Newtonwood Lane – 205m / 673ft and Silverhill – 203m / 666ft – 12/03/2020
So, after an extremely refreshing beer and a mediocre but welcome lasagne in the Old Thatched Inn at Stanton under Bardon I drove up the M1 in the dark and a heavy downpour, then finding my way through lanes between Tibshelf and and Fackley near Sutton-in-Ashfield. I parked in the rain on the car park of the Carnarvon Pub and went inside briefly with the sole intention to use their toilet facilities but thought it only polite to invest in some liquid sustenance whilst there. By the time I left the rain had stopped and I had already decided on another place to park for the night rather than the well lit, less secluded pub location. Two minutes later I was at a small carpark for the Teversal Trail along Silverhill Lane. There was one other car parked (windows steamed up!) but it soon left. I sat listening to the radio and another car arrived a little later with 3 young men who I guess were there to enjoy smoking something exotic. It took uncomfortably too long, but eventually they did and I set up in the back of the car to sleep.
I woke to clear skies and a frosty sunrise and kicked myself into action, ready for a unique walk amongst my County Top challenge that would cover 2 locations in the same county which have valid claims to be the high point.
The first destination was the top of Newtonwood Lane, near a communications mast site. I set off initially northwest along the lane from the car park then across boggy fields towards Stanley Grange Farm and turning south in the sunshine across more fields to Tibshelf Wharf.
I crossed a main road and then more fields and tracks heading for the communications mast eventually arriving at Newtonwood Lane and the top of the hill just across the road. This location is the “natural” high point in Nottinghamshire, so for a purist like myself it is the true county top.
I descended the hill along the lane before turning right along the Chesterfield Road for about 500m then took steps down onto a disused railway line heading eastwards back in the direction of Fackley. It was easy walking in great weather and I had my trekking poles with me for some added speed. I passed one or two friendly locals and a less friendly dog who would not move or even return to its owner, apparently scared rigid by the sight/sound of my sticks!!
After about 2km on the railway line I reached Fackley and turned off along the road, past The Carnarvon and back along Silverhill Lane before entering Silverhill Wood Park. This area is the site of two former collieries and is now a public attraction with walking trails and some wildlife. The high point is at the top of a hill on a mound marked with a statue of a miner holding a lamp. Whilst this is geographically higher than the point on Newtonwood Lane, it is technically a man-made landscape and not the “natural” county top, at least in my view!! I took the direct path straight ahead up the hill, there was no-one around except a lone excavator operator working on a new path. Although not too high up, there were some nice views around which I enjoyed briefly, filming my video before heading off on the short descent back to the car.
So that was it, 12 tops in less than three days taking my total to 19 and off on my way home with Covid 19 lockdown looming, not knowing when I would next be on the trail….
