A casual walk around Colliers Wood and the surrounding area in beautiful sunshine was enjoyed by our group.
Colliers Wood was reclaimed following the closure of Moorgreen Colliery and now seems like it’s always been there!
We ended our walk with the obligatory refreshment stop at Reuben Shaws Coffee Shop.
Another lovely social walk.
The Strollers Group enjoyed a pleasant walk around the Art Trail at Patchings Farm Art Centre near Calverton .
We were sorry to hear the place is up for sale and its future is unsure.
The photo shows the Monet Bridge which is unfortunately in bad repair and the lake is very overgrown but still a pretty site.
There was the usual Coffee Stop at the café on site.
Well worth a visit!
A total of 14 bags of rubbish have been collected from our area this month by members of the group who are doing a sterling job trying to keep our environment tidy.
One ‘grot spot’ which has been identified is the bottom end of the bypass. The problem is that it doesn’t take long to fill a bag with rubbish. The bags then become rather heavy to carry to the nearest litter bin which is in a layby on the bypass. The area around the litter bin is also frequently strewn with rubbish some of which is from bags which have been ripped open probably by wildlife. Together with The Wombles who are also prolific Hucknall litter pickers our aim is to have another litter bin installed towards the lower end of the bypass.
Wish us luck with that project!
Val (Gant)
Visit to Kedleston Hall on Wednesday 24th September.
We set off an hour later than usual for this month’s destination which involved a much shorter journey to neighbouring Derbyshire. Despite encountering heavy traffic close to Derby itself we still arrived safely by 10.30 am. The weather was now looking favourable as we were met by a member of staff from Kedleston Hall.
The estate at Kedleston is both beautiful and extensive and many members used the estate walks to explore the estate taking on walks ranging from 1.2 miles to over three miles in length. Surrounded by beautiful water courses the walks were well explored.
The Hall itself proved a popular venue to explore as we looked at the Curzon family’s fine collections including fine arts, furniture and Asian treasure. There were also gardens, café, gift and plant shops to explore over the day.
The final National Trust visit this year sees us venture to Nostell near Wakefield in October before ending the year with a visit to Chester’s Christmas Market in early December.
A huge thank you must go to Vallance Coaches who have provided coaches to a very high standard on all of our trips. Special thanks to the excellent drivers, Bob, Mick and Wayne.
Barrie
In September, following the cheering up of some Grumpy Old Men, 26 of the combined Not So Grumpy Old Men Group visited the Hucknall Flight Test Museum, a venue many of them visited under its Rolls Royce Heritage banner 6 years before, but now expanded and improved.
Rolls Royce transformed aviation by innovative engineering solutions and designs and shaped the path of the modern jet engine, claiming many world firsts along the way.
After an introductory talk about the origins of the museum and how acquiring grade II listed status ensured at least a small part of the Rolls Royce site was not “developed” into housing, we were treated to guided talks on the world-leading testing facilities, the evolution (over a surprisingly short timeframe) of aero engine design and manufacture and an incredible collection of hand-built scale models of over 30 aircraft.
Many of the group were ex-Rolls Royce employees and the museum volunteers were keen to try to get them back to work!
Enthralled by the talks and exhibits, it was difficult to drag ourselves away for the post-visit lunch at the Nabb Inn.
Mark Jackson