Doncaster Ramblers: To the Ice Age and back

Twenty Tuesday regulars along with Mark from Nottingham (who has joined us once before) and Rosie (a guest from Derbyshire Ramblers) met at the Hannah Woods car park on the outskirts of Worksop just off the A57.

A short briefing and we were off down the roadside for about half a mile before crossing and entering Clumber Park via Drinking Pit Lane.

This long lane which traverses the northern part of the park was muddy due to the previous day’s rain but we were rewarded for our efforts not only by welcome spring sunshine making the surrounding woodland very attractive but also by two large herds of deer that that crossed from left to right in front of us.

We made good progress and were soon at South Lodge at the end of the lane where we took a short coffee break.

From there we exited the woods and went south across open fields towards Welbeck Abbey and then on good farmland tracks to Cresswell Crags itself.

Here we enjoyed a longer than usual lunch stop to enable walkers to make good use of the facilities and to walk around the lake to see the caves that were once inhabited by Ice Age families.

There was also a small exhibition of artefacts and remains found in the caves and around the site for those who were so inclined.

Refreshed and educated we got going after lunch and set off on the return half of the walk.

Through Belph village and then stiking northwards towards Worksop across farmland on paths and lanes that were unfamiliar to many of the walkers.

We had good views of Worksop Manor in the distance before tacking right to meet and cross the busy A57 into a residential area.

Through the housing and across the road we entered the bottom end of Hannah Woods and were soon back at the cars.

With only a couple of stiles and a few kissing gates to negotiate and having benefitted from dry sunny weather all the way we had managed a steady pace and were probably back a little earlier than expected.

Thanks to Stuart for the birthday cake, Steve for the photos and as always to Neil for backmarking.

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including future activity.

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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 to walks in the Derbyshire Peak District, Nottinghamshire, and Lincolnshire.