Collingham and Langford Lowlands, 2nd February 2025

The Nottinghamshire Ramblers Area AGM, organised by the Newark and Collingham Groups, was held at Collingham Memorial Hall.  Before the meeting, six VBR members went on the long or medium length walks.

Starting in the Coop car park, the medium 5¼ mile walk took us across to the RSPB Langford Longfields Nature Reserve and on towards the River Trent near Cromwell Weir returning along Westfield Lane and Carlton Ferry Lane to Collingham.

The AGM speaker was Erin McDaid, Head of Communications and Marketing at the Nottinghamshire Wildlife Trust. The Trust, founded in 1963, is a wildlife conservation charity working to protect and enhance the wildlife and habitats of Nottinghamshire.  It cares for 43 nature reserves in the county from Misson Carr in the north, Besthorpe in the east, Bunny Old Wood in the south and Jacksdale in the west, covering more than 2,000 acres of wildlife habitat ranging from wildflower meadows to wetlands to ancient woodland. Key reserves are Attenborough Nature Reserve and Idle Valley Nature Reserve.


One of several interesting doorways in an impressive stone wall in Collingham

Level, dry going for once this year



View over Langford Lowlands Nature Reserve

Cromwell Weir and Lock, limit of tidal Trent

Coffe stop on the Trent embankment

All Saints Church, Collingham

River level markers on the church wall

Stage display at AGM


Stoke Bardolphe and the Netherfield Lagoons, 26th January 2025

Sue's 5.2 mile morning walk from the Ferry Boat Inn took eighteen members along good paths beside the River Trent to Stoke Lock and on to the Netherfield Lagoons.  After a stop for coffee and views over the ponds of the winter wildlife, it was back across fields to the Trent and refreshments for some in the Ferry Boat Inn.


The start at the Trentside car park near the Ferry Boat

Approaching Stoke Lock

Stoke Lock and Weir


View across the Trent of the caravan park in Radcliffe

Nottingham to Radcliffe railway

Good paths round the Lagoons


Drain from Stoke Bardolph sewage works

More wildlife





Calverton, Woodborough and Lambley, 19th January 2025

Val and Dave took eighteen members on a 9-mile walk down Bonner Lane to Springwater Golf Club and and then over hills to Woodborough for coffee near the church.  Then we walked over more hills to Lambley for a lunch stop near the school.  The return took us back over the same hills through Woodborough Park and by Fox Wood before dropping down to Calverton.

Thanks Terry for the photos.

The start next to Calverton Library.  Free parking but not for long

St Wilfrid's Church, Calverton

Springwater Golf Club

Woodborough Heritage

St Swithun's Church, Woodborough

Unusual gravestone in the churchyard

Coffee stop

Stuffing time in Lambley with entertainment provided by ...

... Terry

Having a whale of a time in Lambley

Crossing Lambley Top Dumble

Crossing Woodborough Brook.  Bridge probably connected to recent major flood defence work

Fine buidings in Woodborough Park

Fox Wood, the site of a hill fort possibly occupied in the Roman period

Final descent into Calverton




Keyworth, Wysall and Widmerpool, 12th January 2025


Starting in the car park off Elm Avenue in Keyworth, Rab took eigtht of us on an 8¼ mile walk across rolling fields to Wysall for coffee. From there, we picked up the Midshires Way to Widmerpoool for lunch and then the Notts Wolds Way back to Keyworth.

This was an undulating walk crossing several small streams which drain the Leicestershire Wolds west of the Fosse and into Fareham Brook which enters the Trent at Clifton or Kingston Brook which drains into the Soar.

The start

Approaching Widmerpool

Coffee stop in Widmerpool

Lunch stop in Wysall

Almost home - approaching St Mary Magdalene Church, Keyworth

Keyworth's sites of interest on fine display board
Martyn's Barn (1651) Grade 2 listed


Erewash Valley Trail and the Bennerley Viaduct, 5th January 2025

Why we cancelled the walk.

Levels have risen at the Pinxton river gauge as a result of heavy rainfall and snow melt. Consequently, flooding of property, roads and farmland is imminent.

Areas most at risk are Langley Mill, and Shipley Gate, including Derby Road, and Cromford Road.