Shiman two

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 100.00% of reviewers

The plotting is good which is fortunate because the walked paths are not or do not shown on OS as definitive. A little muddy in places. No services in the centre section. Two stiles at the railway level crossing otherwise it's motorcycle 'A' barriers, no cattle and no fields but lots of green, a good direct walk.

I walked from Shirebook a fairly quick entry to Shirebrook Wood, Sookholme Road would offer a more direct route avoiding a wasted climb. As stated, ignore what is shown as paths on OS and stick with the plotted route. The massive shed close by here is the Sports Direct warehouse, how many pairs of trainers can they store there?

At the end of the huge shed we cross a lane where the Slow Way from Market Warsop (Manmar) meets our route. We continue close to the railway on a well walked path then turn to cross the line by those stiles and steps which are the only obstacles on route, annoying because we cross the line again later by a bridge.

Before that bridge we meet a bridleway along a wide track then cross the attractive River Meden and enter Nottinghamshire. Back under the railway and along Littlewood Lane a dirt track with a traffic barrier as we enter the urban area.

This route approaches the meeting place via a different route to Manmar so take you pick. These routes from the north are the only ones that offer a fairly direct and accurate approach to the meeting place which really needs moving to the town centre.

Walked from Mansfield Woodhouse to Shirebrook. A pretty good and fairly direct route, a little muddy in places. The scenery improves once the large residential area on the north side of Woodhouse is passed. No steps, but there are step-stiles either side of the level crossing north of the Meden.

Leaving the meeting point in the car park of Mansfield Woodhouse station, we cross the bridge and go down to the platform to find the way out at the north end on a surfaced path that leads to Oxclose Lane. We follow residential pavements along Thoresby Road, Manor Road, Mayhall Avenue and Brown Avenue, then turn left at the second roundabout onto Cox's Lane, right onto Hazel Grove and left along Charnwood Grove and Littlewood Lane. We go a short distance right on the roughly surfaced road, then left along the lane/bridletrack which goes along the edge of a former quarry, then crosses the railway and the river Meden and turns right towards the railway. At the next left turn we leave the road on an unsurfaced path that leads through tree roots to the level crossing, which has metal step stiles attached to locked gates (photo 5).

Beyond the railway the path goes out to the edge of a former colliery country park, where we pick up a semi-surfaced track (which can be wet in places) which goes parallel to the railway. Either side of Wood Lane the path moves further from the railway. Here there is a large SportsDirect warehouse on the left side of the railway, and we take the footbridge over the railway just before its far end. We follow the cycle track down to a junction by a viaduct, where we go half left. We then take the path that leaves the track left and skirts the edge of the wooded area. We cross Portland Road and take another surfaced path onto Sookholme Road, then turn right down Market Street, cross Portland Road and go straight on to reach the meeting point in the square.

I walked this route from Mansfield Woodhouse. From the station car park you must cross the footbridge and head past the former goods shed (on platform 2/3) heading north. A path leads to an unmade road and from here through quiet residential streets to reach open country. The river Meden is crossed at Northfield and the path rises to a rough footpath around 'Littlewood'. Watch out for the overgrown stony path leading down to the railway level crossing. The path surface is rough and there is a steel stile at each end of the crossing. From here an obvious surfaced track runs parallel with the railway (But not always where the OS have a marked right of way). After crossing the wide track/bridleway the path continues alongside the railway to reach an overbridge. From here avoid the grassy track around the Sports Direct warehouse and continue close to the railway. There is a made path in the Brook Park around the industrial units to reach the houses at the edge of Shirebrook on Sookholme Road. Market street on the right passes Morrison's car park to reach the market place.

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