Worksop, Chesterfield Canal, Lindrick Golf Club, Woodsetts, Wallingwells, and Carlton in Lindrick

I'd planned a walk starting from Tuxford today visiting some areas to the south of Retford I'd not been to before, but the Retford bus didn't show up. When the Worksop bus turned up ten minutes later I got on that instead and started my alternative walk by heading to the west on the towpath of the Chesterfield Canal.  A friend, called John, was on this bus and so we spent an hour chatting about non-league football and our favourite local towns: he was travelling to Blyth to take some photographs of the village and visit the pubs.

I left the canal at Cinderhill Lock and took the footpath that heads north to Lindrick Golf Course; there are a couple of pretty houses on the way at Brancliffe Grange.

I briefly entered Woodsetts and then headed across the fields to the hamlet of Wallingwells and then caught the bus back to Doncaster at the first bus stop in Carlton in Lindrick. My original intention was to go a bit further to Langold but for the first time this summer my hay fever was bad and so I bailed out at the earliest opportunity. 

 

Whitwell, Steetley, Netherthorpe, Woodsetts, Gildingwells, and Langold.

After travelling to Worksop I caught the Chesterfield bus to Whitwell. I didn't visit the church, it's out in the wrong direction and I've already seen it on a couple of previous walks. Instead I headed northeast across the fields to the hamlet of Steetley with its pretty chapel, claimed to be 'a gem of early architecture and the most complete and beautiful specimen of Norman work to be found anywhere in Europe.'

Steetley Chapel certainly didn't disappoint; the building, the location, the neatly manicured lawn, and the weather were all absolutely perfect...the time I spent there was quite magical.

I then went along a footpath and a country lane to Netherthorpe, another hamlet, passing right alongside the airfield there.

I continued going north, crossing over the Chesterfield Canal at a pretty location called Turnerwood and crossed Lindrick Golf Course on my way to Woodsetts. The church at Woodsetts seems to be architecturally similar to Steetley Chapel, except that it's larger and a much newer building.

I walked along the road to the southern edge of Gildingwells and then headed to the east, across the fields to Langold, from where I caught the bus back to Doncaster.

Langold, Wallingwells, Woodsetts, Cotterhill Woods, and South Carlton

I got off the bus at Langold, at the north end of the village before the bus goes round the housing estates. I walked down the main road, bought something to eat and drink at one of the shops which was open, and then turned off into Langold Country Park. Although the lake is the main feature of the country park it took me quite a bit of time, and walking, to actually find it - there doesn't seem to be any signage.

I walked along the south bank of the lake, and then along the edge of a field (which probably wasn't an official footpath, but plenty of other people had walked this route) until I reached the footpath which I was looking for; going across a recently-ploughed field, which fortunately wasn't too muddy; in fact it was hardly muddy at all.

After crossing the field I reached a small meadow, and then a farm track until I reached the road. I crossed over the road and continued walking in a southerly direction towards Wallingwells, along a well-maintained track. Wallingwells is only a small collection of houses, but the houses are impressive, they're all large detached properties with a lot of land. I even spotted an orchard; several of the locals spotted me too and they all kept their gaze on me until I was out of sight.

I got slightly lost on the next section; I should have turned left, then right, but turned right and then left...but still ended up where I needed to be - in the opposite corner of a large field.

I soon had to cross another ploughed field, and then walked down a track to reach the road at the point where the 'Welcome to Woodsetts' sign is. The next few hundred yards was the only significant climb of the day, maybe 150 foot, taking the path which goes right next to the gardens of some recently built houses. At the top I turned right along an access drive right next to Lindrick Golf Course. There were more large and expensive houses along here, including one called Nirvana, which I'm convinced is the headquarters of some sort of free-love and chocolate cult.

Yes...there is medium-range missile launcher defending the property, fortunately it's not pointing towards Doncaster.

I took one of the paths across the golf course to reach the main A57 road. Signs have been kindly placed in strategic positions to inform you which way you need to look as you walk across a fairway.

I had to wait for a couple of minutes to cross the busy trunk road to reach the rest of the golf course on the other side. I continued walking straight ahead, then turned left through a wooded area...and was soon back at the A57 again. I crossed back over; this time I didn't have to wait as long.

I was still walking through the golf course, which was looking at its best with all the gorse in flower.

I passed through the hamlet of Cotterhill Woods and then walked along field boundaries until I reached the road. After a few hundred yards my footpath was to the left; there wasn't a sign, yet there were two pointing to the footpath going in the opposite direction. Even though the track appeared to be leading to a large farm I had confidence in my mapreading skills and proceeded. When I reached the large farm it looked like it was a stud farm or stables; there were certainly a lot of horses...and picket fences.

It was easy going until just before I reached South Carlton: I had to cross a field of rapeseed and there was so much pollen in the air that I could see it, and taste it. Almost instantly I was sneezing and my eyes were runny; this was the worst my hayfever has been in many years - fortunately it had cleared up by the time I reached Doncaster.