Category: Medium Walks

The start of the new year found 24 of us taking part in our latest City walk photo quiz, looking for a total of 28 building and architectural features scattered across the City Centre area. Some of the features were quite difficult to find, and the winning team was decided on a tie-break question.

As we have found on our previous events, there is a wealth of features to be seen around Nottingham, but generally they are only noticed when looking upwards or walking slowly! 

We concluded with the judging and eating taking place at the Three Crowns pub on Upper Parliament Street, where the buffet proved to be very welcome, and slightly too much for even our seasoned eaters! 

We are planning another in our series of City walks, probably in March, which will take in areas towards the east and south of the City Centre. In the meantime, our next walk will be on Monday, 19th February.

If you enjoy walks of around 6 – 7 miles and are not currently a member of the group, just use the contact form below – new members are always welcome.

John Tedstone

Our last walk of 2023 took place yesterday, at the Idle Valley Nature Reserve, near Retford. The weather was remarkably good for November, and this was an interesting walk to end the year. Thanks to Steve and Anne Lawrence for organising this walk. The photo shows us near one of the lakes within the reserve, slightly muddy by this stage of the walk. 

Our first walk of 2024 will be a City walk and Photo Quiz in January, with lunch afterwards as an added incentive. 

More details in the New Year. We hope that new members will continue to join us, but in the meantime, if you no longer want to be a member of the Group, just let me know via the website. 

John Tedstone

For our October outing, the Medium Walks group ventured north to Mansfield Woodhouse. Sixteen of us had a lovely walk around Pleasley Vale, led by Paul Haigh and Mark Jackson. We started at the train station, and headed first to the path around the reclaimed pit tip, pausing at the wall in the photo, with various suggestions as to its purpose!

We then headed across open fields, with views across to the very tall chimney which survives at the site of Pleasley pit. Heading eastwards, we entered Pleasley Vale, a very secluded spot, where there used to be a water-powered textile mill. We also passed ‘Little Matlock’, a rock face used by climbers, and finally returned to the station.

Our last walk this year will be on Monday 20th November, starting at 10:15 am from the Idle Valley Nature Reserve Visitor’s Centre. Toilets and a café are available! This walk will be led by Steve and Anne Lawrence.

It is thanks to all of our willing volunteers that we have had some really good walks again this year. These have varied from two City walks, exploring lesser known parts of Nottingham, to more rural walks near Calke Abbey, Melbourne and Darley Dale, near Ilkeston.

If you would like to join the Group, you can get in touch via our website.

John Tedstone

Our September walk started from the centre of Melbourne, Derbyshire. Our route took us around the perimeter of Melbourne Hall, where we stopped for a few minutes to have a look what we now know is Johnny Vegas’ ‘Glamping’ site. Near the footpath there is what must be a unique and random collection of old vehicles, including a U.S. Air Force helicopter (with garden seats on the roof) and a yellow 1950’s school bus. Details are on the Melbourne Hall website for anyone who wants an unusual short break!

Further on, we paused for a couple of minutes to take stock in a field with a number of large cattle, who fortunately proved to be very uninterested in a group of walkers.

Our route then followed part of the National Cycle Network Route 6 back into Melbourne, passing a field with a selection of non-moving lions and tigers, together with a giraffe!

The next walk will be on Monday 16^th October. Medium Walks are usually in the 6 -7 mile range – if you are interested in joining us, just use the contact form below.

John Tedstone

Our August walk, led by Chris West and Mandy James, took us into the unchartered territory of Dale Abbey, which is a beautiful, small and peaceful, Derbyshire village of significant historical and religious interest, unknown and unexplored by most of us, even though it lies only half an hour away from Hucknall!

Setting off from the Carpenter’s Arms on a perfect summer’s day, we headed first across fields to the Hermit’s Cave which, back in the early 1100’s, became the first dwelling in the then wild and marshy area, the hermit, (previously a baker from Derby), digging out and settling in the cave after a religious experience urged him to live a life of devotion there.

We then left the woods and continued along footpaths through fields and the privately owned Locko Park Estate, where we enjoyed our coffee break, sitting by the pretty lake. We then headed along gently undulating paths across fields and through woods until we reached the Stable View Café where we indulged in an ice cream break- a rare luxury on our walks but perfect for a warm summer’s day!

The last leg of the six mile walk saw us making the gradual descent through a pretty vale back down into the village where we were lucky enough to be given a guided tour of the Abbey remains, which date back to the 1200’s and are situated in a private garden, and then the tiny, ancient church, originally built by the aforementioned hermit who, after 20 years, was given a small income by a local landowner, impressed by his devotion.

Then, finally, a late lunch in the peaceful churchyard followed by a walk back through the village to the Carpenter’s Arms for drinks!