After crossing the A606 the walk goes along a quiet lane with grass verges either side....

Malcolm

We then follow the canal left through the country park to Main Road, which has a good pavement on the west side. We follow the road right to the junction with Stragglethorpe Road, where we go right, initially on a good pavement then on verges beyond the old railway bridge (there is now a stairway here up to the old railway cycle track, so it is possible to switch between COTRAD one and COTRAD two here)....

Hugh Hudson

The path is fairly well trodden but can get wet and muddy, At Stanton Lane we go right then take the path that leads through an alley onto a golf course, where there are just enough fingerposts to make the way fairly clearly. Go right a short distance then cross with care onto the farm road opposite....

Hugh Hudson

Easy flat route mainly following the Grantham Canal in a westerly direction. Relatively mud free even after heavy rain. Main issue is crossing the Lings Bar road (A52) near Morrison's supermarket....

Nigel Turner

A good few stiles, paths across cropped fields but also nice pasture, some holding horses. A well stocked farm shop at Clipston and good views. Clipstone has a well stocked farm shop open Tuesday to Friday and Saturday morning....

Ken

Other paths are mown and well walked or farm tracks with a surface of sorts. The route is let down by cross field paths between Cropwell Butler and the canal these were muddy although still well walked so marking this, assuming a summer walk, it's worth 5 stars. Later the field edge path is mown grass which was a little muddy in places but generally good. I can see no benefit staying on the footpath used by Cotbin-2 it passes through muddy horse paddocks with lots of electric fencing....

Ken

At the next junction we turn right and follow the path fairly steeply down to the canal, where we go left along the towpath. The next few miles are simply following the canal across Main Road and past Bassingfield until we reach Tollerton Lane, where we follow the cycle signs right, right again at Bassingfield Lane and left along the old road to the A52, which we cross using two pelican crossings. We follow the canal to the A6011 Radcliffe Road, where a bridge follows the canal under the westbound carriageway (there are a few steps on both sides - to avoid these take the path signposted West Bridgford centre onto Eltham Road, turn right onto Brockley Road and right again at Davies Road, then follow Radcliffe Road, cross it where it divides, then continue along the eastbound carriageway to find the canal again), but a barrier blocks the direct crossing of the newer eastbound carriageway. We use the pelican crossing to cross Radcliffe Road again and go half left onto Mabel Grove, then cross Ella Road and take the gated entrance into Bridgford Park. We take the right hand path through the park, then cross left towards the library, then right to reach the public footpath (another gate here which may be locked at night) which we follow left to reach Bridgford Road, where the West Bridgford meeting point is at the bus stop a short distance left....

Hugh Hudson

Almost a good route, but as Ken's review says the A52 crossing is not safe and involves stepping over crash barriers, and the road walk at the Cotgrave end is unpleasant and can easily be avoided by walking through the country park. I have test walked a better version and will add it as WESCOT 4....

Hugh Hudson

The GPX follows the right of way line on the field path to Cropwell Butler, but in the first field this would involve crop trampling, and it appears that the path has diverted round the edge for some time. Passing through Cropwell Butler, the way continues over a cricket field where the path briefly disappears....

Hugh Hudson

I do have a minor quibble with the GPX file, which jumps between the country park track and the old railway too far north - at this point there is no obvious junction so I stayed on the railway track up to the signposted one....

Hugh Hudson

The path from Normanton to Clipston is also clear and easy to follow but it is narrow and a little overgrown in places, and has stiles. This path leads to the road into Clipston, which you follow round until you reach a wooded area....

Hugh Hudson

After crossing the A52, the route follows the canal at first and then field-paths to reach the outskirts of Cotgrave....

StephenWalker

This was the best of the three - a pleasant walk on fairly good tracks with no major accessibility issues. One slight concern is the crossing of the A606, which might be difficult at busy times, but I don't believe any better crossing points are available, having tried most of them in the last couple of years. There are a couple of small hills to cross, but these offer pretty good views by Nottinghamshire standards....

Hugh Hudson

The bridleway out of Keyworth had a lot of dog poo on it and there was a fairly tricky road crossing about a third of the way through the route but apart from that it was a very pleasant, pretty easy walk through the countryside. A nice mix of open fields, gentle hills and woodlands...

MagneticSpy

After a brief walk down the roadside pavement, the route follows first the Grantham Canal and then the converted track of the colliery railway. It enters Radcliffe on a quiet Lane. Very enjoyable....

StephenWalker

The route starts on quiet residential roads before heading off across the fields, across the Network Rail test track to reach the busy A606....

StephenWalker

I walked "WESCOT one" on Saturday before I knew that this route existed, so today I went back to do the section that is added in this version, and I can verify that it is easy to follow and a lot safer, making it a big improvement on the original. Picture survey to follow....

Hugh Hudson

The route into Melton also has a few awkward high stiles requiring long legs, and the hill between Nether Broughton and Wartnaby is quite steep and overgrown in places....

Hugh Hudson

As the previous reviewers have said, the one big problem with this route is the dangerous A52 crossing on the canal route - this is a busy dual carriageway and to cross it you have to walk over the barriers on the central reservation. There is a pelican crossing across the A52 further north leading to Bassingfield Lane, and it would not be difficult to change this route to use it at the cost of an extra two to three hundred yards (indeed this has been done in route WESCOT three, which is safer). If this is fixed this could be a four to five star route....

Hugh Hudson

After walking on pavements through the village, the route follows the line of the Grantham Canal to the edge of Cropwell Butler....

StephenWalker

I took shorter route using a footpath through Bluebell Spinny to Mill Lane....

Ken

A mix of paths, cross field can be muddy, compacted stone on the towpath and tarmac at Gamston. I offer a comparison between the traditional cottage in Cotgrave and the mock modern cottage in Gamston, they don't do knapped flint in Nottinghamshire....

Ken

Cotgrave Country Park an attraction....

John Johnson

Nice start/finish at the War Memorial Bench at Cotgrave. Enjoyable walking beside the canal. Concerns about crossing the Lings Bar by pass at...

John Johnson

Most is good but.............not a safe crossing of the busy main road at Gamston....

Ken

Most is good but.............not a safe crossing of the busy main road at Gamston....

Ken

From Cotgrave, the walk is along the Grantham Canal towpath to Fosse Bridge, then crosses fields to the pretty village of Cropwell Butler with its pub, The Plough, The route then follows further field paths to the market town of Bingham. Care is needed when crossing the A52, a busy road, but there is a pedestrian island to make it easier. Some of the paths are not signposted, but are well trod, so can be followed with the aid of a map....

Anne J

We also cycled and has a last descent by road into Cotgrave which if walking has a pavement all the way...

Helen Hollis

Great route from Cotgrave to Radcliffe on Trent along a disused railway line - perfect for walkers, runners and cyclists....

SHAWNRICH11

Difficult to navigate around the school and playing fields, best avoided. Also care must be taken crossing the A52, as its extremely busy and traffic is at 60mph on this stretch. Grantham Canal can be muddy....

Smiglet87