Walks you can reach from Netherfield by train

Village greens and countryside.

Time: 3h30–6h30

2 lunch spots: Caffe Velo Verde (1h30–3h in), or the Royal Oak (2h–4h30 in)

1 end-of-walk reward: the Butter Cross

Adapted from: the Leicester Ramblers.

A most enjoyable walk. A long, pleasant but indirect walk through quiet arable farmland, mostly on good unsurfaced field paths with mown grass headlands and cross-field paths and plus quiet roads and riverside sections. Clay soil is sticky when wet; there are stiles and one short flight of steps. Passes Beacon Hill, Cranmer's Mound, a motte and bailey, the Elston Old Chapel and 3-metre green-man sculptures at Screveton; the riverside finish passes Newark Castle. A community shop at Elston (mornings, serves coffee); cafe/tea room at Screveton; garden centre cafe near the A46. Pubs bypassed at Flintham and Elston.

Lunch: A cafe/tea room at Screveton and a garden centre cafe near the A46; pubs at Flintham and Elston are just off route and may not be open midday.

Warnings: The unavoidable road section into Bottesford is the busiest, with a constant stream of large lorries and no pavement, only a narrow verge. There is one short flight of steps south of Flintham, and a level footpath crossing of the railway at Bingham. Cross-field paths are often not reinstated by farmers, so the plot is essential. The route avoids a A46 crossing.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

A long, mostly good route on field paths, riverside banks, quiet lanes and surfaced tracks, with stretches following the Spires and Steeples trail. Steps, stiles and muddy sections and in wet conditions ploughed fields can be very muddy. Some field crossings have no cut path on the ground. Predominantly follows the Spires and Steeples waymarked trail, though it diverges at several points. Ruskington, with shops and a railway station, makes a good place to break the journey.

Warnings: Steps, stiles (around seven) and a small flight of steps down to the path below the A17. Ploughed fields and field paths can be very muddy in wet weather. Some field crossings have no marked path; the riverbank section is narrow at times. Note the route diverges from the Spires and Steeples trail in places.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Largely flat, sticking to the south side of the South Forty Foot Drain on a good but unsurfaced footpath that can get muddy when wet and plus field and town sections. A two-mile section on the verge of the A17 west of Swineshead. Follows the South Forty Foot Drain; a surfaced cycle path runs as far as Hubberts Bridge.

Warnings: A two-mile section along the A17 west of Swineshead, parts of which have no pavement (a verge and short stretches of old road can be used); one gate on the Drain path was padlocked, requiring a climb.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

An exceptional walk over the meadow. A typical country walk with a few stiles but lots of easy gates, following the delightful Trent riverside path on a good surface shared with bikes and horses, with meadows where cattle may graze, an in-summer overgrown woodland path. There are quiet lanes and bridleways and a path alongside the Ouse Dyke; the riverside may flood in extreme conditions. Follows the River Trent riverside path. Carlton and Bingham are linked to Nottingham by rail and frequent buses.

Lunch: Services in abundance at Gunthorpe.

Warnings: The riverside path may flood in extreme conditions. Cattle may be grazing the meadow. A summer-overgrown woodland path. A narrow no-pavement bridge on Chandos Street, though the road is fairly quiet.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Superb view of the Trent Valley. Mostly quiet field paths, some surfaced and free of stiles and with a final short climb up to The Cliffs above the River Trent. Some muddy patches when very wet. Uses parts of the Trent Valley Way. A substantial housing development at Newton means the bridleway nearby may be subject to temporary closures. Both ends are served by trains and a frequent bus service.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Excellent walk. Field paths.

Time: 2h30

Warnings: Short stretch on a fast-traffic road with limited verge.

Walk details: Railwalks.

An excellent view of the Vale of Belvoir. A pleasant but indirect country walk, mostly on good unsurfaced field paths along the flood banks of the River Smite and tributaries, with some clay soil that gets muddy and sticky when wet. A road section leaves Bottesford and with stiles and a slightly overgrown nettly section out of Bingham. An out-and-back detour up Beacon Hill from Bingham offers a view of the Vale of Belvoir, with a First World War centenary memorial at the top. Passes Cranmer's Mound and a motte and bailey near Aslockton, birthplace of Thomas Cranmer, and crosses Crow Close, the remains of a medieval settlement. Pubs and shops at Bingham, Orston and Aslockton; ideally suited to arrival by train.

Lunch: Some facilities along the way which may not be open: a pub at Orston just off route by the church, and an inn and takeaway-coffee shop at Aslockton.

Warnings: The road out of Bottesford towards Orston has a constant stream of large lorries and general traffic with little consideration for pedestrians; there is some verge but care is needed. Waymarking around Abbey Lane and New Lane near Aslockton is poor. Muddy field-edge sections after rain.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

The views across the vale of Belvoir are good. A long, hard but mostly off-road walk across the Vale of Belvoir, scenic with good views from the hill south of Long Clawson, but with little-used, poorly signed field paths that are hard to follow, several diversions around field boundaries and building sites and awkward stiles and some muddy and wet sections. Crosses a section of the Grantham canal. Facilities are sparse: pubs and a shop at Barnstone, Long Clawson and (off route) Hose; Holwell has none.

Lunch: There is a shop and a pub a short distance off route in Hose, and a pub and small shop in Long Clawson.

Warnings: The A52 crossing near Bingham has steps both sides and no central refuge. Several field paths are poorly signed and hard to follow; a significant diversion runs around a building site north of Melton, with awkward stiles in places.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

A generally pleasant walk mixing field paths, farm tracks, roads and lanes. The first part is along a busy road with pavement only at the start, then road verges; field sections can be very muddy after rain and footpath signage is not always clear. No facilities at Burton Pedwardine village midway. The railway station is about 0.4 miles from the start/finish point in Heckington village centre.

Lunch: No facilities at Burton Pedwardine village midway.

1 end-of-walk reward: Heckington Windmill tea room

Warnings: An early section is along a fairly busy road without pavement (a decent verge with clear views of oncoming traffic, but treacherous with more traffic); field paths can be very muddy after heavy rain, and footpath signage is poor in places, with one field near a solar farm completely unmarked.

Walk details: Slow Ways.

Mostly footpaths and quiet roads across farmland and through an escarpment and with a fair amount of road walking and a hill up into Grantham at the end. Some sections with overgrown brambles but passable; paths through farmland aren't always obvious. Uses a new path through access land on the escarpment.

Lunch: A shop and a pub off route at Silk Willoughby.

Warnings: A long stretch of road between Oasby and Welby, though it has decent verges and is not busy; paths across farmland can be hard to follow.

Walk details: Slow Ways.