No pictures this week, as I only decided to start this blog whilst I was on the walk!
I
started about 13:30, which is late for me. It was a day when I
struggled to get going with anything. After some urgent shopping in the
morning, I resolved to go out for a walk in the afternoon. I had no
intention of going too far - perhaps four or five hours, so I didn't
pack any food, just a flask of tea.
I headed generally Northwards
using some of the old railway lines that have been converted to
footpaths. One group is centred on Teversal. I walked up the old Great
Northern line through Skegby, turning right along the old colliery line
to Teversal. I then joined the old Midland line towards Pleasley. These
old lines are relatively flat, except where they have removed bridges,
so it is possible to get a move on.
There are some nice views on
the approach to Pleasley, though I notice the trees are growing year by
year, slowly obscuring the best views.
Just south of Pleasley, the
Rowthorne Trail comes in from the left. I turned along there towards
Hardwick Hall and Glapwell. This path suffered a bit in the very wet
weather we had last year. Some of the top surface washed away, revealing
bigger stones underneath, which are slightly uncomfortable to walk on.
The path brings you out just east of the northern (pedestrian only)
entrance to the grounds of Hardwick Hall. I turned left towards this
entrance. Near the gatehouse, a path runs just north of the boundary
fence through pleasant woodland towards a lane from Ault Hucknall
church. There were loads of bluebells in the woods - late, but very
beautiful. On reaching the lane, I turned right, heading back slightly
towards Ault Hucknall Church. On reaching the road past the church I
turned left along the road for about 50 metres. A footpath heads off to
the right, over to Bramley Vale from here. In winter, you get nice views
f the church from along this path. At this time of year though, it is
obscured by trees.
About 150 metres from the road, the path takes a
well-disguised turn to the left, taking you along the side of a field
towards woodland. Entering the woodland there is a steep, but good path
down to Bramley Vale. There is a brief panoramic view acoross the
motorway to Heath just before you enter Bramley Vale. At the main road I
took a right turn, going up the hill a short distance to a narrow lane
on the left called Stockley Lane.
This is the start of the
Stockley Trail to Bolsover, but there are no signs, so many people would
miss it altogether. After a short walk along the lane and a small
diversion around an old colliery tip, the trail follows another railway
line all the way to the bottom of Bolsover Hill, with good views of
Palterton and Bolsover Castle way up on the hill above.
Looking at
the map, I decided to head up a footpath south west towards Sutton
Scarsdale. This appears to be little used and requires a lot of
imagination at times to work out where it goes. It is well worth the
effort though. The climb towards the M1 motorway offers further good
views of Bolsover Castle. Once under the motorway, Sutton Scarsdale Hall
comes ever closer as you cross a field and follow a farm lane up to the
top of the hill. Looking back, there are long views north across the
countryside.
I carried on along the path, through a farmyard and
across the main road through the village. My path followed a bridleway
for a kilometre or so before heading across fields on footpaths towards
Temple Normanton. The final approach to Temple Normanton is along a
narrow lane with little or no traffic.
At Temple Normanton, I
headed for the Five Pits Trail, again largely formed from old railway
lines. This is quite a fast way to head north or south, though there are
stiff climbs where cuttings have been filled in or bridges removed. I
was conscious by now that it was getting a bit late. The sun had gone
down by the time I got to Tibshelf. At the end of the trail I turne left
along the old railway line to Huthwaite. There was just enough light
for me to get into the outskirts of Huthwaite and street lights before
it got dark. I then followed the main roads home, arriving about 22:30,
very hungry and tired but really glad I had walked so far.
So, my
four or five hour walk had extended into a nine hour walk instead. The
weather was really pleasant and I thoroughly enjoyed it. From Bolsover
to just north of North Wingfield, I had never walked that route before.
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