Bircotes RFM Blue Line

Bircotes 

RFM Blue Line 

08/11/24

Another calm cool autumn day for my first solo walk for ages. This expansion of my blue line web in the general direction of Gainsborough is into generally flattish ground contrasting the Derbyshire walks.

I parked on the Harworth side of the main shopping road and walked down to the Haworth Junction.

This is a really pretty area with oldish looking buildings.

After Haworth I went through an industrial estate.

Heading towards Haworth Lodge I passed an area where the land is being prepared to build a new Amazon centre which will apparently be the biggest building in Europe, according to a walker I chatted to.

Much of today's walk is on tarmac but the autumn colours are still magnificent. The views are pretty ordinary though.

The road past Haworth Lodge and the Lodges was very quiet and really rural. The huge roadside trees were a pleasure to see.

The countryside is pretty devoid of grass paths but the quiet road passing Low Farm was in its own way to be cherished.

Heading onto Green lane I remembered the roman bank from a previous walk. This was the greenest part of today's walk. I met an elderly couple with a beautiful collie dog called Jake who was a fusspot. We discussed the lack of small birds and insects that blighted the countryside. We chatted for a while but eventually it was time to move on.

Green Lane was definitely living up to its name.

I was lucky to see a small flock of long tailed tits moving down the lane. The one on the left is in centre shot. You can really see the long tail. See if you can find the one in shot on the right. These are really hard to photograph as they are high up in the trees and do not rest for more than a second or two. Still good to see.

Luckily the Great North Road to Scrooby had a footpath. This unusual 8 inch, or so, tall fungus was growing in the verge next to the roadside path.

Scrooby is a very pretty village. It is so quiet I walked all the way through it lingering at the information sign and saw no-one and no car moved though plenty were parked.

There is an unlikely connection between Scrooby and the Mayflower. see scrooby.net - Scrooby History

Passing the large mill at the end of Scrooby I think its called the Monk's Mill and over the River Ryton I headed off towards Bircotes.

Gibbet Hill Lane was not much of a hill but I assume there was a more gruesome past for this spot. The road to Bircotes was dead straight reminding me that romans were present in the area.

Bircotes itself is an old mining village and has many of the attributes I associate with this. The high street has plenty of shops and the Aldi and Asda looked busy. Some of the area is a bit run down. I would say it is a place that has seen better days but is evolving into a different type of village as new houses are developed.

Not a bad walk but not one of the best. Very good underfoot as it was mainly tarmac. Good winter walk.