Walking Group
The eight regular walkers were joined this month by Natasha Hague. The walk, led by Bob Cable started from Creswell Crags. The forecast of heavy rain did not materialise so after eating our sandwiches in the cars we set off.
We walked past the Visitors Centre buildings. Creswell Crags is a limestone gorge with a number of cave sites inhabited during the last Ice Age in Britain. Archaeological and environmental evidence excavated from the caves show how the area was populated by Ice Age animals such as hyenas, mammoths, woolly rhinoceros, and migrating herds of reindeer, horse and bison. The caves provided shelter for nomadic human groups between 55,000 and 10,000 years ago with finds of stone, bone and ivory tools and recently discovered 13,000 year old engraved rock art figures of deer, birds, bison, and horse.
We skirted around the gorge before climbing away from the crags. The path was covered in leaves and a number of our party enjoyed kicking through them as they walked.
Crossing fields we saw many pheasants scurrying for cover. Soon we came to the main road at the hamlet of Holbeck Woodhouse. After walking down an avenue of lime trees and crossing the main A60 Worksop Mansfield Road we entered the Welbeck Estate.
The estate was originally a monastery before becoming the home of the Dukes of Portland. The grounds were leased to the MOD after the Second World War and it operated as an army training college until 2005.
After passing the Welbeck Tennis Club we came to some impressive estate buildings. On one wall there was a bronze plaque commemorating the members of the St John’s Ambulance Brigade that served during the Boer War. The plaque was erected by the 6th Duke of Portland who promoted social activities amongst his employees. Nearby was an entrance to one of the famous Welbeck tunnels.
The tunnels were built by the eccentric, introverted and terribly shy 5th Duke (1800 – 1879); they included a 1,000 yard long tunnel between the house and the riding house, wide enough for several people to walk side
by side and a 1.25 mile long tunnel from the coach house, to emerge at the South Lodge to enable him to get to Worksop. This tunnel was supposedly wide enough for two carriages. There was also a great hall 160 feet long and 63 feet wide which was originally intended as a chapel, but which was instead used as a picture gallery and occasionally as a ballroom although the duke never organised any dances in the ballroom. Other subterranean rooms included a 250 feet long library, an observatory with a large glass roof, and a vast billiards room.
Continuing on estate roads we re-crossed the A60 before walking along a bridlepath back to the car park. We were thankful that the heavy rain never appeared!
Steve Franks
The next walk on Sunday 4th December will be led by Steve and Julie Franks from Bolsover via Scarcliffe, 4 ½ miles.
Anyone wishing to join our small group will be made very welcome. We meet at the church gates at 12:00 noon with our packed lunches and walking boots. Transport is then arranged.
The walk will be followed by home-made soup at the home of Bob and Ruth Cable.
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