A Frustrating Time For Me

I was hoping to be travelling out to the Peak District again by public transport by now but I can't face having to cope with all the social distancing regulations at the bus and railway stations, and the problems that might be caused by limited capacity on the buses.

I noticed that Hulley's finally started up their X71 service to Alton Towers, going deep into parts of the Peak District I've not visited before and now I've just found out that Hulley's are also about to start a service going over to Manchester from Sheffield, via the Snake Pass and Glossop.

I'm so bloody frustrated.

Doncaster Lakeside, Balby, and Warmsworth

A local lockdown walk today covering as much distance as possible using abandoned railways which have been converted into cycle routes - of course, pedestrians are also able to use them.

I headed off to the Lakeside area and then continued alongside the dual carriageway for a few hundred yards until I reached my first section of old railway, near to Potteric Carr Nature Reserve.

This brick building at the Yorkshire Water pumping station is quite ornate.

I proceeded for about an hour heading towards the area where I was on Saturday, the place where my route was blocked by the motorway.

I needed to walk through a housing estate at Balby and then along the road for a short stretch. I should have walked down to the point where I could pick up the old railway line again, walking in the opposite direction I went on Saturday, but before I got there I saw someone turn down a well-used path that wasn't marked as an official footpath on the map. It looked interesting and so I followed them - it took me through some quite pleasant countryside to Warmsworth.

The old part of Warmsworth is quite attractive.

The parish church is located on the main road in a much less attractive location. The sun  wasn't at the right angle for a really good photograph though.

Balby church however was perfectly illuminated by the sunlight, I'm not so sure about the social distancing sign  though, it looks a bit dark.

The final mile and half, walking along the main road was rather tiresome, but it didn't spoil my morning out exploring new areas quite close to home .

Lodge Moor And Some Of The Leafy Suburbs Of Sheffield

I limited the scope of today's walk to staying well within the boundary of the City of Sheffield just in case there might have been problems with the buses coming back from Derbyshire caused by a tightening of the coronavirs restrictions. I travelled to Lodge Moor and walked back to Whirlow Bridge - from where there should be plenty of buses going  to the city centre, but just in case they weren't running I knew that I could easily walk down the hill for a few miles to the railway station. 

From the bus terminus at Lodge Moor I walked along the road to the Sportsman pub and took the path that skirts the playing field, heading south, then east, and south again until I reached the road. Bennet Grange was the next place marked on the map,  I continued along the road until I reached the path going down the Porter Valley.

I passed Forge Dam Cafe, only using the public toilets there before turning to the south and heading uphill to reach Cottage Lane, and then Ringinglow Road and a footpath that passes close to Whirlow Hall Farm. 

When I reached Hathersage Road I waited a few minutes just to check that the buses were still running and then decided to start the second part of the walk, which would take me to Abbeydale.

It's a pleasant walk alongside the edge of more playing fields on the approach to Ecclesall Woods. I had to check exactly where I'd come out on Abbeydale Road South but it wasn't really necessary because wherever I was I needed to go south towards Dore and Totley railway station and my nearest access to the parkland surrounding Beauchief Abbey beyond.

This sign was at the side of the road right next to the golf course; I'm not sure if it applies to the golfers getting ready to swing their clubs out on the fairways.

There were long periods of sunshine today - but not when I was photographing Beauchief Abbey.

I was feeling good, the weather was fine, and I had plenty of time and so I extended the walk pressing on to the east, to Chancet Wood and Graves Park. I bought one of the large dark chocolate and white chocolate cookies at the Rose Garden Cafe in Graves Park, and sat outside in the lovely, sheltered rose garden seating area.

The next section of the walk, heading north to Gleadless Valley Country Park was still quite rural in nature despite only being less than two miles from the city centre when I finally hit the densely populated urban area...I noticed on the map that I went to within about half a mile of Bishop's House in Meersbrook Park, somewhere I've been meaning to visit on one of my walks for quite a while.

I got completely lost in the Heeley area and so when I reached a bus stop that showed that a bus going to the city centre was due I waited and boarded it.

I bought some food items in the market and took a few one-handed photographs as I walked through the city centre to the railway station - I had a shopping bag in my other hand.

When I got to the railway station I could tell that there were noticeably fewer trains running - I had to wait half an hour for one going to Doncaster. On the train there was an announcement that the checking of tickets has been suspended due to the government's social distancing guidelines. There was plenty of social distancing in operation in my carriage...it was nearly empty.