Cotgrave Country Park, 15th February 2026

Starting at the car park off Hollygate Lane, Steve led 11 members on a 5-mile walk through Cotgrave Country Park to The Shepherds pub for a drinks stop before returning through the park to the start.  The route, wet but not muddy, made use of the Grantham Canal towpath and the track of the 2-mile disused railway line which runs between Cotgrave Country Park and Holme Pierrepont, but which is now closed due to damage to the embankment in Radcliffe.

A wet start in the car park

Cotgrave Colliery was a modern mine using Koepe winching gear rather than traditional winding wheels. These so-called tower winders consisted of a vertical engine sitting directly above the shaft and were enclosed in a concrete tower; its function was hidden because you could not see any headstock wheels turning

Cotgrave Country Park is on the site of Cotgrave Colliery which was planned as a show colliery for British Coal. It closed in 1993 due to unsuspected geological faults

Grantham Canal Lock

Windmill Hill - site of Gozen's Hill Mill which stood on top of Mill Lane until 1916 when it was blown down during a gale. The mill was of the post type where the whole body of the tower could be moved by hand in order to face the wind.
Good views towards Ratcliffe Power Station (allegedly)

The Shepherds - coffee or tea and bacon butties (optional)

The rain about to stop as we near home