Binlon two

Slow Way not verified yet. Verify Binlon here.

Walked from Long Bennington to Bingham on a spring day, with a strong south-westerly wind, sunny at first but some heavy showers between Orston and Bingham. I agree with Stephen that although it is a fairly direct route with no serious navigational difficulties, it uses to many roads to be really enjoyable. Nothing unsafe, so I'm happy to accept it as a useable Slow Way.

Leaving the meeting point at Long Bennington, we go a short distance south along Great North Road then turn right into Vicarage Lane. The road bends right to avoid the A1 to a T junction where we go left across the A1 bridge. Ignoring Moor Lane, we follow the road (which is fast but wide and has good verges) south, then take the right turn onto a narrower road below Folly Hill. We cross the border into Nottinghamshire, then enter a small wood. where a little used path goes right through a field and a few trees to an open field. Here the path disappears (picture 4), but at this time of year the crops are low and it is easy enough to improvise a diagonal line to the corner where we rejoin the road. We continue into Staunton and turn left opposite the pub towards Staunton Hall.

We take the paved path right towards the church, then leave it over a stile through an open grassy field. I couldn't see much evidence of a path here, but the line is fairly obvious and the bridge at the bottom soon comes into view. Beyond it we head up to Kilvington, where we cross another stile (not easy to spot from a distance) to rejoin the road. We follow the road south west through Alverton then stay on the main road right at a T junction. Where the road bends left we go straight on along an unsurfaced lane (Stephen singled this one out as muddy, but the deeper muddy ruts are avoidable and I found it quite pleasant, especially with the hedges in blossom). This takes us to another surfaced road, where we go straight on a few yards then left along the quiet Mill Lane. Just before the edge of Orston we take the diagonal field path (there are two steps down and a narrow bridge here) which leads us to Church Street to reach the village green between the church and the Durham Ox pub.

Here we turn right along another road with verges. We follow this for some distance, crossing a bigger road on a crossroads and going straight on to the T junction outside Scarrington, where we turn left into the village, then right at the church. The right turn up Chapel Lane (picture 12) could easily be missed, as there is no sign on Main Street. The path from here into Bingham is usually easy to follow, as long as you don't miss the left turn where the path straight on heads for Car Colston. Yesterday the paths across the fields were well marked and trodden, but on a previous walk a couple of years ago I had to detour around a large ploughed field where the path had not been restored. The path meanders alongside hedges and drainage ditches to emerge at the corner of the Butt playing field near Bingham station. This route goes diagonally across and uses the station footbridges to cross the railway, but those who prefer to avoid the flights of steps on both sides can use the level crossing and Church Lane to reach the meeting point at Bingham marketplace.

I walked this route from Long Bennington. This is an effective route between the two points. Three-quarters of it is on the side of minor roads. There is a short-cut across fields near Folly Hill, before returning to the road. At Staunton (pub) we take to a trackway, and it is a short detour to visit the church and the Lancaster aircrew memorial. Then on across the fields to Kilvington where we rejoin the lane. Just before Orston (pub) a muddy byway cuts westwards to the Flawborough lane. We leave Orston on another lane heading towards Scarrington. Watch out for the path beside the old chapel which leads to a 2 mile cross country footpath which takes us to Bingham station and a short walk to the hub. Of the 10 miles only between 3 and 4 is on footpaths. The rest is alongside minor roads. There was always a verge to avoid traffic.

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