Angela led 21 ramblers on a 7-mile walk starting at Hickling Basin. We first walked along Grantham Canal to Main Street, Kinoulton and then along Owthorpe Lane to the track up to Vimy Ridge Farm. A coffee stop was taken as we crossed the canal before we resumed up a moderate climb to higher ground near Kinoulton Gorse. Lunch was taken in a grassy field corner with excellent views over the Vale of Belvoir. Then we crossed good field paths navigating a field of cows and a few stiles before finishing back at Hickling. A few of us had a pint in the Plough Inn, recently voted the No 1 pub in Nottinghamshire.
Thanks Steve and Rab for the photos.
 |
| Hickling Basin |
 |
| Recently planted poplar trees replacing the originals |
 |
| 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) |
 |
| Alpaca or llama? The former - it has shorter ears |
 |
| Coffee back near the Grantham Canal |
 |
| Up to higher ground |
