Monday, April 12, 2010
About Time I Updated!!
Sorry for the complete lack of updates... I have been busy moving! I am now living much nearer to work, which is good as it's only 20 minutes walk away. I also have a view right over the Grantham Canal from my window!
I haven't done a lot of training apart from some jogging along the canal, but I have been following this year's MdS. Jen Salter finished 3rd female and 5th Brit, which is fantastic!! A huge congratulations to all who took part in this year's MdS! It actually managed to motivate me to do a little exploring Saturday in the form of a 10 mile walk.
I started walking to the National Watersports Centre at Holme Pierrepont, home of the huge rectangular boating lake we were forced to run round at around mile 20 of the Robin Hood Marathon. I didn't run around the lake, but ran past, having a quick nose into the Skylarks Nature Reserve as I went past;
Skylarks Nature Reserve
I followed a footpath by some lakes, where I could hear woodpeckers, down to the A52 Nottingham to Grantham Road.
The next part of the walk followed a little footpath the other side of the A52, into the hamlet of Bassingfield, but don't think I'll be doing that again- far too hairy crossing an extremely busy duel carriageway and clambering over the central reservation and I don't really want to become roadkill!!
Bassingfield is a tiny place, consisting of a few houses, although sadly this may well change as there are plans to build a huge football stadium and new housing estate larger than near by Radcliffe-on-T|rent which will completely engulf the area and will be a real shame...
The next path took me out of Bassingfield and across fields to near the Shepherds Rest (which does an excellent carvery!) I followed a bridleway, which brought me to some dreary road walking along a country road- it's amazing how little respect drivers have for pedestrians. I had to jump onto the verge several times!
Eventually I had had enough and clamboured through a gate where I could see a track. It turned out to be part of the Cotgrave Country Park.
I haven't done a lot of training apart from some jogging along the canal, but I have been following this year's MdS. Jen Salter finished 3rd female and 5th Brit, which is fantastic!! A huge congratulations to all who took part in this year's MdS! It actually managed to motivate me to do a little exploring Saturday in the form of a 10 mile walk.
I started walking to the National Watersports Centre at Holme Pierrepont, home of the huge rectangular boating lake we were forced to run round at around mile 20 of the Robin Hood Marathon. I didn't run around the lake, but ran past, having a quick nose into the Skylarks Nature Reserve as I went past;
I followed a footpath by some lakes, where I could hear woodpeckers, down to the A52 Nottingham to Grantham Road.
The next part of the walk followed a little footpath the other side of the A52, into the hamlet of Bassingfield, but don't think I'll be doing that again- far too hairy crossing an extremely busy duel carriageway and clambering over the central reservation and I don't really want to become roadkill!!
Bassingfield is a tiny place, consisting of a few houses, although sadly this may well change as there are plans to build a huge football stadium and new housing estate larger than near by Radcliffe-on-T|rent which will completely engulf the area and will be a real shame...
The next path took me out of Bassingfield and across fields to near the Shepherds Rest (which does an excellent carvery!) I followed a bridleway, which brought me to some dreary road walking along a country road- it's amazing how little respect drivers have for pedestrians. I had to jump onto the verge several times!
Eventually I had had enough and clamboured through a gate where I could see a track. It turned out to be part of the Cotgrave Country Park.
Track Into The Country Park
I knew this eventually led onto the canal, so walked home along the canal- although full of water (mostly) it has been abandoned, and a lot of the bridges replaced by culverts and low bridges. There is a society aiming to get it navigable again, they have already replaced or demolished some of the bridges and restored some of the locks. It runs from the River Trent in Nottingham to Grantham and is around 33 miles in length... I know as I walked the complete length as a challenge walk some years back!
I saw a heron as I was walking home;
The worst thing about walking along the canal is crossing the new Lings Bar Road (A52). Although not as hairy as the dual carriageway it still involves negotiating two halves of a very busy road and clambering over the central reservation barriers. I suppose a crossing with lights would be way too expensive but a proper crossing area would be good. I don't think the canal is going to be restored here though- I think they are planning on cutting a new course to the Trent from Bassingfield.
Having the canal so near may just motivated (or shame, due to the amount of runners going past) me to get off my butt more!
Labels: grantham canal
