Bleasby_Hoveringham Circuit, Nottingham

The original idea was to take an afternoon stroll and then come back via a shop, however it turned more into a Dave Roughley classic by the end.

We set off for a walk along the Trent river, starting at the village of Bleasby. We parked in a convenient spot near the airman's monument next to the church as the best place away from the road in the village. then walking down the road towards the river.

Leaving the village and still in the direct route to the river past a caravan park and some expensive "lodges" that looked like static mobile homes, and then into a field so Bertie could play "sticks"

Down at the river ...  a ramp for lowering boats and a track along the side. we turned down the track.

The track led to a wharf with a number of barges (narrow and wider) before opening out to grassland as the path followed the river upstream.

Along the river there were a number of angling posts (for private angling clubs) that led down to the river bank, some more open than others.

On the inland side was a lake created from a very large, old gravel pit that we would circumnavigate. The mist was creating a surreal feeling with its limited visibility. There were a large number of geese using this inland water.

At the end of the gravel pit we turned the corner at a second airmen memorial, presumably for the nearby RAF base but dating back to the WWII. Here the path moved through a number of grazing fields, but the view was even more restricted with the fog and the diminishing light.

As we came out int the village of Hoveringham it was past dsk and into the twilight zone.

Now on the way back, in the dying light we traversed through more grazing and arable fields in an almost straight line

By the time we reached the farm track leading the Glebe farm, it was truely dark and although the track was stable, it did involved dodging the puddles.

The farm was converted into "superior" accomodation and the barn some nouveau architecture rather than functional storage, but the light coming out shone out like a lighthouse.

From here it was all on paved roads, back up to the crossroads we had passed on the way out and back down the road to the village and the van.