Firsby Hall RFM Blue Line

 

Firsby Hall 
RFM Blue Line
10/01/26




 The start point for this walk was only 6 minutes from home and my expectations were low but it was a very good walk, good views, interesting architecture and decent route conditions. Cold, crisp and frosty but very clear January air made for some good photos.

This Saturday winter walk started in Conaby on a very clear crisp morning. Yesterday was to have been a walk with Peter up on Burbage Moor but a named storm made it a risky option so we postponed, hence the Saturday walk.


It was a very quick transition from estate to countryside. The light was so bright and crystal clear it was joy to be out. There was no wind as the storm was long gone.


The allotment chickens were roaming the fields and the grass was white with frost. It was a lovely scene.



I could see the castle poking above the trees and the cemetery on the opposite hillside.


The route was really easy to follow.



Conisborough quickly faded into the distance but the castle remained in full view (telescopic for this photo). It was good to see it for the first time from this angle.






It was a long easy uphill through these huge monocrop fields.





A Kestrel watched me from his viewpoint across a field. 


The abandoned Conisborough Lodge got me to thinking how this really high class farm and house could descend so far. 



The long tree lined lane to the Lodge. unrepaired for years. still provided a firm surface for farm vehicles and ramblers. Surely it is worth bringing back to life.




Just look at that view, the frost, the light, its just so good.
I passed a big group of people with dogs and guns heading for a pheasant shoot. The one guy carrying a pheasant said last week they had 76 from the same shoot but there were less this week. As he wisely said you can only shoot them once. I like pheasant shooting because they breed the birds for shooting and as a result many other birds benefit from the feeding. So bizarrely if there were no pheasant shoots there would be less birds in the countryside.


The lane was icy. I was too hot so took off my coat and stuffed it into my back pack but the sheep thought I was there to feed them so they all came running to me.


It seems a long way to Ravenfield by car but just a short hop over the fields by foot. There were loads of dog walkers here but it was late Saturday morning, peak time.
Still the castle was visible in the far distance.
Looking west the snowy moor tops were equally visible.





Dropping down the lane to Ravenfield Park the midday sun was directly behind me blinding walkers coming up the hill and giving my shadow length. The panoramic shot above is basically the whole horizon west to east filled with the Dearne Valley know for its urbanisation and industry... and less well know for its countryside.

I chatted with the lady owner of Frankie the friendly staffie who thought he was walking with me not her. He got the message eventually when our paths diverged.


The ducks looked forlorn on the frozen lake but the Magpie was hopeful.



The stretch past Firsby Hall Farn was wonderful woodland and open fields. There were a plethora of small birds all around me.



Firsby Lane was icy, very icy.


It was quite a long walk along the main road from Hill Top back to the starting point. 


A lovely largely unplanned walk with the Castle being the star or Frankie.

OS Map
https://explore.osmaps.com/route/30219549/firsby-hall-rfm-blue-line?lat=53.4604&lon=-1.24434&zoom=13.6826&style=Leisure&type=2d

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