The Walking Group

Leader:  Kevin Green - walks@ashbyu3a.co.uk - phone 07470 227536

The leader will be at the meeting place whatever the weather and only cancel the walk in consultation with those who turn up on the day. All dogs must be kept under control at all times. Walking boots or strong shoes are recommended. Be prepared for bad weather by taking warm WATERPROOF clothing. Leaders act in a voluntary capacity. All ramblers walk at their own risk.

If you are going to be delayed or you need to contact the leader for any other reason, their mobile numbers are given below.

NOTE
The walk leader is responsible for advising the webmaster of the start point of the walk, and afterwards sending him a walk report. The first aid box and list of emergency contacts will be passed on after each walk to the next leader or to Kevin Green.

Anybody who would like a lift please contact Kevin via mobile or email and I'll arrange with a driver.

Tuesday 15th April. Donisthorpe and Moira, led by Colin

The group met at the Donisthorpe Miners Institute to discover that there appeared to be a construction site where we needed to go! Fortunately, there was enough space to get past on the path which led up to the former railway alignment.

This is now a good path for walkers, cyclists and horse riders, which we followed nearly to Measham. We then took an ordinary footpath across the fields to skirt Measham and then to Oakthope. Here we made our way through a new small housing estate before regaining fields. This led to the old bed of the Ashby Canal, which we followed to Oakthorpe Colliery. Here, some convenient picnic benches and tables made an appropriate and adequate stopping place for our coffee break. Then it was onwards along more good paths to Hicks Lodge, where the Visitor Centre facilities were appreciated by most of the party. Resuming our journey along good paths to Moorfields, we then took a less established footpath through the woods alongside the housing estate.

This is, in fact, the trackbed of a horse drawn tramway which carried coal from Moorfields Pit to the Ashby Canal at Moira Furnace. Arriving at the furnace, we found it covered in scaffolding, which blocked the towpath we wanted to use! A short diversion around the Furnace found us back on the towpath. The reason for the work at Donisthorpe now became apparent as the entire towpath has been resurfaced making an excellent surface for walking. Our 6.5 mile walk had taken no more than 3 hours including stops, reflecting the quality of the paths, dry conditions underfoot and only 4 stiles.

Most of the party then drove a mile or so to the Cricketts pub at Acresford for a well earned drink and excellent lunch.

Photos by Kevin

Previous walks