendid mid-morning catering arrangements made possible by Dave's brother-in-law's pasting table.

The start, the Dirty Duck car park

Woolsthorpe Wharf and the Dirty Duck

Plenty of water in the canal today

The aroma of mulled wine speeds things up

Elaine pours the drinks

Longmoor Bridge where the Viking Way crosses the Grantham Canal

Outnumbered 27:22

Bridle Bridge - retrospective Risk Assessment needed

Overlooking Woolsthorpe - not the best view of Belvoir Castle as the rain came down

John thanks the Brenda, Sue & Dave and Elaine after the splendid meal ...

... and Sue announces the results of Dave's quiz

Kinoulton and Colston Bassett, 3rd December 2023

 After a tricky drive to Kinoulton on icy roads, John took nine members on a seven-mile walk from the Nevile Arms across fields to Colston Bassett where we discovered the Village Hall serving breakfast.  After this welcome delay, a short walk to the ruined church of St Mary was followed by a section of road walking to the Grantham Canal and its level towpath back to Kinoulton.

The Nevile Arms - the start

Leaving Kinoulton and approaching Colston Bassett

Bacon butties and coffee

Market Cross, Colston Bassett

Passing St John the Divine, Colston Bassett

Across the River Smite for the second time

The ruin of St Mary's Church

Heading back down to the River Smite floodplain

Second coffee stop, this time on the Grantham Canal

The original avenue of 184 Lombardy Poplar trees at Vimy Ridge, which runs between Owthorpe Lane and the Canal towpath here, had to be felled in 1998 for safety reasons. They were planted by Sir William Jesse Hind in memory of his son Lt. Francis Montagu Hind who was killed in action at the Battle of the Somme in 1916. The trees also commemorated the 187 other officers and men of the 9th Battalion The Sherwood Foresters Regiment who died between 7th July and 30th November 1916 (the official end of the battle)

Almost back - St Luke's Church, Kinoulton