Newstead circular 7.5 miles (23/07/24)

Attendees; A. Sear,  P Cotterill, M Symonds, N Graham, Hugh Jones, Roz Jones,

D Chambers, J Hickling, Hem Thakur.

Glenys Massey,  non member .

Jai Thakur  under 16

Since moving to Newark last summer I've not been able to attend as many walks as I used to.  So I decided to take the opportunity of leading the July walk somewhere closer to home.

It was a perfect day for walking,  warm, but with some cloud, so very comfortable.  Our walk commenced at the old mining village of Newstead.  This area was once covered in coal mines and the railway infrastructure required to move it. The trees are now growing back and it is returning to nature.  

We initially headed south using a footpath that was once the track of the GNR Leen valley railway line. We turned off and into the pretty village of Linby,  another onetime pit village,  but with a stream running through and stone buildings, which was more Cotswolds than coalfield.  A short break was taken here.    Moving on we left the road and onto farmland,  past fields of barley and sugar beet . Our lunch stop was in the grounds of St James' Church Papplewick.   We were heading back north now towards Newstead Abbey. Through Papplewick village, past fields and onto the Newstead Abbey Estate, we were now in Sherwood forest.

On arrival at Newstead Abbey there was time to enjoy tea and cake from the excellent cafe.  The final part of the walk was a half hour westerly trek back to the station. Some of us took further refreshments at the Vat n Fiddle in Nottingham. 

Andy Sear