Doncaster Ramblers: A remembrance walk

Our leader Gareth was staying on site and had invited others from his motorhome group to join us.

Five of them did.

They along with two members who were on only their second Ramblers walk helped to make up the 26 of us who set off.

Down and across the farmland opposite the showground we went and then across a minor road and into the grounds of Rudding Park.

We crossed the main road and after a short stretch across a field and through a churchyard found ourselves in the attractive Follifoot village.

We all had a look in the local bus stop which contains an infrormation board commemorating local servicemen who lost their lives in World War 1.

Leaving Follifoot via some ginnels between and behind the houses it was out into the lovely North Yorkshire countryside again towards Spofforth.

A surprise for some of us was Spofforth Castle.

We took our lunchbreak in the shelter of its walls.

Rain was threatening (though it never really arrived ) so we did not stay long.

Out of Spofforth we reached the banks of Crimple Beck and followed it on our way back to Folliffoot.

The stepping stones that we had to negotiate to cross the beck were wet and slippy from recent rain.

One of our group was unlucky enough to slip into the water not just once but twice.

Fortunately they suffered no more than wet feet and legs and were supplied with dry replacements to prevent hypothermia setting in.

Final stop of the day was at the Stonefall Cemetery which is home to over 1,000 Commonwealth War Graves.

About two thirds are Canadian Airmen with Australian, New Zealand and Great Britain making up the remainder.

All of them were young men when they died (there were several 17 year-olds

among them).

We held a one minute silence before leaving to find the cars.

Thanks to Gareth for arranging and leading.

Malc for backmarking on only his second walk and Steve as ever for the photos.

Please visit our website https://www.doncasterramblers.org.uk/ for latest information,

including future activity. Also follow us on Facebook

https://www.facebook.com/doncasterramblers/ for details of past Rambler outings.

Remember while out observe the Countryside Code and give way to other walkers.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

*Doncaster Ramblers have had a programme of Tuesday and Saturday walks, mostly between eight and eleven miles in length, for about 30 years. The location of these walks varies from walks local in the Doncaster area like Tickhill, Sykehouse or Askern, to walks in the Derbyshire Peak District, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and West Yorkshire, etc.