An easy local walk with an early finish today; I've got an early start in the morning...I'm going to the Epworth Agricultural Show with my support worker and we want to get there for when the gates open at 9:30, after already having had a hearty breakfastint the pub - I also need to do quite a bit of online research about antiques centres and equestrian shows for a couple of Siobhan's other clients.
I caught the 7:48 bus to Rossington and travelled to the old part of the village, getting off at the church.
The church at Rossington is a difficult church to photograph, there aren't any obvious angles and sightlines and I couldn't fit all of the building in shot. I saw two squirrels in the churchyard, and another one running across the road a few minutes later.
I soon found the footpath I was looking for, a snicket going down between the gardens of the nearby houses. According to the map the path was meant to continue in a straight line to open countryside but after about three hundred yards it disappeared. I reached a road where some new houses had been built, I could turn to the right or to the left, but not go straight ahead. I looked at the map and worked out that by going off to the right I'd soon reach the Great North Road and would be able to pick up my planned route.
There's an attractive milestone on the verge at the side of the road, it dates from 1859.
The path went through a wood...and a small lake which I was surprised to see because it isn't shown on the map...it is depicted on the online Ordnance Survey mapping though.
The countryside was more open in nature as I approached Hayfield Lakes, which were shown on my map.
Further on I passed the Yorkshire Wildlife Park on my way to Branton, it looked as though they were going to have a busy day.
I needed to walk through the village and along the road until I reached a footpath heading north to Armthorpe. Armthorpe is a large village with quite a few shops; I popped into Morrison's supermarket to pick up a few items and then headed for the church. The church seems to have a Scandinavian appearance to me. Before having a quick check online I would have written that the building isn't very old, but that's not true - although extensively restored in the late nineteenth century the church actually dates from the twelfth century. Despite this it's still quite attractive though and the restoration work gives it its unusual appearance.
Yet again though, I found it difficult to photograph the church. The Sunday service had just finished but I didn't go inside - I wasn't really dressed for the occasion.
I completed the walk by taking the path leading to Sandall Beat Wood - my route took me over the top of the old colliery spoilheap.
The children's playground was busy and there was an ice cream van there but the ranger station, and therefore the public toilets, in the middle of the wood were closed. I didn't need either today.
I continued past the entrance to the racecourse and then down the dual carriageway that forms part of the ring road to the street where I live. I arrived home at 1:15 - plenty of time to do everything I need to do today and then take things easy before Siobhan picks me up at 7:45 in the morning.
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