Babworth RFM Blue Line

 Babworth 

RFM Blue Line

Cuckoo Way

04/12/24

Another walk near Retford incorporating part of the Cuckoo Way which basically follows the Chesterfield Canal. It was a cold icy morning but not quite cold enopugh for gloves. The orange woolly hat was on and off as my body temperature varied with the effort expelled.

The start of the walk at West Retford along the canal and past the Catholic church was ok once I found the way to the towpath. I examined a row of  houses first looking for access to the canal but finally realised I had to cross the road and go back under the bridge to get on to the route.

I loved this bridge near the cemetery and was lucky to see thrush, long tailed tits, blue tits, wrens and chaffinches all in this location. Lots more birds around away from agriculture but near public spaces like cemeteries. Are we sure farmers are custodians of the countryside or are they just exploiters.

The canal is really beautiful. This is the meeting point of walks at Lady Bridge and that canal boat was there on the last walk.

It was quite a long way along the quiet Sutton lane to the turning towards Babworth Church. This picture gives you an idea of the light conditions. I think they call it wintery.

The sign made me pause for a while. There was a fence so I felt confident in advancing.

To be honest I would call these cows cute not dangerous.

A wooded path towards the church was full of ancient pollarded multi-stemmed trees. I saw a jackdaw and there were many robins and wrens. This is obviously an estate area for Babworth Hall but I did not actually see the hall itself.

I confidently headed off over the misty field towards the road and then realised I was heading in the wrong direction. Back to the church.

I crossed the busy junction with the A620 and headed off down Mansfield Road.

The lane towards the railway passed Great Morton which to be honest just seemed to be a very small hamlet with some ivy covered interesting semi derelict buildings.

I have been held up at may level crossings in this area but today crossing under the railway on the rough lane with no traffic at all seemed a luxury. I followed the railway towards the golf course.

Got a picture of this bird on the railway banking. I am pretty sure it is a dunnock with its feathers puffed out.

The great tit near the golf course was easier to identify.

I left the gold course crossing the railway and into the leafy suburbs. 

Crossing another railway i quickly reached my car.

This was a really good 6 mile walk easy to follow and with a lot of different landscapes. The bird life was really good. As well as the ones mentioned I saw a buzzard, many blackbirds, coots, moorhens, swans, and many I did not identify aka LBB's.