Bingham to Bottesford
A station-to-station walkNottinghamshireEast Midlands
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.
Credits
Walk details: Slow Ways.