Fitzwilliam RFM Blue Line Walking with Peter
Fitzwilliam
RFM Blue Line
Walking with Peter
07/11/25
This November morning was warm but the early morning blue skies quickly turned to grey with the distant horizons shrouded in mist.
We met at Fitzwilliam station car park at about 8.45 and set off tentaively over the old mine workings converted into a country park. Again our discussions highlighted the passing of the mining era and the pure facts that anyone under 60 didn't know what coal or mining communities were. There were lots of paths and we altered our route slightly to what we found on the ground.
The day time moon was quite large in the sky and the way was pleasant enough. We discussed the Beaver Super Moon, Peter being impressed and me a little dismissive. We passed a couple of friendly dog walkers but all too quickly were back near the station.
Walking through Fitzwilliam we encountered a tiny war memorial which looked modern. We speculated that perhaps there is another bigger older memorial probably in Hemsworth where the fallen are listed. We just don't know.
The last building going out of the village was a very impressive stone barn structure with signs that the original road surface was at least 2 feet lower. This was a high quality building probably part of an estate not an individual farmer. It has, of course, been converted to dwellings.
This is a rolling landscape with huge arable fields. The industrial heartland of the old Yorkshire Coalfield is truly green and pleasant today.
The, busier with traffic than expected, lane lead to the vicarage, school and village hall at Wragby next to Nostell Priory. It struck me the priory may have built the barn.
Random roadside winding wheels were interesting but placed in odd places.
The lane lead past the quarry and industrial complex and into the woods close to New Crofton. These woods looked like a post mining landscape dominated with Silver Birch and young Oaks.
Under the railway bridge and into, or rather along the edge of, Horncastle Wood
This photo captures the atmosphere very well and a huge field of a crop I do not recognise. I love the image of the tree alone in the middle.
There was a well marked diversion around Horncastle Hill. We were OK with it but would have preferred to go over the summit.
The farm at Horncastle Hill has a magnificent building with I am sure has a story to tell. This horse languidly watched us as we passed.
We made our way up the hill to Havercroft following the muddy path left by the farmer. We reflected on the beauty and serenity of the area so close to urban Yorkshire. We are truly lucky to have this landscape to enjoy. Another great photo of an autumnal tree, love the shape.
We climbed the lane to the village of Havercroft and did another slight detour as the lane at the back of the houses was totally over grown so we simply went down the road at the front of the houses, no worries. Finding a roadside bench we decided to have our coffee and snack. Not the best view ever but functional.
The route, past another winding wheel, at least this one had a name on it and a function as a sign for motorists, took us to Newstead Grange but the farm gate was locked so we returned to Havercroft to follow the alternate route. In farming areas it is quite normal to have to re-route as footpaths on the map are not always there on the ground.
It was a muddy walk alongside a field and a scramble over an overgrown ditch to regain the route. I think the locals went a different way but we followed the map.
The farmer left a tractor trail to follow across his field to the bridge which was passable today but I wondered how effective it would be after rain.
We headed up another small hill to Kinsey, the council house horizon reminded me of Intake Crescent as we went home after walking around the Dam fields in Dodworth.
Kinsey was OK there were a large variety of council and private houses from different eras. There were a couple of overtly nationalist decorated houses which worried us a as sign of the emergence of racist right wing politics being normalised on the street. Its not pleasant and it seems to me our national flags have been tainted.
F
Finally a traditional ginnel and we are back at the station and our cars.
The, busier with traffic than expected, lane lead to the vicarage, school and village hall at Wragby next to Nostell Priory. It struck me the priory may have built the barn.
Under the railway bridge and into, or rather along the edge of, Horncastle Wood
The farm at Horncastle Hill has a magnificent building with I am sure has a story to tell. This horse languidly watched us as we passed.
We climbed the lane to the village of Havercroft and did another slight detour as the lane at the back of the houses was totally over grown so we simply went down the road at the front of the houses, no worries. Finding a roadside bench we decided to have our coffee and snack. Not the best view ever but functional.
The route, past another winding wheel, at least this one had a name on it and a function as a sign for motorists, took us to Newstead Grange but the farm gate was locked so we returned to Havercroft to follow the alternate route. In farming areas it is quite normal to have to re-route as footpaths on the map are not always there on the ground.
It was a muddy walk alongside a field and a scramble over an overgrown ditch to regain the route. I think the locals went a different way but we followed the map.
The farmer left a tractor trail to follow across his field to the bridge which was passable today but I wondered how effective it would be after rain.
FFinally a traditional ginnel and we are back at the station and our cars.
This was a walk with much to be enjoyed even though there was a fair bit of tarmac. We only really passed people in teh built up areas which is a pity as the countryside is wonderful and as usual everyone exchanged greetings. Yorkshire really is friendly.
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