Stainton, Maltby, Roche Abbey, Stone, Firbeck, Letwell, and South Carlton

A local walk with my brother today; he specifically mentioned he wanted to go walking in this area.

We caught the Maltby bus and travelled to Stainton, popped over to visit the church and then headed off down the road to our first footpath.

We were now walking southwards across the fields, planning to stay just to the east of the houses at Maltby. Things didn't go quite according to plan and I had to take us through one of the housing estates before picking up our route again, going down into Roche Abbey Valley.

It was a very pleasant walk of just over a mile to the ruins of the abbey, mainly through woodland. The gatehouse provided a bit of shelter from a squally shower as we sat and ate our sandwiches.

It was sunny by the time I was photographing the rest of the ruins.

We continued down the valley, now open grassland, to Stone and then across the fields to Firbeck where there was another church to photograph.

Letwell is one of my favourite local villages. it's got a lovely little church. Although the church was locked we were glad that we were able to get inside the porch and shelter from a brief hail shower.

The final three miles of the walk was in a generally southeasterly direction heading towards the church at South Carlton. This church was open but we didn't go inside because my brother was keen to catch the next bus going back to Doncaster which was due in a couple of minutes - just enough time to take a couple of photos and then run down to the bus stop to join him.

We enjoyed spotting scarecrows at Tickhill as the bus passed through the town - it's the scarecrow festival this weekend.

Wadworth, Stainton, Maltby, Roche Abbey, Stone, Firbeck, and Oldcotes

Visiting four churches and an abbey today.

As forecast the rain stopped by late morning and by early afternoon the sun broke through the clouds to make a glorious second half of my walk.

I travelled on the bus to Wadworth, a journey lasting only fifteen minutes.

I  headed west and then south, walking along country roads and a bridleway until I reached Stainton. En route I passed by the back of Wilsic Hall School - I don't think their English department is very good though.

I didn't notice any spelling mistakes or grammatical errors at Stainton, although I wasn't looking for any.

At the side of the road leading south from the village there's a simple commemorative stone honouring the men who died in an accident at the nearby, now closed, Maltby Colliery. I continued along the estate road leading to Sandbeck Hall: the bridleway turns a sharp right at the main entrance though I did pass by Sandbeck Lodge later - by now the weather was bright enough for colour photography.

I left the estate road and took a footpath leading through some woodland which came out right at the edge of Maltby before heading off again away from the houses and down to the main Tickhill road, which I needed to cross before going down into the wooded Roche Abbey Valley; this name being a modern coinage I should think.

It wasn't long until I reached the substantial ruins of the abbey.

The approach to Stone, walking in an easterly direction  was lovely.

It was a bit muddy in places as I walked across the fields to Firbeck. The church here isn't very old but I think it's quite charming.

There was more mud as I walked down the lane, across more fields and then through the woods to reach the final stretch of road going towards Oldcotes. I had enough time here to photograph the small wooden church before I caught the bus back to Doncaster