In which I admire the beauty of Staythorpe C Power Station ...

Parking in Farndon, a mile or two south-west of Newark, Nottinghamshire, I walked through the old part of the village, with its redbrick Georgian houses.

As you usually find, the local church was closed ...

The graveyard looked interesting but I didn't have enough time to look around ...



A public footpath runs through the churchyard and out the other side ...



I passed through the newer part of the village, leaving the old redbrick Georgian houses behind. Then I reached the River Trent after crossing a field or two. Turning right, off the route I was going to follow, I had a look at a ruined windmill. It's only inhabitants a handful of pigeons ...



What a pity someone hasn't restored it. 

Back beside the River Trent there were two or three of these clapper gates.



I really like these gates and they're a clever design too. The only place I have ever seen them is beside the River Trent.

Walking around a corner beside the Trent, I was confronted by more evidence of the damage that scumbags do to our countryside.



A little further along, immediately beyond Averham Weir, is Staythorpe C Power Station. A lone fisherman informed that it was being powered by imported gas ... and that there were no Englishmen working there, just other Europeans.



You may recall that Staythorpe was recently in the news because of all the protests by English workers ...



There was a lot of wildfowl on the river near the weir. A flock of Canada Geese flew over ...



As I got nearer Farndon I noticed that there are some informal paths, created by the Parish Council, and nestboxes on some of the trees ...



A hundred yards later, a seat by the side of the Trent was very welcome ... just as a shower of rain ended. Still I had my coffee and a small chocolate bar ...



 I do love to find a conveniently placed seat. Some purists say they are an intrusion in the countryside. I don't ...

I crossed the substantial bridleway bridge over the riverside entrance to Farndon Marina. This is the view looking back ...



With the rain falling more steadily I studied an information panel beside the river, in front of the [now closed] Britannia Inn ...



Then it was back to the car and off for a bite to eat at the Rose & Crown in the village. I forget what I had ~ burger and chips, I think ~ and an enjoyable pint of beer too.

Date of walk ~ 20th October 2009

Length of walk ~ 4 miles.


Total since 1st September 2009 ~ 62 1/2 miles

Black Harry Gate ...

The weather was fine but on the cool side as I walked away from Calver, taking the footpath just up the road from the Garden Centre.







The footpath joins a green lane [which is no more than a footpath though it looks as though it should be a bridleway]. This green lane climbs for over half a mile towards the crest of Longstone Edge ...







Once I'd got to Longstone Edge, I followed the unclassified county road towards Bleaklow Farm. At the entrance to the farm there's a biggish quarry. It amazes me that there's still any stone still there to take away ...



   You can see a couple of guys standing in the bottom of the quarry and one of the lorries carting off a bit more of Derbyshire on the top.

There's a warning to keep clear ...



I followed the track towards Black Harry Gate ...





  Black Harry Gate has changed over the 30 years I have been walking ~ there didn't used to be large lorries trundling past back then. They have rather messed the place up ...





As you can see, my boots didn't look so good after trying to avoid the deepest bits ...



I walked down Coombs Dale ...







Further down the dale a new pool has been created ... and there's another warning ...



... but the water doesn't look too deep.



Further on the surface of the path gets easier. There are fewer large-ish stones to turn an ankle on and the scenery changes character too, becoming more wooded ...



When I got back to Calver crossroads I went into the cafe at Outside, the outdoor shop. I treated myself to an all day breakfast. I did show some self control and just had the small breakfast, five items for £3.50 ~ I didn't think I would be able to cope with the ten item breakfast one.

Date of walk ~ 19th October 2009


Length of walk ~ 5 1/4 miles.


Total since 1st September 2009 ~ 58 1/2 miles

Whatever happened to Bill Hucknall ?

There's a small car park on the Southwell Trail in Nottinghamshire between Edlington and Kirklington. You can easily get away from the crowds there. I did on Sunday ...

A short distance from the car park a path runs down the side of Edingley Beck towards Edingley itself ...



Like so many other places it looks as though dog owners haven't been keeping their dogs under control ...



Or perhaps the notice is there so that Nottinghamshire County Council's efforts to encourage wildflife won't be scuppered ...



October probably isn't the best time to admire a six metre conservation strip but here it is anyway ...




A couple of fields later and I was still walking beside Edingley Beck. The wood in the photo below is shown as a moat on the OS Map but when I got level with it I couldn't see much in the trees.



Edingley churchyard was quiet when I entered it but then aren't most villages generally. If anyone's about they're usually in a car, driving by ...



 Round the back of the church this stone caught my eye the last time we were here ...



I followed the path that runs west on the southern side of the village, passing this sign ...



I was walking towards Cotton Mill Farm, walking through these cows with their calves. Fortunately they didn't seem bothered by my presence. I'm so glad I don't have a dog though, if only for my own safety ...



On reaching Farnsfield I followed a narrow path that runs between houses to the Plough Inn ...







I love paths that run through villages like this.

I reached the Plough and then walked along The Ridgeway [not to be confused with The Ridgeway, of course] to join the Southwell Trail.



The Southwell Trail runs in a fairly straight line for the next one and a half miles. Sit back and enjoy the scenery ...









The seats have been provided by Nottinghamshire County Council and have this carved into them ... 



Just before I got back to the car park, the sun came out a little more forcefully and looking back shafts of sunlight were shining through the leaves ...



I drove back to the Plough then and had a meal there ... three days later and I can't remember what it was. Still it was enjoyable as was the beer.

And Bill Hucknall ?  Well he is the only person I know who comes from Farnsfield. He lodged with our family 40 yards ago. He was a police cadet but we lost touch with him not long after he moved on. I've often wondered how his life went. He must be in his early 60s now. I can't imagine Bill being that age.

The woman behind the bar had obviously heard of Bill because all she said was I think he's moved from Farnsfield ...

It was a long shot ... but worth trying.

Date of walk ~ 18th October 2009


Length of walk ~ 4 miles.

Total since 1st September 2009 ~ 53 1/4 miles