Hickleton, Harlington, and Mexborough

A local walk in the Dearne Valley area today, just a few miles to the west of Doncaster. I caught the Barnsley bus to Hickleton, and after exploring the village, walked down the road towards Barnburgh. It's a sunken lane with no verges and so I made sure I was wearing my hi-vis vest.

Hickleton is a lovely village, but it's spoilt by all the traffic passing through it.

In the lychgate there are these skulls with the message 'Today for me, tomorrow for thee.'

After a few hundred yards I reached a path that goes through a small area of woodland and then continues along the base of Barnburgh Cliff. There are some carvings done into the rockface along here.

I briefly walked along Hangman Stone Road, heading south and then took the bridleway down to the Crown Inn at Harlington. I walked through the village until I reached  Mill Lane and continued down to the River Dearne which I was able to cross on a footbridge and walk up to a housing estate at Mexborough. I made my way to the railway station and caught the train back to Doncaster.

From Mist To Glorious Sunshine; Hickleton To Hooton Roberts

A late finish last night at the pub, a Halloween party and singalong; so no chance of me catching the 08:04 train to go walking in  the Peak District.

So, a favourite local walk, one I've done several times before. I was hoping for a bit of sun to show off the autumn colours; I wasn't to be disappointed - after early mist it turned into a glorious day.

Although Hickleton church is Anglican, by reading the welcoming sign you might think it's Catholic.

The 'Hickleton Skulls' inside the lychgate are difficult to see, and photograph. The English lettering reads, 'Today for me, Tomorrow for thee.'

The scaffolding was still up at Hickleton Hall; it's being converted into luxury flats, but I was able to get a photograph of the gatehouse.

I walked along the path which follows Barnburgh Cliff, stopped to eat my sandwiches on Hangman Stone and then continued to High Melton.

At the bottom of the hill at Pastures Road at Mexborough I couldn't find a way down to the canal towpath and so had to take a slightly longer route partially along the road to get to Old Denaby. It's quite a steep climb out of the village, but there are some nice views.

It was an easy mile or so along country lanes to Hooton Roberts on the main Sheffield road where I caught the bus back to Doncaster.

Hooton Pagnell Summer Fete 2015

Visiting Hickleton, Bilham, Hooton Pagnell, Hampole, Pickburn, and Woodlands

There were a couple of reasons why I chose a local walk today; first, I specifically wanted to visit Hooton Pagnell Fete, and second, there was a cycle race in Sheffield this morning which meant that a lot of city centre roads would be closed, causing disruption to the buses. I couldn't escape from the cyclists today though because there was an organised race going through Hooton Pagnell all the time I was there The riders had to follow the diversions though - the High Street is always blocked off for the fete.

I was hoping that my brother might have joined me today and then we could both walk back to Thurnscoe, where he lives with our parents. He'd already let me know that he wasn't interested though. I think the £3 cost of admission put him off...or gave him the excuse he was looking for. Anyhow it meant I'd be able to walk back to Woodlands, from where there are a lot more buses back to town.

I got off the bus at Hickleton; it's only twenty minutes on the X19 express service. The weather wasn't very good, dark and a bit misty. It would stay this way all my time at Hooton Pagnell, but would brighten up for a couple of hours later on in the afternoon.

Not very good conditions for photography. Hickleton is a pretty village, not as pretty as Hooton Pagnell in my opinion, but certainly well worth spending some time taking photographs. These are what I came up with today; the pub, the famous Hickleton Skulls, and the church.

I then walked down the country lane which leads to Hooton Pagnell, passing through the small hamlet of Bilham.

I arrived at Hooton Pagnell just before eleven o'clock and had a quick look round to see what was on offer, before returning to specific attractions. I noticed that cream teas, with fresh strawberries, were being sold in three locations, the pub tearooms, inside the church, and at the school. I love my cream teas, but it was far too early in the day; it wasn't too early for some people though - they were having their Hooton Pagnell cream teas as a late breakfast.

It was quite busy by the time I left at one o'clock, after having tea and biscuits in the tearooms. It would probably have been even busier later in the afternoon when the sun came out. 

I walked along Back Lane and Broad Balk to reach Hampole Wood. I found signs stating it was private property. I have previously walked through the wood without any problems, but the signs were everywhere, making me feel quite intimidated. I've checked the Ordnance Survey map and there are no public footpaths through the wood therefore the landowner is fully within his rights to block access. I don't know the reasons, but it seems a bit petty, since local people have walked in the wood for many years, and at one time Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council's countryside rangers organised group walks to look at the bluebells and primroses.

I had to do a long detour of at least two miles, going to the main Wakefield road at Hampole and then finding a footpath which I took to take me to where I needed to be, the far side of Hampole Wood. From here I walked down a wide track to the road above Pickburn, then across some fields to reach the village.

I crossed the A1(M) using the footbridge; it seems that there had just been an accident on the southbound carriageway, before enjoying a lovely view of Woodlands church as I briefly entered Brodsworth Community Woodlands.

I arrived at the bus-stop at Woodlands just as the bus arrived. By now the sun had gone and some threatening clouds were approaching and as I was walking through town on my way home there was a noisy thunderstorm. Fortunately I missed the worst of the rain, that started as I was in the bathroom. 

Hickleton, Harlington, Mexborough, Old Denaby, and Hooton Roberts

I had quite a late night at Rotherham Civic Theatre last night, singing, clapping and stomping my feet along to a Queen tribute band; so...only a local walk today, taking things easy but still taking advantage of one of the last days of summery weather this year.

Hickleton was looking resplendent in the morning sunshine as I took some photographs of the church and churchyard. The first one shows the 'Hickleton Skulls', displayed in the lychgate - they have a macabre message from beyond the grave for all of us. The Gothic style lettering is difficult to make out, and my photograph isn't very clear either, but it reads, 'Today for me, tomorrow for thee.'

I left the churchyard and went to try and get some photographs of Hickleton Hall, but it's all blocked off because of building work to convert it into executive apartments.

Slightly disappointed, I walked down Barnburgh Lane and then turned left onto the bridleway which leads to Barnburgh Crags, or Barnburgh Cliff as it they are also sometimes called...not by locals though.

Although it was still quite early I settled down at one of my favourite spots, overlooking Barnburgh, and ate my sandwiches; I was hungry, having skipped breakfast earlier.

Barnburgh is a pretty village, but is best known for the gruesome legend of Sir Percival Cresacre and the wild cat ...a salutary lesson for us all to bear in mind after a night out on the town.

There a far-reaching views further along this path, of the Dearne Valley and as far as the Pennines over to the right, and as far as the Vale of York and the Aire Valley power stations to the left. The photograph shows a rather photogenic burnt-out tree stump and the distant view of the Pennines. 

Looking in the other other direction are four recently constructed wind turbines. Some people think they are beautiful...some people don't.

The track through the Crags ends at Hangman Stone, the location of another gruesome local legend. I walked down Hangmanstone Lane for a few yards before joining St. Helen's Lane, a broad track running along the bottom of the cliff, then dropping down into Harlington, where I had a Diet Coke, sitting outside in the warm sunshine at the Crown Inn.

Next, I walked through the village and along Mill Lane to arrive at the River Dearne. I was walking on the top of the levee by now, and a bit later on along the embankment of an abandoned railway. Since this section is part of the Trans Pennine Trail, a long distance cycleway, it was busy with cyclists weaving their way in and out of the walkers.

I arrived at the road, and followed it for about a mile into Mexborough, nowhere near to the town centre though. I remembered that there was a way down through a housing estate to the canal lock and a footbridge over the railway. I hadn't printed out a map, but wished I had; I got lost in a series of fiendish cul-de-sacs - I backtracked and found another route I knew which required me to pass through a very low access tunnel going underneath the railway embankment ..I wasn't on some sort of urban exploration expedition now though - it is the definitive route of the footpath. [Because of the rucksack on my back I had to bend even lower than expected.]

It's a pleasant walk to Old Denaby, mainly through woodland. The village is quite long and it took me few minutes to walk from one end of it to the other, where the footpath leading up the hill towards Hooton Roberts starts. It's quite a steep climb, but the views from the top are good; but I think those on the other side of the hill, going down the track towards the valley just before reaching Hooton Roberts are even better.

My bus didn't turn up at Hooton Roberts, and the following one was five minutes late; as I was waiting three buses went in the other direction to Sheffield.