Scalford, 31st May 2015

Today's walk in the area south of the Eastwell ridge started (in the rain again) opposite St Egelwin's Church in Scalford ...

... before joining the Jubilee Way towards Goadby Marwood ...

 ... for coffee at the Village Hall.

The Hall at Goadby Marwood - 17th-century country house and a Grade II listed building

After lunch at Eastwell's brand new village hall, the way back took us along well marked paths through fields of spring flowers.

Shireoaks, May 24th 2015

Starting in the rain in Shirebrook on the Nottinghamshire / Yorkshire border ...

 ... this surprisingly varied walk took us north and east along a canal, alongside railways, through narrow gorges and across meadows to within 300m of where the Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire and Derbyshire boundaries converge just south of Netherthorpe (see map).  Thanks to Anny for a well researched walk.

A first view of the Chesterfield Canal

The canal, completed in 1777, runs for 32 miles from the Trent at West Stockwith, through Retford and Worksop to the now-collapsed 1.5 mile Norwood Tunnel near the M1.  There is a clearly signposted route though all the way into Chesterfield, the Cuckoo Way, named after the old horse-drawn boats unique to this canal.

A walk in the woods - Anston Stones Wood

Orchids on Lindrick Golf Course - most of us missed them

Extreme intruder deterrent - image from an extremely tall photographer at an extremely large angle

Descending towards Anston Brook and Anston Stones Wood

Anston Stones Wood is a Site of Special Scientific Interest and a Local Nature Reserve. There is a geological trail through the woods where you can see 260 million years of geology dating back to the Permian period.  During the last Ice Age, which only ended about 10 thousand years ago, this part of Britain was not glaciated but meltwater flowed off the glaciers further north. These rivers cut the gorge that forms Anston Stones Wood (and Lindrick Dale) today.  As in Creswell Crags, the caves in the exposed magnesian limestone have deposits which show that men used them after the Ice Age retreated.

Stragglers in garlic

Caves in the magnesian limestone of Lindrick Dale

Lunch on the Chesterfield Canal

Some of the 14 locks just east of Shireoaks

Thorpe Hall at Thorpe Salvin - an Elizebethan manor house built in 1570

Denton & Grantham Canal, 20th May 2015

 


Today's walk started at the (sadly) closed Welby Arms in Denton before circumnavigating the nearby reservoir, used to top up the Grantham Canal.  We (15) then passed through fields to reach Denton Wharf for coffee.

 Crossing over and under Bridge 66 we followed the canal up to the wooden bridge ...

 ... and a path which took us to the disused railway and back to Denton.  This was used to transport ore away from the quarries around Harlaxton and Harston and joined the Nottingham-Grantham line at Muston. 

One of many attractive houses in Denton

Pilsley & Hardwick Hall, 17th May 2015

The walk took us to Pilsley and the grounds of Hardwick Hall along the Five Pits Trail.  Here are a couple of images from Sue.

Gringley on the Hill, May 10th 2015

Lowdham. 20th Anniversary Treasure Hunt, 3rd May 2015

 
 
Eileen gives us our instructions for the treasure hunt round Lowdham to celebrate our 20th anniversary followed by tea and cakes.  Thanks to both Eileen and Linda for the quiz.

A clue

Not a clue - I know how it feels

Perhaps a clue - I never did find out

At last

Belton in Rutland, April 26th 2015

Paul led twenty four of us on this excellent walk across Rutland and Leicestershire countryside in glorious weather with extensive views across the valley of the River Chater.

Start near Belton War Memorial

Lunch at Launde Abbey

The Abbey was an Elizabethan Manor House originally built on the site of an Augustinian Priory.   It is now used as a conference and retreat centre by the Church of England Dioceses of Leicester and Peterborough.

Maplebeck, 12th April 2015

John led 22 ramblers from Maplebeck to Eakring and back through Knesall on this10 mile walk. Plenty of rolling countryside with great views, although it was very windy.

National Grid has started work on a test line of the new T pylon at its training academy in Nottinghamshire.  Six of the new style high voltage pylons are being built for the first time in the British countryside.  The design for the new style of pylon was the result of an international competition held by the Department of Energy and Climate Change, the Royal Institute of British Architects and National Grid.  The T pylon with its shorter height and sleeker design was the unanimous winner from the 250 entries.

The Beehive - welcome back Brian

Great Ponton, 19th April 2015

Bernard led 20 Ramblers on this 9 mile (allegedly) walk from Great Ponton to Little Ponton, Grantham and Stroxton on a dry cold day, ideal for walking.

Bernard insists on being photographed next to his favourite water tower!

Lunch at Stroxton

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