Carsou three

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 100.00% of reviewers

A really enjoyable walk helped by warm sunshine. There was still water and mud along the way especially at pinch points but the paths are well walked and alongside the river it was an excellent wide grass corridor. Some horse paddocks but mostly arable fields with paths along the headlands. Road sections were not a problem. A mix of stiles and gates and a level crossing of a railway line.

Leaving Southwell the route is quickly out oftown so stock up before setting off. The well walked paths here passthrough the Brackenhurst Estate, owned and managed by NottinghamTrent University as an agricultural college.

Passing into Fiskerton parish the paths follow well maintained field headlands with views of the wide Trent valley on offer. The level railway crossing is not of concern being located on a straight section of track offering good sight lines. A recently improved but narrow stream side path makes the approach to Bleasby, passing the Waggonand Horses Inn, closed as I passed.

The route could take advantage of a walk across Glebe Field where a memorial has been placed to mark a wartime aircraft accident. The churchyard also offers a seat and tap for hot summer visits. The road has a pavement but the village bus service is poor two services a day but not Tuesday or Thursday.

A quiet lane then bridleway leads to theriver where initially the path can be muddy but this soon gives way to delightful grass fields which allows path users some freedom sothe well used path is not clearly defined. The river here is brown and sluggish and perhaps runs deep having been prevented from further movement south by the mass of the Trent Hills. The original gates on the river towpath had two gates one opening in each direction. While no twin gates remain the hinge mechanism is still evident at some locations.

The higher flat ground to the south was a good location for the wartime Syerston airfield now used for glider training, craft may be seen if not heard. Previous activity here resulted in more accidents as recorded with another memorial. A bench alongside offers a rest location.

Meeting the road the care home was once the Ferry Inn and the spot remains a popular destination of visitors to the river. I should also have mentioned the water filled hole used for sailing where gravel was extracted along with archaeological finds which encouraged the operators to show a mammoth on their fleet of orange lorries.

The river here flows faster and I spy a boat travelling upstream. Despite an engine throbbing at full throttle progress is slow and I'm soon overtaking at my steady three miles per hour. Sight of the froth appears on the river surface before the weir at Gunthorpe that creates it. The lock is huge but empty a good selection of eateries are on offer.

The onward path uses a bridge under the road which might suffer from flooding in extreme conditions. The path surface is good and shared with bikes and horses. We cut out a bend in the river along Trent Lane then back alongside, it's an exceptional walk over the meadow where cattle may been countered.

The well used but in summer overgrown woodland path, could be avoided by an early link onto the road and I took to the floodbank which offers views towards Nottingham rather than winding around the many parked cars.

The Ferry Inn is just beyond where our path turns away from the river. No longer a ferry but still a very popular spot at what appears to be an all day pub.The path remains good alongside the outfall of the massive Stoke Bardolph sewage treatment works which I guess does a good job because the fast flowing water looked clear and had no unpleasant smell.

Getting close to the urban area the paths were busy with joggers and dog walkers, some folk doing both. Having walked Carbin-3 I recommend highly this far better route into Carlton / Netherfield. The crossing of the main road has no lights but it does have a central reservation and there is a narrow bridge with no pavement but it's not a busy road. From there it's direct to the meeting point.

I walked this route from Carlton. It leaves along Victoria Street and a quiet residential roads. Stoke Lane has no footpath, but seems fairly quiet. After that, its across the fields to The Ferry Inn. A short stretch of roadside and then onto the river bank for several miles. Note that the pub marked on the OS map at Hazleford Ferry is now a care home. The Bleasby pub only opens in the evenings most of the week. Leaving Bleasby the route is across farmland to reach the railway crossing (Bailey Crossing), where there are red/green lights to mark the passage of trains. From here there are farmland paths all the way to Southwell. The route is easy to find on the ground and the scenery varied and pleasant. Thoroughly enjoyable.

I have not walked this from end to end, but the Carlton end is mostly the same as the other route I walked and the Gunthorpe-Southwell route is mostly the same as my new SOUBIN 2 route which I walked today. So I can confirm that this route works, and it is (at least scenically) the best of the CARBIN routes.

For more details and pictures, see my reviews of CARSOU 2 and SOUBIN 2.

Share your views about this route, give it a star rating, indicate whether it should be verified or not.

Include information that will be useful to others considering to walk or wheel it.

You can add up to 15 photos.