Burton Joyce ...

Last Saturday I visited Burton Joyce on the outskirts of Nottingham hoping to plan a walk for the next book. I'd never been there in this lifetime and as a result I got lost ... on my way there and on my way back. I have no problems with Nottingham but I certainly didn't want to take in all its wonders just as Notts County's match against Northampton was finishing. 

I parked along Stoke Lane by the River Trent.

 It was a glorious morning. The sun shone and it was really quite hot ....



Walking into the cemetery adjoining St. Helen's Church I was looking for an unusual feature I'd read about .... and I had soon found it. The jawbone of a whale about eight or nine feet high ...



A few yards away stands a poignant memorial to ayoung girl who died in her teens ...



The church was open and I had a chat with a friendly woman who made me a cup of tea and told me something of the church and also about the young girl who had died.

After making a donation I walked along the main street of Burton Joyce and up Lambley Lane. A gradual climb brought me into the countryside ...



At the top of the lane I turned right following a bridleway which passed between hedges ~ a feature that's always difficult to photograph ...



 Hopefully, you get the idea.

The bridleway became a driveway linking a number of rather isolated proerties and as I walked beside one the sight of a couple of Rottweilers a few feet from me, the other side of a high, sturdy metal fence, had the hairs on the back of my neck standing up.

Eventually the last of these isolated homes was left behind and I was able to relax a bit as I got into the countryside.



 Then I was walking down the hill towards the village of Bulcote. I sat under the trees in the grounds of Holy Trinity Church.



Across the other side of the road is the bulk of the village and some of its attractive brick houses. The three below are named Ivy House, Ivyleaf House and Ivy Cottage ...



A little further along the road, a marrow with writing on it ...



I crossed the railway line and passed under the crackling electricity lines above me. The fields either side of the bridleway were planted with maize though in one area there were quite a few sunflowers. Most of their seed laden heads bowed down with the weight. Just one or two were still flowering ...



  The next mile or so was spent following the riverside path back towards Burton Joyce.



As I walked alongside the allotments I noticed that there were hops growing in the hedgerow. I picked one ~ it seemed to have quite a pleasant sharp smell. 



 An enjoyable walk during which I saw no other 'real' walkers though I did see some fishermen, a few dogwalkers and a horserider.

Date of walk ~ 12th September 2009

Length of walk ~ 6 1/2 miles.


Total since 1st September 2009 ~ 19 1/2 miles.