Walking East Stoke's lanes this April

May 21, 2024

Well this month we doubled our ventures out around the village’s lanes, which sounds grand but in reality it’s easy to double a single walk isn’t it? This month we headed out along our old favourite Moor Lane but also along Church Lane and down to the River Trent. I’m not even sure I can put this down to the weather entirely either, but maybe Easter at the start of the month was a contributing factor. It is sadly another month without a visit to the Red Gutter, but when we get there again I know it’ll be worth it.

So let’s head out, shall we - let’s start by heading down to the river past the fabulous brick wall of East Stoke Hall and looking across to the new lambs, who also seemed intrigued by me, and were no doubt planning some high jinx if they’re anything like the ones closer to the main road and bus stop who regularly escape their field, for fun.

Ferns starting to unfurl their new growth - but growing out of a brick wall — CHURCH LANE

Looking up to two lambs in their field through a gap in the hedgerow — CHURCH LANE

It’s great to see the lambs in the fields around the village, and to hear them bleat throughout the day and usually as we go to bed too - it’s something I’ve never experienced before, and something I hope to never tire of either.

It had been raining before we set out down Church Lane and so we weren’t sure if we’d make it along to the Red Gutter or not (not a spoiler - we didn’t) but instead we headed down to the Trent as we were both keen to see just how wet, muddy and squelchy it was down there or how well it had recovered from the flooding.

looking down church lane with the trees and hedgerows in leaf and few muddy puddles ahead — CHURCH LANE

Looking across the field next to the Red Gutter path - with a cloudy sky above — CHURCH LANE

heading towards the trent - white clouds and blue sky above and a single tree in the centre of the picture — CHURCH LANE

And along the way we enjoyed seeing the hedgerows and verges springing back to life, these pink and most likely weeds were a cheery sight.

Almost reaching the river the grass has returned and is looking very lush - the pub on the opposite side of the river is just visible in the distance — AT THE END OF CHURCH LANE

Once we reached the end of the lane it was so good to see how the river path was recovering - the vegetation looked so lush, as you’d expect with the amount of water that had been there only a couple of months before.

lush green vegetation closer to the river's edge- which had previously been under water/flooded — ALONGSIDE THE RIVER TRENT

I’m not sure we’ve spotted this little jetty before - I think since I started this series of posts at the start of the year we haven’t got anywhere close to the river’s true edge, so it was good to see things at more normal levels.

The views walking down towards the Trent are fantastic, but then once you get there and turn back, the views are even more spectacular - I’m sure that once the river path is drier and more walkable for this mud-adverse and less than hardy walker, these will be something I’ll miss, so I’ll need to remind myself to turn around and look back at where we came from.

I did also walk to the bridge on Moor Lane this month - not the bridge over the A46 in this photo, the smaller one at the end of this series of photos! Last month I was pleased to see daffodils growing in the wild, well just imagine my joy when I spotted this row of almost flowering tulips growing in the verge.

They were joined by plenty of flowering dandelions and the start of the cow parsley too.

There was also plenty of new growth on the freshly laid hedging, which was good to see. There was still plenty of evidence of mud along the lane, and the tractor’s tyre tracks were a good example of how things are continuing to dry out, slowly.

I’ll end with two of my favourite views from Moor Lane - though I was surprised to see that the trees in the photo above were not yet in leaf, surely it can’t be long before they are?

From the brick bridge in Moor Lane, looking at the stream with sky and clouds reflected in it and yellow crops in the field on the left — MOOR LANE

And the bridge - it’s a marker for our walks down this lane - but isn’t it good to see the sky and clouds reflected in the stream, and the yellow crop in the field on the left, it definitely feels more spring-like at last.

A walk from Kinoulton to Hickling and back again

May 4, 2024

Feeling a bit of cabin fever we checked the weather forecast and planned a walk for the best predicted day for some fresh air, nature and a pub lunch. We opted to head away from our cluster of villages, and the lanes we usually walk and to explore somewhere different for a change.

MOH has been to Hickling with his cycle group, and we’ve visited the Old Wharf Tearooms there for lunch - though on one of those bitterly cold days, but the food was good and the setting will be much improved by some warmth, so we hope to head back there over the summer.

The walk started in Kinoulton (and I’ve shared the route map from Strava further on) and we parked in the street close to The Nevile Arms which I’d seen on Facebook, and where we planned to stop for lunch after the walk. Getting our bearings we were off, walking out of the village towards fields and past this gorgeous looking property.

A grand looking house at the start of our walk in Kinoulton

It wasn’t long before we were picking our way across fields, which while mostly dry were at points still a bit moist. I may have been over-optimistic with my choice of footwear, opting for walking sandals rather than boots, but my feet were aching for some fresh air too. It was mostly ok apart from one place where I did get a little muddy, even after choosing what I thought was the best route - but I’m not sure there really was a good route. I didn’t mind getting muddy, even though I don’t like walking in mud - it’s the slipping and sliding that I really detest, and which really slows me down. I also knew that I had clean shoes and socks in the car, as there’s no way I could be driving in any kind of walking footwear.

a field with pylons in the foreground stretching into the distance

Walking along a grass path with hedgerows to our right and soft blue skies above

It was good to be out in the countryside and amongst nature, the weather was actually a bonus. The route was teasing us with glimpses of this even grander house in the distance - we never actually reached it, but it was great to see it coming more into view.

An even grander looking house in the distance nestled amongst trees

lichen on a wooden gate with the green field in the background

At the gate we doubled back on ourselves and headed around the fields trying to keep ourselves on the right path while avoiding walking directly across the fields, which was where the path on the map looked to be but in reality it was hard to spot.

Years ago we went walking in France on a walk that took in many sunflowers, these rather sad and spent looking sunflowers reminded us both of that trip and made us wonder what we’ll encounter on our upcoming walking trip to Italy.

spent sunflower heads on the edge of one field, with the pylons still stretching into the distance

A bee taking a rest and refuelling on a dandelion flower

Before heading back to the road for a short stint I spotted this bee taking a break and refuelling - and it underlines the need to keep some dandelion flowers early in spring for just this.

We arrived at Hickling Basin and well it was a bit greyer than when we’d started out, but just imagine this view on a sunnier day - though I think you’d need to imagine a lot more people there too!

Arriving at Hickling Basin, looking across to the Old Mill cafe

The map of the route from our walk taken from Strava

At this point we’re halfway through the walk - by destination, if not in miles - and so I’m sharing the Strava map at this point rather than at the end, we walked in clockwise direction heading toward Colston Bassett (and the big white house). Both Colston Bassett and Long Clawson produce good local cheeses - which we’ve tasted and agree with! Cotgrave, which we’ve not visited, is a former mining town whose colliery finally closed in the early 1990s, but like other Nottinghamshire mines continued to operate during the miner’s strike in the mid 1980s.

The next leg of the route back to Kinoulton, the car and lunch took us along the Grantham Canal path, so different scenery completely - but also the chances of more mud encounters severely reduced.

Leaving Hickling on the canal path with the canal to our left

What we did see though was a pair of swans building and tending their nest. One swan was pulling reeds through the water and adding them to the already well established nest, while the other stayed with the nest. With swans eggs hatching between May and July, it’s possible that there were already eggs in the nest.

It was great to watch - and a complete time waster - but we dragged ourselves away and continued along the towpath. Our reward as we left the path was this fabulous tree in blossom.

A huge cherry tree in blossom at the end of the canal path

What a joy!

And such an enjoyable walk too. Now to find the car - though I’d managed to park just further down the same road without knowing, isn’t it great when things work out! A shoe change and we were set for lunch in the local pub, The Nevile Arms - who do a special lunch menu, alongside their usual menu. Our fish and chips were good, and it’s somewhere we’ll add to our ‘places to stop and eat list’ along with the Old Wharf cafe which was already included.

Walking East Stoke's Lanes this March

April 27, 2024

Two in a month - I’m getting back to my original planned schedule, well closer anyway. Though not wanting to get your hopes up too much when I looked back over my photos for March I saw there weren’t many. That’s an indication of the weather we had - in summary, rain, rain and more rain with quite a bit of wind thrown in too. None of which is conducive to pop out for a walk, but that’s how it is and it’s worth noting the weather too, and hoping that this time next year is more favourable.

It’s another month without a visit to the Red Gutter, and this month we didn’t even make it down to the Trent either. However, taking our chance with a break in the weather, and after another dismal weekend, we headed out on one Monday and one Saturday heading along Moor Lane on both occasions, so that’s where all of this month’s photos were taken.

That said, it was great to see the blossom appearing bringing with it hope that the seasons were changing, and that the rain and wind would stop at some point!

And there’s proof it didn’t rain the whole month, it just felt like it.

The hedgerows and some blue (cloudy) skies

We made it to the bridge in Moor Lane which there and back is a decent three miler, and taking about an hour is (or should be) relatively easy to fit into our days. I’m writing that to convince and remind myself that all of this is on my doorstep and it doesn’t take that long, so needn’t be a great expedition.

It was really good to see the water levels much lower than they had been, and I’m sure I’m not the only one to be pleased with this. I can’t imagine the aggravation and hassle that the weather this winter has brought to farmers and builders, and anyone who’s work is primarily based outside.

There were other signs that Spring was on its way, daffodils growing in the wild always bring a smile. In fact daffodils growing anywhere are guaranteed to raise a smile from me.

A clump of daffodils in the verge by the bench on Moor Lane

But the fencing that was laid previously wasn’t showing any sign of growth just yet, though I’m sure it’s early days and for the ones that were cut, I’m sure it’s been quite a shock so that will take some time to recover from. (Spoiler - they look different in next month’s instalment!)

Thanks for joining me this month, I’ll be back to sharing the next instalment around the third week of the month, but in the meantime if you enjoyed this post you may also like some previous series where I revisit the same place - there’s my year in Greenwich Park and remember that time when I followed a tree?