Binmel one

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Walked from Bingham to Melton on a crisp winter day. Not a bad route, but quite a long hard one. The path from Langar towards Hose is little used, poorly signed and hard to follow in places. There is a significant diversion around a building site on the fields north of Melton, and there are other places where paths are diverted round field boundaries, so 16.5 miles is probably an underestimate. The views from the hill south of Long Clawson are good.

Leaving Bingham Market Place, we head east along Church Street and follow it right into Cherry Street, then take the path straight on to The Banks, where we go right a short distance and follow the footpath left around Toot Hill School - note that the path now goes further east around the far end of the buildings than the GPX file suggests, but it is fairly well signed. We head up the hill and take the little path left through the trees. This leads to the A52 crossing, which has steps on both sides and no central refuge, so be patient and take care. Once across the road, the path has been diverted right along the edge of the first field where it then follows the edge of the old railway crossing. We return to the right of way line to cross the bridge and head across the fields on a well marked track. Just before Tythby Grange we follow the edge of the field left around a small wood, then right past the farm. The route is well marked and clear, and you should reach Barnstone without any difficulties. Here we turn left and then right down Works Lane, then follow the field path (which may be a little wet) right along the edge of the trees to reach Harby Road, which we cross and go slightly right then left down Cropwell Road. Note the Unicorns Head pub, as this is this is the last opportunity for refreshments before Long Clawson.

The path out of Langar is confusing. The sign sends you down a farm track, but we cross to the lane to the right EARLIER than the OS map suggests, so look out for the sign. Once in the fields, which have been left fallow and are starting to grow trees, the path now takes a straighter line than the right of way, but is fairly easy to follow. Further on, it was easier to follow a field edge along Stroom Dyke than to cross a ploughed field. Just before Langar Grange we turn left (don't try to walk in the narrow gap between the fence and the stream). You then cross pastures right to reach Harby Lane over a rather awkward stile which is further left/east than the map suggests.

We go left a short distance then right through the fields around Barlows Lodge, then cross fields to reach the Grantham canal, which we cross and take the bridleway half right which leads us to Meadows Way just east of Hose, where we go straight on along a muddy lane (there is a shop and a pub a short distance off route in Hose). At the end of the lane we turn right then cross the stream sharp left and cross more fields and a lane to reach Long Clawson. Here we follow the road right into the village centre, where there is a pub and a small shop.

Our route heads up Mill Lane, then straight on uphill past the mill farm and on up to Clawson Lane. It is worth looking back from time to time, as the views across the vale of Belvoir are good. When we reach the road we follow it round to the right and take the path (which may be muddy) right towards the mast and Melton Road, where we turn left, going straight on down a narrower lane at the main road. This leads us into Holwell, which is a pretty village but lacks facilities. We follow the road east across a stream and out through a common, where we take the field path right (more stiles). This leads to another lane, beyond which the trodden path crosses the next field directly and diagonally - only those who insist on sticking to the GPX line/right of way will go into the corner. The path through the fields disappears at times, but used to lead you into Melton without any problems.

Currently (as of January 2023) there is a substantial housing development in the fields around John Ferneley College, and our path has been diverted across the stream around the west edge of the building site, which adds a couple of hundred yards to the distance. The fence makes this diversion easy to follow, and eventually we cross left back to the right of way line. Here all difficulties end, as the path is obvious, and we take the first opportunity to turn left to reach Scalford Road, which we follow right downhill into the centre of Melton.

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