Shiwor two

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The walk is mostly along good traffic free tracks with no stiles, the exception is the northern section along the edge of Worksop Manor Park which has stiles. There are steps at the crossing of the A57. Two road crossings need care. A cafe and loos are available at Creswell Crags Visitor Centre. The loop into Creswell village offers shops, buses and trains halfway and avoids the path diversion current in 2023, it should be possible to miss this loop if services are not required.

I started in Worksop having arrived by bus so missed the dreary road walk from the station. The pavement walk from the shopping street is easy to follow and eventually leads to a well used path that crosses the A57 with no assistance for walkers. The stepped hump at the roadside resembles a flood bank, what other purpose might it have?

Out in the countryside the first fields are pasture, on the fringe of parkland, so potential for cattle. Soon we meet a wide farm track heading south to enter woodland and arrive at South Lodge. From here our footpath is almost on top of the Drive to Welbeck Abbey (Hall) hidden in a tunnel created by the 5th Duke of Portland.

After passing over the ornamental lakes the path is well signed, or at least any private track is signed as such. All very easy walking with varied views including attractive estate cottages. The only traffic along the private estate road was the red van of the postie.

Crossing the A60 no lights but safe with care and the track continues with all year trees to offer colour when leaves have fallen from the real thing. The approach to the Visitor Centre is alongside the car park. Here is the only loo I spotted on route and a cafe, check opening times, especially in winter.

Follow the signs for 'The Crags' then walk along the south side of the lake to pass Church Hole which the guide says is "a world-famous cave, containing examples of the oldest verified cave art in the UK", so you will already know all about it. My GPS tracker lost signal here perhaps caused by the spectacular magnesian limestone gorge but the path is easy to follow.

In living memory a road passed through the gorge on the north side of the lake and to exit we join the remains of this road before arriving at the new road. Crossing the A616 our path continues arriving at the site of former corner shops evidenced by an enamel sign for Brooke Bond Tea and an evocative stone sign for K.G.Hallam - Family Butcher, I wonder does that mean for the family or run by the family?

From here the route loops into Creswell but if services are not required it should be possible to continue along Morven Street and take a footpath which meets the route at the old rail route. This direct route may be diverted due to a building site 2023.

The route along Duke Street meets Elmton Road, the high street, by the church here there is a good selection of shops plus buses and the train station but I saw no public loo. The exit passes through the impressive model village which had a makeover and restoration some years back but current owners are starting  to break the symmetry with their personal improvements.

The approach to the old rail route needs a little care but once on this track it's more easy going which continues onto the Archaeological Way an old hedged lane now a bridleway.

Quiet roads take us through Whaley Common and by-passes Whaley which offers no services. We leave the road to enter Poulter Country Park taking a surfaced path keeping on the low ground.There are a few benches here.

From the car park it's a climb to join another old rail route which takes us to Shirebrook and the site of the once extensive Langwith Junction station renamed Shirebrook North in 1924.

From Station Road we take a footpath opposite across a green area then follow Stubbin Wood Lane which become Thickley Close where we leave to cross another green park to arrive at Aldi just a short walk from our meeting place in the large Market Square.

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