Walton and Wintersett RFM Blue Line Walking With Peter

 Walton and Wintersett 

RFM Blue Line 

Walking With Peter

17/01/25

This winter walk, delayed from last week because of the icy state of the roads, was a fantastic walk with a variety of terrain and wild life. The weather was calm and cool but though frosty we were well wrapped up and did not feel the cold.

From the pay and display carpark we made our way straight onto Wintersett Reservoir past the first of many wooden statues. 

A beautiful reservoir in the middle of the old West Yorkshire coal field.

We chatted with a couple of birdwatchers but they had seen nothing special and then almost immediately we came across a Cormorant, Great White Egret and Heron all in the same area.

I love this photo of the 2 large birds.

We passed another statue, not sure of what, and rounded the top of the reservoir before heading off  through the scrub woodland.

A dragon and a trail surrounded by brush and full of noisy little birds.

Apparently the trail is called the 'room on the broom' trail. I am sure the kids love it and to be honest so did Peter and me.

The path over the open fields towards Walton Hall and the golfcourse started off ok but soon turned muddy and slippy. An old fellow passed us going up the hill with 2 dogs. The older dog knew where he was going and just trundled past us whilst the younger dog was excited and ran too and from us and the man until the gap closed. And upon Peter saying hello to the dog it decided to bark several times. We exchanged pleasantries with the man and went down the hill.

The track over the rough land at the bottom of the golf course was well walked and easy to follow.

The remnants of the wall with the buttress attached suggests there may have been a building here. 

There were lots of bird noises in the warming woods.

The path through the woods next to the start of the estate lake was really pretty.

Cormorants in the trees.

The lake birds were concentrated in the unfrozen centre. I had no binoculars so could not identify individual birds but there were a lot of coots and swans.

We paused at a very nice bench next to the lake and had our coffee and trail bun in my case sandwich for Peter.

It was really nice and in no way cold.

The hotel next to the hall was hosting a Volvo open day. It was busy.

Walton Hall is connected to the Hotel via an ornate bridge and the water completely surrounds the hall. A stately home on an island.

Leaving the grounds of the hall we went onto the Trans Pennine Trail (TPT) and walked alongside the derelict Barnsley canal. Yet another branch of the TPT.

As we followed the TPT towards Angler's Country Park we repassed the old guy with the 2 dogs. This time the old dog trundled past us but the young dog was less excited and greeted us with a single bark. Again we exchanged pleasantries but this guy was also on a mission and did not stop.

Through the woods absolutely rammed with bird life we passed a couple of young bird watchers with 3 dogs and we chatted about the birds we had seen at Wintersett.

Poppy thought this stick was ok but the other dog walkers and ramblers apart from Peter were a little wary. 

We were back to the car park at the end of this lane.

Just short of 6 miles this was a lovely walk full of interest and pretty easy hills. For me The birds and Poppy were the stars.