1 – Whitwell to Clumber Park C.P.

 

1.      From the Friendship Club, the Hut, on to the road, turn left.  Go round the bend, continue down hill until you see the Butcher’s Arms.  Carry on down the hill to the right of the Butcher’s Arms.  Where the road bends round to the right, turn left opposite “Chips R Us” and then turn to walk up the jennel to the right of the Jug and Glass public house. The path rises gently up hill, it is fenced either side, and then drops down hill to a road. 

2.      On reaching the road, turn left, cross over and then turn right on to Worksop Road.  Where the road swings round to the left, continue straight ahead on to Doles Lane.  After about 300 metres you meet a road on your right, turn right and walk steadily down hill.  This is Hangar Hill.  

3.      Two-thirds of the way downhill, opposite the olds peoples’ bungalows, turn left.  This is Mill Lane.  Mill Lane weaves round some houses and old peoples’ bungalows.  When you reach the bungalows at the end of the T-junction, take the public footpath sign on your right.  There is also on this post a gold marker with black arrow. 

4.      This path leads to an open field at the end of the bungalow.  Carry on across the field which has a well marked path.  At the opposite end of the field, cross over the stile and then you cross over the railway line.  This is the Robin Hood Line.  Please be careful.  Cross over the stile opposite and bear slightly left for a few metres to another stile in the corner.  Pass over the stile and continue straight ahead with hedgerow on your immediate left.

5.      At the next stile, cross over, and continue ahead, heading slightly right to a stile to the right of the farm buildings.  There are several stiles in this field.  You want to continue straight ahead to the stile to the right of the farm buildings.  The horses look friendly!  Cross over the stile to meet a tarmac lane. 

6.      Continue straight ahead to a junction, at which point you turn left.  On reaching the gate marked Birks Farm Thornberry Animal Sanctuary, bear right to cross over the stile where you then bear left, 90° left, to walk by the edge of the farm building to another stile.  Cross over another stile to the left of a stunted tree, on to a small lane marked by a picket fence on either side.

7.      Continue along this lane.  You climb slightly up hill and reach a gate to the right of which is another stile to take you onto a lane.  Here you continue straight ahead, between the cottages.

8.      Where the lane swings 90° left, you cross over the stile to the right of a metal gate and walk straight ahead across the field with hedgerow on your right.  You are continuing straight across the field towards the main Mansfield Road and a stile in the hedge approximately half way across the field. 

9.      On reaching the stile, cross straight over the road to a stile opposite.  Cross over this and continue straight ahead along the well marked path in the field.  You cross this field and you meet the gap in the hedge to the left of a row of trees, or a small coppice.  Cross through and then the path does a 45° turn to the left, straight through the middle of the next field.  This path being well marked.

10.  The opposite side of the field, turn 90° right.  This is signed Public Footpath.  Now walk up the edge of the field, with the barbed wire fence and hedgerow on your left.  In the corner of the field, pass through the hedge, turn 90° left as per the sign and walk along a track.

11.  After a couple of hundred metres or so, pass through the gateway, continuing straight ahead, walking along the edge of the field, with the wood on your left.  At the far end of the wood, you reach a small stream which you cross over by a rather rickety wooden set of slats.

12.  Cross into the field once through over the stream.  Into the field, turn left, keeping the coppice still on your left.  After approximately 75 metres you meet a stile in the corner of the field.  Cross over the stile onto the track.  Turn right and walk along this track.

13.  On reaching a cross road of tracks, you turn 90° right.  It’s quite a wide lane, bordered on either side by hedgerow.  After round about a third of a mile you walk through a former gateway and carrying straight along the obvious track, you now just have the hedgerow on your left.


 

14.  After a further 300 metres or so, this track enters a woodland area.  Very pretty.  Please ensure you stick to the track as many of the other tracks which shoot out are private lanes to private property.  This track undulates through the wood and eventually starts to head downhill towards South Lodge.  Go to the right of the lodge down to a gate, pass through the gap between the gatepost and the hedge and turn left. 

15.  You are now walking onto Drinking Pit Lane.  This lane climbs steadily upwards through the sandstone cutting.  At the top of a short climb, continue straight ahead and then the track bears 45° right and levels out into quite a wide bridle track.  Continue along this main track.

16.  On meeting the lodge by the white gates, continue straight ahead along the bridle track.  After a mile, or just over a mile or so, you come across a lodge on your right hand side.  Continue past the lodge, still on the bridle track and go straight ahead.  After a further ½ mile/¾ mile you meet a road.  Cross this road and continue straight ahead, continuing along the bridleway.  This is still Drinking Pit Lane.

17.  After a further third of a mile, the track comes out onto a tarmac road.  At this tarmac road, turn right.  Walk down this road towards the rather ornate stone arch.  This is Trueman’s Lodge.  Before reaching the arch, take the road on your left.  After a third of a mile, you reach a point where two paths cross you.  To the left is a small parking area at Trueman’s Lodge

18.  Continue past  the car park on your left, along the road.  After a further 500 metres, the path crosses you diagonally.  Take the right hand track.  You are now entering the wooded area, following a well defined path.  After a few metres a smaller path crosses you.  Ignore this and continue straight ahead.

19.  After approximately 400 metres, another path takes off on your right.  Ignore this and continue straight ahead.  You will soon come to a clearing.  Continue straight along, heading now towards a road – Lime Tree Avenue. 

20.  Continue along a well defined path, now passing through Hardwick Wood (National Trust).  After 250 metres you will see a path shooting 45° left, ignore this carrying straight on along the main path passing with a barrier on your left.  Continuing straight on.  At this point you have fairly open ground on your right which is popular with camper vans and tents.  Once through this clearly you reach a road. 

21.  Cross over the road – this is Lime Tree Avenue – and turn left, walking between the line of trees.  After about 30 metres walking between these trees, turn right to take the well defined path as signified by the finger post which a little hidden.  This track you are now walking on is fairly open on the right and closed in with trees on the left.  After a short while you see a waymarker post, which a blue arrow pointing 45° left, here continue straight on. 

22.  When you meet the road by a barrier, continue straight ahead along the path opposite which is an ashen track.  This ashen path on approaching the lake ahead of you deviates round to the right.  At this point a less well defined path turns to the left to go to the left hand side of the lake.  Take this path. 

23.  Just after entering into the wood you have a choice of ways.  Take the path on the right which takes you round the edge of the lake.  This path meanders through the wood, keeping the lake on your right and starts to climb a little, and again bears round to the right at the end of a picket fence.  You still have the lake very much in your view on the right.  Eventually drops down to the right, heading towards the lake to meet a metalised road, here turn left and then turn right to walk into the car park. This is Checkpoint 1


 

2 – Clumber Park C.P. to Jockey Lane

 

1.      Pass through the car park and continue along the track opposite, with the lake now on your immediate right. 

2.     After a few hundred metres the lake broadens out and does a positive turn to the right, this being the major part of the lake in Clumber Park.  The track starts to swing to the left and rises gently, past a building on your left in which there are some loos – I very much doubt they will be open at the time of our walking!  You will then see on your left a path shooting off to the left and this is signified a Robin Hood Way green bow and arrow on a white background.  Here turn left to walk down to the lane to meet the road, passing a small cottage on the right and you come out onto a tarmac road – you are in the village of Hardwick.  On your left you will see old stables and to your right immediately in front of you, farm buildings. 

3.     Continue straight forward along the road with the farm buildings surrounded by a wooden fence on your right.  On reaching the road junction, here turn right.  The road almost immediately bends round to the right.  Continue along the road, following it round, heading towards a ‘ford’ sign.

4.     Continue along the road to the ford and cross the ford via the footbridge – unless your feet are a bit warm of course, in which case you can go for a wade!  After approximately 50 metres, turn left here and immediately diagonally right, following the footpath sign for the Robin Hood Way, indicated by a green bow and arrow on a white background.  You are now walking diagonally across a field, heading for the left hand corner of a wood in front of you.  At the end of the field, go through a gate onto a road and cross straight across, still following the Robin Hood Way. 

5.     You are now walking down a well defined path, with trees to your left and an open field to your right.  After about 100 metres, the paths round to the left.  Keep on the path, following it round.  On your right you pass one of the gateway entrances to Clumber Park.  When you reach the road, turn left still following the Robin Hood Way.

6.     After 30 metres or so you reach the A614.  Cross straight over, taking extreme care.  Once across the road, continue straight ahead for approximately 50 metres, at which point you cross over a stile to the left hand side of a gate.

7.     Once over the stile, you emerge onto a track.  Continue straight ahead and where the track bears right, ignore this and continue straight ahead, as indicated by the Robin Hood Way waymarker.  You are now walking a very well defined path with dense woodland to your right and about 10 metres to your left, open fields.

8.     After about ½ mile, the path joins a much wider track.  Continue straight ahead, soon passing a pylon to your right.  Not as pretty as the one that we saw on a previous walk, but a pylon all the same.  Continue straight along this wider track for approximately a further ½ mile, before emerging from the woodland into open fields, passing to the right of a makeshift barrier.

9.     After emerging into the open field, continue straight ahead along the very well defined track.  After approximately 100 metres, the track joins a metalised road.  Continue straight along this road for approximately a further 300 metres until a footpath crosses you.  At this junction turn right, following the bridleway sign, along the edge of a field, with hedgerow to your left.

10. Continue along this bridleway which rises gently, still with the hedgerow to your left, until you reach a disused barn.  At this point, immediately before the barn, turn left following the footpath sign, passing the barn to your right.  You are now walking along the edge of a field, with hedgerow to your right.

11. At the end of this field, continue walking straight ahead, along the edge of the next field.  At the end of this field, continue straight ahead, now walking along a well-defined path through the middle of the next field, passing a wooden pylon to your left and heading for the left hand side of a small coppice.

12. On reaching a road, turn left and walk along the grass verge down into the village of Bothamsall.  The grass verge soon becomes a pavement.  Continue straight along the pavement, as it winds it way through the village of Bothamsall.  At the church, where the main road bears right, continue straight ahead, crossing over Red Hill Lane to follow Church Lane, passing the church to your right.

13. Continue along Church Lane to its end and it soon becomes a track, as opposed to a road.  Continue along this track, which soon becomes grassed at a point where you are passing a cream painted building.  Pass through a metal gate and continue straight ahead walking with hedgerow to your right and a fence to your left.

14. Pass through a second metal gate and continue straight ahead, walking now with hedgerow to your left and, slightly to your right, a wooded area.  At the end of this section of track pass two metal gates to your left, before passing a further metal gate straight in front of you.  You now continue straight ahead along the next section of track, passing Thorton Park House Farm to your left.  At the far end of the buildings, the track bends to the left, follow it round, you are now back on the Robin Hood Way, as waymarked.

15. Continue along the track, passing farm buildings to your left towards a metal gate.  Go through the gate and straight across the road, following the track opposite you as it bears right through the middle of a field.  The track dips slightly towards a building, which is called Beggar’s Rest, and then bears left.  Follow the track round to the left, passing the building to your right, before entering a wooded area.

16. Continue ahead, through the wooded area following the well defined path.  Before the path starts to rise gently, take the left hand fork – do not go straight ahead – take the left hand fork following the waymarked signs for the Robin Hood Way in front you on a wooden post.  After approxi­mately 100 metres turn right, following the path as again waymarked by the Robin Hood Way waymark signs.

17. Continue along the path and upon reaching a junction of paths, take the right hand path as indicated by the blue arrow on the piece of wood.  You bear almost immediately left and then right before continuing straight ahead towards a footbridge over a river.  Cross over the footbridge and continue straight ahead, walking with a fence on your immediate right. 

18. The path rises gently towards a road, on reaching the road turn left and walk along the road, which is called Brough Lane, passing the outskirts of the village of Elkersley to your right.  Continue along the road till you reach a Y junction.  At this junction take the left hand fork, continuing along Brough Lane and soon passing a bungalow with the name “Pepperley” on it.

19. After about ½ mile along this road you pass a bungalow on your right called Twin Oaks.  A further 200 metres past Twin Oaks you come to a junction on your right, ignore this and continue straight ahead keeping the next bungalow to your right and heading for an ornate iron gate, flanked by two brick pillars.

20. Pass to the right of the stone pillars, walking initially with a wooden fence to your right and a plastic coated fence to your left.  The wooden fence to your right is soon ended and becomes hedgerow.  Continue straight ahead, passing a sort of wood yard to your left.

21. At the end of the path you reach a road, turn right on this road which bends almost immediately left.  Follow the road round to the left.  Follow the road as it dips gently and then at the bottom follow the road round to the right.  Continue straight ahead along the road, ignoring the public bridleway sign to your left.

22. After approximately ¼ mile, the road bends to the right.  Do not follow the road, but continue straight ahead on what is now a track, heading towards the A1.  Continue straight ahead along the track and, after a further ¾ mile, you emerge at the A1.

PLEASE TAKE GREAT CARE IN CROSSING THIS MAJOR TRUNK ROAD           BE PATIENT – IT MAY TAKE YOU A FEW MINUTES TO GET ACROSS!

23.  Go straight across the A1 towards the road opposite, crossing with extreme caution, and making use of the central reservation for a safe crossing.  You may need to wait a couple of minutes for a suitable gap in the traffic but with common sense the road can be crossed in safety.  Once across the A1 continue straight ahead down the road opposite, which is called Jockey Lane, passing the Nottingham Sleeper Company after approximately ¼ mile.  Here you will find a checkpoint  approximately 30 metres after the car park.  This is Checkpoint 2.


 

3 – Jockey Lane to Ordsall Hall School

 

1.      Approximately ¼ mile from the Nottingham Sleeper Company, you reach a road junction to your left signposted for Morton.  Turn left here.  Continue along the road for approximately ¾ mile and round about 20 or 30 metres before a cream coloured house take the right hand fork which is marked as a private road to Morton Grange but is also marked by a public bridleway sign.

2.      Approximately ½ mile down a lane you reach a white gate, pass through this gate and continue straight ahead. At the entrance to Morton Grange the lane bears left, follow the lane round to the left.  After approximately 50 metres there is a public bridleway sign pointing to the right just to the front of some green farm buildings.  Turn right here and follow the bridleway, passing the farm buildings to your left and heading for a gap in front of you between some trees.

3.      Once you have entered the trees, turn right as indicated by the public bridleway sign.  After approximately 50 metres, turn left, again as indicated by the public bridleway sign.  After approximately 20 metres you emerge from the wooded area onto an open field.  Continue straight ahead across the field, heading for a footpath sign in the hedgerow opposite.  Pass through the hedgerow and continue straight ahead through the next field.

4.      At the end of this field, pass through the next hedgerow and again continue straight ahead, now walking at the edge of a field with hedgerow to your right.  At the end of this field you come to a junction of footpaths – here you turn right.  You are now walking along the bottom edge of another field with hedgerow to your right and heading towards woodland.  At the end of the field, continue straight along the track, walking with a wooded area, which is also the boundary of Retford Golf Club to your left.

5.      Where the track turns 90° right, you turn 90° left, pass through a small gap and entering the golf course.  Immediately in front of you is a green.  Turn immediately right to reach a path in front of the 12th tee, clearly marked.  Turn right, then immediately left, passing round the back of a metal viewing gallery stairway.

6.      Where the path splits or forks, take the left hand fork, starting climb steadily upwards through the wood.  To your right is the 11th green.  At the top of the hill you meet another track coming from your left, join this track, which then sweeps round to the left towards some outbuildings.  To your left is the 17th green of Retford Golf Club, bordered by a small wooden fence.

7.      Pass the outbuildings with them on right, sticking to main ashen track.  On your right are golf holes which are quite open, on your left are very wooded golf holes.  The track passes the 17th tee on your left.  50 metres after the 17th tee, the track swings round to the left, here you go 45° right, sticking to the edge of the wooded area.  Immediately after this little intersection, a green appears on your right.

8.      On reaching the 16th tee, bear slightly right and take the pathway to the left of an electrical power box, which is also signed “3rd tee”.  This takes you over a concrete bridge over the railway line.  This railway line being the Retford to Worksop main line.  Once over the bridge, turn 90° immediate right, walking parallel with the railway on your right hand side, woodland on your left.

9.      At the end of this little wooded area, turn 90° left and walk along the path with the rugby playing fields on your right.  The original path is slightly left bordered by concrete posts, but this is less walkable than the edge of the playing field.

10.  On reaching tarmac road, turn left for about 10 metres and then turn right at the concrete posts, 90° right to walk down the path.  After a few metres the path turn 45° and goes across the playing field, heading towards the hedgerow at the far side where you will see a green sign marker.  Therefore it is a 45° diagonal crossing across the playing field.  If there is a cricket match going on whilst crossing, obviously walk round the edge or as Ken you are liable to get slapped with a cricket ball, knowing our luck!

11.  Having crossed the playing field, take the narrow path between the houses – wooden fence on your right, hedgerow on your left.  Coming out onto the road by the side of house No. 38.  Cross over the road on the footpath and turn left.  Cross straight over Ordsall Park Road, continuing down the main road, walking down this main road, you have Ordsall Hall School on your right hand side and on reaching the driveway leading into the school, you will find a checkpoint.  This is Checkpoint 3.

 

4 – Ordsall Hall School to Ranby Parish Hall

 

1.      On leaving the school, rejoin the main road and turn right down to the junction of the Worksop/ Retford Road, where there is a mini roundabout.Here, cross over the road then left and stay on the main route for a few hundred metres.

2.      Having crossed over the road and walking down the footpath, which starts to drop steadily downhill.  Approximately 75 metres after a rather ornate sign marking the entrance to the town of East Retford and, having crossed the bridge over the stream, turn right at the public footpath sign and pass through a gate.  Here walk along the footpath, which is boarded either side by  a wooden fence. At the time of recording I kept getting sodding nettled!

3.      Where the fence on your left ends, by a metal gate, and a few metres later, the right hand fence swings away right, continue on for a few metres to pass through a kissing gate.  Here you now have a new fence replacing the old.  This is part of the Parish Paths Partnership.  Pass through the kissing gate, continue on with the fence on your left hand side.

4.      On reaching the way marking post, just in front of a clearing by the church, turn right and follow this path round, going round the church anticlockwise.  The route round the church is marked by staked way markers on them are yellow arrows. Soon you meet a stile over a picket fence.  Just after that a few metres further on, turn left along the well marked track, keeping the church immediately on your left – the picket fence now on your left, winding you down to meet a gate.  At the time of recording, a rather pleasant bluebell wood was showing itself off on the right.

5.      To the left of the gate is a stile crossing over a fence, cross over this stile, or pass through the gate, and turn 90° right.  This well-marked path swings slightly to the left and is now bordered on your right hand side by a barbed wire fence.  Where the fence ends, continue straight ahead on the well-marked path.  Do not swing round right with the wall.

6.      On reaching the kissing gate, pass through and continue straight ahead down a path bordered by two wooden fences.  If you go wrong here you want shooting!  You are now crossing Babworth Park.

7.      At the end of this fenced path, pass through a kissing gate, then immediately through a second to meet the road.   Cross straight over the road and go through the kissing gate opposite into an open field.  Continue straight ahead. To your right is Babworth Home Farm.  This path, being not so clear, firstly goes to the right of a small coppice and then to the right of a power line mast, then winds it way to a rather lonesome stile, oddly positioned in the middle of a field, just to the left of three trees.  You can imagine once upon a time, this lonesome stile passed through a hedgerow but not no more.

8.      Continue past the stile, heading for the top left corner of the field.  Once at the corner of the field, go through the kissing gate, go straight over the track and continue straight ahead, now with a hedgerow on your left and woodland on your right.

9.      After approximately 200 to 230 metres, where the track appears to bend round to the right, pass through the kissing gate on your left onto a very broad lane.  Here turn right and walk along this broad lane.  You are going to walk along this lane for quite a distance – a mile or so.  Just keep going in a straight line.  You will be traversing the back of Ranby Prison, which you will see on your left.  After round about ½ mile, you will meet a road, cross straight over, continuing straight ahead, firstly on metalised road, with a rather pretty hedge on your left and some houses on your right.  Just having passed the very nice semi-detached houses on your right, the lane turns into a sanded lane.

10.  Continuing straight ahead, the trees bordering the lane should give nice shelter in the summer.  After a further one third of a mile, the path rises to cross over the Chesterfield Canal.  Cross over this bridge and then turn left down the little path, or the track, to join the canal towpath.  You are going to walk down here now for some distance with the canal on your left hand side.

11.  After about ½ mile, you begin to reach some properties at the side of the canal and a track opens up in front of you.  This track leads off to the right, where the canal swings round to the left.  You are stay with the canal – stay on the canal towpath, ignoring this track.

12.  After a further one third of a mile, just after some allotments, you will see some open ground on your right, next to a red brick building, this being Ranby Parish Hall.  This is the scene of your next checkpoint.  This is Checkpoint 4.

 

5 – Ranby Parish Hall to Scofton Village Hall

 

1.      Rejoin the canal towpath, turn right and walk along again, the canal on your left, heading into the village of Ranby.  The towpath swings round to the right and under the bridge No. 51.  We spotted a canoe – a quick way to get to Scofton!

2.      Continuing along the towpath, past Canal Cottage, pass to the left of a metal gate, again continuing along the towpath, the noise of the A1 can be heard on your right hand side and can be seen from time to time, not the most pleasant of sights!  At this point the towpath is meandering through the very pleasant village of Ranby, the Chequers Inn can be seen on the left  - unfortunately the wrong side of the canal!

3.      Just after you exit the village of Ranby, the canal swings round to the right to pass underneath the A1 trunk road, passing under the bridge marked No. 50A.  Once under the A1, the canal meanders round to the left and again, gently swings round to the right, and, after about a third of a mile, passes two cottages and passes underneath bridge No. 50.  To your right is Mill Farm – we have just been threatened by a couple of geese, looking after their little next full of eggs!

4.      About 50 metres before reaching bridge No. 49, which is immediately before Osberton Lock, take the stile on your right and walk up the track to meet the lane.  At the lane turn right and walk along the metalised road, passing the entrance to Mill Farm, crossing over a bridge a few metres later over the river, and then walking into the tiny little village of Scofton.

5.      First of all pass stables on your right and then a row of cottages on your left, heading towards a public bridleway sign directly in front of you.  On reaching the bridleway sign, continue straight ahead on the tarmac road, passing a stone cottage on your left and the road bends slightly to the left.  Here on your left is your next checkpoint, at the Scofton Village Hall.   This is Checkpoint 5.


 

6 – Scofton Village Hall to Carlton Parish Centre

 

1.      Leaving the checkpoint, rejoin the road, turn left and continue straight ahead.  On reaching a crossroads, continue straight ahead through a wooden gate and a sign which says No Public Vehicles Access.  This road rises gently and then swings round to the right. 

2.      After a short while you pass through a metal gate, keep to the road, punctuated by hedgerows right and left, heading toward a wood.

3.      Where the hedgerow ends on you left hand side the road begins to bend slightly to the right you will see, mainly to the left, the remnants of what was an airstrip runway now looking like a concrete “car park”. Evidence of this can also be seen to your right. On you left is a metal gate and nailed to a fence is a sign saying “farm track”. Turn left here and pass between 2 large concrete blocks to join a “double lined” track way. You will have hedgerow on your left and woodland on your right.

4.      After approximately ½ mile the track bears left.  Continue along the track.  You are now walking once again with fir trees to your right and hedgerow to your left.  Continue along the track as it bears gently left and slightly downhill.  In the dip, the track bears left – ignore this and continue straight ahead, going slightly uphill – still with the trees to your right and hedgerow to your left.

5.      Continue straight ahead along this very wide track and after approximately ¾ mile you reach a metal gate just before a small parking area.  Pass to the right of this gate and continue straight ahead through the parking area.

6.      At the far end of the parking area, you reach the main Worksop to Blyth road.  Here cross the road diagonally to your left, towards a footpath sign opposite.  Cross over the stile in the middle of a wooden fence and continue ahead up the narrow track.  You are now walking with tall hedgerow to your right and a small fence to your left, marking the barrier of a garden.  At the far end of the garden, go through a wooden gate and continue straight ahead, still with high hedgerow to your right and an electric fence to your left, marking the boundary of a field.

7.      Pass over the next stile and continue straight ahead as waymarked by the yellow arrow on a white background waymarking sign.  You are now walking with open fields to the left and hedgerow to the right.  At the end of this first field, pass straight into a second field, bearing slightly right – again as indicated by the waymarking sign and continue across the second field.

8.      Where the field meets a hedgerow, continue straight ahead, again as indicated by the waymarking sign, now walking with hedgerow to your right.  Pass into the next field and continue straight ahead, again walking with open fields to your left and hedgerow to your right.

9.      At the end of this field, you go up and over into the next field and continue straight ahead, again as indicated by the waymarking sign.  At the end of this field, turn right and almost immediately turn left, following the path again as indicated by the waymarking sign.  You are now walking through the middle of a field, aiming towards a gap in the hedgerow in front of you.  Pass through the gap in the hedge and continue straight ahead through the middle of the next field, aiming for a gap in the hedge opposite with a further waymarking sign.

10. Pass through the gap in the hedge, and continue straight ahead along the edge of the next field with the field to your left and hedgerow to your right.  After approximately ¼ mile you come to a gap in the hedgerow on your right, pass slightly right through this gap but continue straight ahead, walking now with open field to your right and hedgerow to your left.  Follow the edge of the field as it bends right towards a short section of wooden fence.

11. Pass over the stile to the right of the wooden fence and drop down onto the road which is called Wigthorpe Lane.  Turn left and walk down to the junction at the end of Wigthorpe Lane, turn right onto High Road to meet a bus shelter.  At the bus shelter cross straight over the road to the stile and footpath marker in front of you.  Cross over the stile in the wall and continue straight ahead, first of all through the field before joining a hedgerow on your right.

12. On reaching the hedgerow, continue along the edge of the field, walking with the hedgerow to your right.  At the end of the field pass through the gap in the hedge and continue straight ahead along the edge of the next field, still walking with the hedgerow to your right and open fields to your left.

13. After approximately 100 metres you will see two footpath/bridleway signs to your right.  Here turn 90° right and walk down the small track as indicated by the blue arrow on white background waymarking sign, walking with a small fence to your right and hedgerow to your left, and Carlton Church immediately in front of you.

14. At the end of the narrow track you pass between a stone cottage and another cottage which painted a very pale pink colour, called Bridge View, and continue straight ahead across a small lawned area which is at the front of Carlton Mill, and over a small footbridge over a series of small weirs.

15. Once over the small footbridge you join a road and continue straight ahead, walking along the road, passing the lodge to your left, followed by the Old Rectory to your right and then, also on your right, Carlton Church.  When the road bears road, follow it round, and approximately 50 metres in front of you there is a car park for the Carlton Parish Centre and here is your next checkpoints.  This is Checkpoint 6.


 

7 – Carlton Parish Centre to Woodsetts

 

1.      On leaving the checkpoint, rejoin the road and retrace your steps for approximately 50 metres to opposite where the road bears left.  There is a gap in the wall by a telegraph pole.  Pass through the gate.  On the post of the gate there is a blue arrow.  Walk straight ahead across the field to the right of buildings you can see ahead of you.

2.      Once across the field, pass through the gate.  Continue ahead, wall on your left, a little bit of a woodland on your right.  Nice property now on your left hand side – cracking little tennis court.  Once out of the little wooded area, continue straight ahead across the field.  At the time of recording the field was full of the dreaded oil seed rape but the path through is very wide and very clear, and is bordered on the left by a hedgerow.

3.      The path through the field now starts to enter the woodland opposite, this being Wallingwells Wood.  Just as you enter the wood, you will see a BLUE arrow on a white background giving “instruction” to walk straight ahead. Do this keeping to the well worn path.  After about 125 metres you will see a number of arrows attached to a tree on you right hand side – a yellow arrow and a BLUE arrow. The BLUE arrow instruct you to continue straight ahead – Do this. You are still on a wide path which meanders through the wood. After approx 50 metres this path takes a 45° left turn. Stay with the wide track. (There are several offshoots which look like paths…they are not – be aware). After a further 75 metres, you will see numerous trees with the BLUE arrows attached. Ignore the first (as it sends you back the way you came). The second arrow tells you to go left – DO THIS. The 3rd tells you to walk straight ahead – DO THIS. You will see the track is taking you towards “open fields”. There is one last BLUE arrow staked on a tree above a yellow arrow……..continue in the direction indicated by the BLUE arrow. This will take you to the “exit” of the wood and into an open the open field.

4.      Exit the wood into an open field, crossing the field diagonally.   Ahead of you is Corn Mill Farm. Your basic route is taking you towards this farm. At the time of recording this field we are crossing was a little bit unsure under foot, obviously well used by horses, so just watch your footing.

5.      Once across the field, pass through the hedgerow and continue along the path, which takes you to the right of the farm buildings, again marked by a blue arrow.  On reaching the farm buildings, you have a choice of three ways, according to the public bridleway sign – continue straight ahead.  You have the fishing ponds on both right and left, you go down the middle of these.

6.      On reaching a pathways crossroads, two well-defined lanes, continue straight ahead along the very well defined track, heading towards a village in the distance – this village being Woodsetts.  Where the well-defined track comes to an abrupt end at a dyke, continue straight ahead along the path, still fields bordering you either side and still heading for the village of Woodsetts.

7.      On reaching the end of the field, passing through a rather derelict wall and a big stone post, continue straight ahead – now you have got hedgerows bordering you either side.  After about 250 metres, you come to a fork in the pathways, take the fork to the left, sticking to the hedgerow which is on your left.  Drop down to a small footbridge over the dyke, which has metal railings either side - you have to duck under a rather awkward tree.

8.      Continue now out on to open fields, you have a hedgerow now on your right hand side, field on your left, continuing straight ahead.  In front of you is the village of Woodsetts.  On meeting the track, punctuated by a tree, turn 90° left.  Distance from Carlton Church to meeting the road at Woodsetts, exactly 2 miles.

9.      On meeting a road, cross over, turn left and just before where the tarmac causeway literally ends, turn right and walk up the path, with the hedgerow and buildings on your right and very high, at the time of recording, oil seed rape on your left.  On the top of the field, continue straight ahead, still with the houses on your right and the fence now on your left.

10. On reaching the house on your left, pass through the extremely large gate, walk down now with a fence on your right and fence of a large house on your left.  After a short while, hedgerow on your left is now on your right and rather ornate iron fencing on your left hand side.  This fence is running down the edge of a driveway.

11. Where the path joins a tarmac road, continue straight ahead, hedgerow and houses on your right and a wooden fence on your right.  At the end of the lane turn right.   Walk down this metalised road, large houses on your right, Lindrick Golf Course is on your left.

12. On reaching the junction next to Barn Cottage, turn left and walk along the road, ignoring the footpath signs, which take you across the golf course.  Continue along the road, passing the house known as Nirvana.  A little further on you meet a fork in the track.  Take the right hand fork and continue along the track way.  Immediately after the fork you will meet the checkpoint in front of a house known as Loftie’s.  This is Checkpoint 7.


 

8 – Woodsetts to Netherthorpe Aerodrome

 

1.      Rejoin the track which slowly starts to rise.  Continue along this track, climbing steadily upwards. You eventually pass the last cottage on your right called “Malt Kiln” cottage. Continue straight ahead along the track which, eventually, turns into a “single lane” path. Continue along the path until you reach a marker post with 2 arrows attached. Here, bear left as indicated by the light blue arrow with a yellow background. In a few metres the path meets a track by another way mark post. Opposite, and slightly left, you will see another way mark post. Go to this marker and then enter the wood as indicated by a yellow arrow on a green background. DO NOT WALK DOWN TO THE ROAD – TAKE THE PATH. This path is well marked and meanders through the small wood. 50 metres you meet another way mark post with various arrows attached. At this point, turn to the left as indicated by a yellow arrow on a green background. The path is heading to meet the main road. The path descends to meet a wall.

2.      Pass through the gap in the wall onto the A57.  At this point you will be at a bus stop, if you don’t you are wrong. Turn right to walk past the bus stop. 40 metres after the bus stop you will see the entrance to Lindrick Hall Farm. Here, cross over the main road (be bloody careful) and walk down the lane opposite. This is LIndrick Dale. Walk down this metallised road into Lindrick dale. You walk down this road for 1/3rd of a mile. Walking down Lindrick dale you will pass some might fine property. It really is a beautiful little stretch of the walk. There appears a small stream on your right – all part of the magnificent garden area ruined only by the plastic swans. Just past a property called “Lakeside” the lane turns, gently, to the left. A further 30 metres on you will see a metal public footpath sign. The lane carries on left towards some cottages, BUT, you turn right at the footpath sign and walk down the lane which crosses over the stream. The bridge is protected by, what looks like, motorway crash barriers.

3.      Once over the bridge, at the “junction” turn RIGHT. You continue walking on a wide track. After 150 metres or so the path turns slightly left, then, right to pass under a railway bridge. Once under the bridge you will see a footpath marked pointing to the right – IGNORE THIS. Instead, turn LEFT and continue along the wide track. Soon the track starts to rise gently to meet some cottages. The track passes the cottages with them to your right. The last cottages’ doorway has a boat as a porch way and a gate made of horseshoes. Continue along the track which shortly bends to the left and crosses the rail bridge. The track straightens out. 20 metres after the telegraph pole on your right, you meet a metal public footpath sign. Cross over the stile and take the well marked path across the field walking towards a wood and stile visible in the distance. Cross over the stile and descend the “batiste” steps to cross the rail line. BE VERY CAREFUL HERE. Up the steps opposite, cross over the stile and continue along the well marked footpath. Soon the path rises steeply to meet a bridge over the canal. DO NOT CROSS THE BRIDGE, but instead, climb over the “ladder” on you LEFT and descend to the canal towpath.

4.      Walk along the canal towpath with the canal on your RIGHT. You follow the canal for ½ mile passing numerous locks along the way starting with No. 23 “Thorpe Middle Lock”. After passing through a metal “kissing gate” you pass you last lock No. 33 “Turnerwood Double Bottom Lock”. After this you reach a bridge over the canal – bridge No. 36 – This is Turnerwood.

5.      Turn right to cross the bridge over the canal and follow the metalised road, up the slope to the right hand side of a white cottage, No. 2.  Follow this metalised road, past a telephone box on your left round to the right.  Take the footpath on your left which will result in you having a stone wall on your right.  This footpath goes out straight across a field towards Netherthorpe Aerodrome. 

6.      At the end of this footpath, carry on forward, joining a lane that moves towards the crossroads at the bottom next to a farm.  Turn left on reaching a road junction over the bridge over a brook and in 50 metres turn right towards Netherthorpe Aerodrome.  Follow the lane round to your right at first and then winds round to your left and round to your right again, where you will come to your next checkpoint.  This is Checkpoint 8.


 

9 – Netherthorpe Aerodrome to The Royal Oak, Whitwell

 

1.      On leaving this checkpoint, carry on past the remainder of the airfield along the lane.  The lane will have hangars to your right and will eventually wind round to your right to come to a junction.  Ignore the footpath and track off to your left and carry on round the bend towards a high hedge of cypresses trees next to a stone cottage.

2.      At the T-junction at the top end of the line of cypresses trees, turn left.  You are now heading back towards Whitwell and you see the Lafarge chimney at 11 o’clock to you.  Take this straight lane straight ahead for the next ½ mile at least.

3.      Cross over another lane, carry straight forward for another ¼ mile.  At the top of this lane, bend to your left onto a mud bridleway.  After 200 metres curl round to your right behind a hedge.  You will now know you are on the correct path – you have hedge to your right and to the left is open fields.  You are now walking on Firbeck Lane.  Continue along Firbeck Lane for the next 1½ miles.  You will have high hedges on either side of you.  Ignore any paths off to the right or left.  Keep straight on.

4.      After about 1 mile, the path opens out into a wider bridleway with open fields on both sides.  Just keep straight on to the A619.  Now we are going to cross the road.

5.      Having crossed the road, go left down a bridleway that curls round to your right back to Arthur Short Close.  After about 150 metres the path turns to your right and then to your left so you have still got Arthur Short Close ahead of you.

6.      On reaching the road, turn right.  Walk past Arthur Short Close on your left, crossing over the next road which is Hangar Hill, and continue straight ahead climbing gently.  At the road junction, take the road to the left and start walking steadily downhill.  At the next junction, turn right and follow this road until you meet the church.  Immediately opposite the church is Scotland Street – cross over and walk down this street.  Where the road bends round to the left, turn 90° right. 

7.      After approximately 50 metres the metalised road turns 90° left and starts to climb uphill steeply, passing the Mallet & Chisel public house on your right.  On reaching the crest of the hill, continue walking straight ahead until you meet the road junction, punctuated by the Spar Shop.  At this point turn right and the Royal Oak is 50 metres in front of you.  Go and have the pint you have just earned!