Millhouse Green, Ingbirchworth, Upper Denby, Silkstone, and Dodworth

I travelled to Millhouse Green again today, as far as I can get on the bus going to the west of Barnsley. I immediately headed to the northwest to get views of Royd Moor Windfarm, walking along Spicer House Lane.

There are a lot of wind turbines in this area, not just the ones at the windfarm. It's quite high up and very exposed, it's also just outside the boundaries of the Peak District. I don't think you're allowed to site any turbines within the national park.

There's a viewing platform with a seating area and a very detailed toposcope on the top of Royd Moor. According to the inscription it's possible to see as far as York.

I took the road that leads towards Ingbirchworth and then a path going across fields to the southern edge of the village; I didn't walk into the centre of the village though...I'd already done some research and there's nothing interesting there, just some modern housing.

Upper Denby is about a mile to the northwest - it's church is Victorian.

I then joined the Barnsley Boundary Walk, passing Gunthwaite Hall and stayed on this trail for nearly three miles before I continued going east as it swings to the northeast towards Cannon Hall, intending to finish the walk at Silkstone, three miles further to the east.

I was rushing to get to the bus stop, expecting a bus would be due in five minutes...but when I checked the timetable there wasn't one for over an hour. There's a gap of over ninety minutes without a bus going to Barnsley, probably because of the schools services I should think. I decided to carry on walking along the road for the mile and a half to Dodworth; I didn't save any time though because I still had to wait thirty minutes there and ended up catching the same bus I would have got on in Silkstone.

Milton, Bothamsall, Hardwick Village, and Worksop

The timing for the bus to Milton from Retford is a bit tight, but everything went well today and I arrived at the start of the walk just after eleven o'clock. I started the walk from the mausoleum there; there isn't a bus stop there but the bus driver stopped for me since I'd already told him my plans. Unfortunately the gates were locked and so I could only manage to take these two photographs.

I then walked into the village, there's nothing else to see there, and started my planned walk, heading off to the west towards Lound Hall. The footpath goes right alongside the building.

About half a mile beyond the hall a ruined chapel is shown on the map; these are the ruins of Haughton Chapel - they're quite substantial, but a little overgrown.

My second village of the day was Bothamsall, somewhere I've visited a couple of times before. Approaching the village from the south I crossed over two rivers in quick succession, the Maun and the Meden.

I then walked in a northwesterly direction towards Hardwick Village and Clumber Park, finishing the walk at Worksop Bus Station. I took the most direct route to Worksop, staying north of the facilities and attractions. 

The footpath going over the River Poulter was closed because the wooden walkway had collapsed. The ford wasn't too deep though and so I risked it.

 

I took a little time to photograph the nearby priory and gatehouse - they're quite close to the bus station.

Conisbrough, Clifton, and Braithwell

I thought I'd start today's update with a photo of one of my local churches, St James' - it's just across the road from where I caught the bus.

I travelled to Conisbrough and took a photograph of the castle in the distance before walking up Clifton Hill and then continuing along Common lane. Before reaching Clifton I took a path that looped around, meaning that I entered the village from a different direction than if I'd stayed on the road. The final part of the path was quite steep and overgrown, but there are some lovely views from the top.

I'd forgotten my map and my prepared route and so just made my way over to Braithwell using country roads.

I looked at the timetable as I passed the bus stop and saw that it was half an hour until a bus was due and so I continued walking, hoping to reach Old Edlington in time to catch it there.

 I'd forgotten about the stop at the end of the lane that leads to Clifton, and so was able to get on there.