John's 7.4 mile route started in the layby by Linby Lane and/or at Papplewick Village Hall.  It took 16 members up the Papplewick Trail alongside the River Leen and across fields to the pretty village of Linby.  An excursion was made to The Ranges, the former slag heap of Linby Colliery, for coffee before continuing to the grounds of Newtead Abbey for lunch.  A deviation from the route of previous walks took us round the north side of the Abbey and past Papplewick Hall back to the start.

Thanks John for an excellent walk in excellent weather with companiable ramblers.

The start near where the Leen crosses Linby Lane

Kingcup, aka Marsh Marigold and Molly Blobs, in Papplewick Dam Wood near the start

The recently refilled Upper Pond reservoir used to store water for Castle Mill on Linby Lane (see later)

Group at The Ranges in front of Man & Dog (2007)

Two of fourteen plaques set in the base of the Man & Dog sculpture.

"Ratcliffe on Soar Power Station, 8 miles SW of Nottingham. Commissioned in 1968. It has an output of 2038MW"

and

"The Ranges, 115m above sea level. A landscaped spoil mound from the former Linby Colliery"

Pick axe, shovel and hammer in Frickland Wood, the restored area of woodland on the former spoil heap of Annesley Pit Top

Wildlife in Freckland Wood

North Lodge at the entrance to Newstead Abbey Park

The Upper Lake in Newstead Abbey Park (near the source of the Leen) and The Fort, a mock fort built about 1770 for the fifth Lord Byron

River Leen - outlet from Newstead lakes, 15 miles to the Trent

Lunch overlooking the Abbey

The Leen flowing out from the Upper Pond

Castle Mill (1782) near the start.  The Leen Valley was flooded north of here to form the artificial lake known as Papplewick Dam and the Linby road ran across the dam wall.  This was one of several mills in the very industrialised valley of the Leen

Castle Mill now - a private residence