Park Nottingham

Long Walks

We are a monthly group, meeting on the fourth Tuesday of each month at 10am, and aiming to provide exercise, companionship and interesting landscapes. We aim to cover 6-8 miles a session, at a variety of venues, picked for their local interest and/or settings.
We travel to our walks by public transport, or shared cars, as appropriate.
The walks will be moderately strenuous so please wear appropriate footwear and clothing for the conditions.
New walkers are always welcome - we're a very friendly bunch who enjoy a steady walk ideally with lunch in a pub!

We resumed walking after the restrictions were eased in April 2021, and since then have covered walks as follows:

April - Keyworth circular via Normanton
May - Clifton to Gotham via Barton and Thrumpton
June - White Post to Burntstump via Blidworth Woods
July - Loughborough circular via the Plough at Normanton on Soar
September - East Bridgford to Radcliffe via Trent Valley Way
October - Gunthorpe to Lowdham along River Trent
November - Circular walk from Beeley through Chatsworth Estate

Previous walks
Our walks over recent years, back before the restrictions, include February 2020, Clifton to Gotham avoiding the floods January 2020, a walk covering the Jubilee Campus, Wollaton Park and the main University Campus.
Then, in December 2019, we returned to Lowdham, to repeat a circular walk we last completed in June 2017, to Epperstone and the edge of Woodborough.
The November 2019 walk, based around Lowdham, went ahead with 7 walkers despite the dire weather forecast. In the event, the weather was not too bad, but there was a lot of mud churned up by horse hooves and mountain bikes. We had a wonderful meal at the Cross Keys, Epperstone, before shortening the route after lunch.

Our October 2019 walk from Fiskerton to Lowdham benefited from much better weather than was forecast a month earlier, when we had to postpone it. The route took us along the River Trent and then past former gravel pits around Bleasby and Hoveringham before an excellent lunch at The Old Volunteer, Caythorpe. We were also pleased to welcome another new member to the group.
The September walk from Fiskerton to Lowdham was postponed as floods threatened the area.
Our August 2019 Long Walk was a return to Bestwood Country Park. We had fine weather and an interesting exploration of an area linked to literary, industrial and royal heritage.
At the end of July, on one of the hottest days of the year, a small group of us headed out to Newstead on the train and walked to Newstead Abbey. The shaded avenues were very welcome and, after a rather-too-long lunch in Linby, we enjoyed ice creams while waiting for the later train home.
A small group enjoyed the long walk on Tuesday, 27th June, from Cotgrave to Nottingham along the Grantham Canal. Despite the wet forecast, the rain held back and we had a pleasant day. We saw plenty of wildlife, including a pair of swans with a large group of cygnets.
Jean Henderson, who led the walk on Tuesday 28th May reports, "Six of us caught the tram to the end of the line at Clifton, and then had a six-ish mile walk by the river down to Wilford, where we sat outside in the sunshine for lunch at the Ferry Inn. Although rain was forecast, we actually had a lovely walk in the sunshine, and for one of our number it was the first time she had been on a tram, which she found most exciting! We also saw some interesting wildlife by and on the river, including a wonderful bevy of swans".
Our April walk took place in perfect conditions between the Easter heatwave and the arrival of long-awaited rain. From Bramcote Park we climbed the Hemlock Stone Hill and carried on northwards through delightful countryside to Kimberley.