Here we go half right up Little Lane, which has no pavement but is quiet, then take the path (unsurfaced but not too muddy) up the left hand of the fields to Babbington Lane, where we go half right then take the signposted path sharp left through a little wooded area. The path junction where we turn left is a little confusing, but the muddy farm track is the right of way down the first slope. We cross the road and turn right, then take another slightly muddy path left to join the bridlepath, which crosses the Nottingham canal, which is disused but has water on both side here....

Hugh Hudson

As I didn't need to buy anything, I deviated a little from the route here to investigate the zebra crossing at the far west side of the car park, which, combined with the path along the top of the embankment, offers a slightly shorter route. Beyond Low Wood Road (which has a pelican crossing just north of the junction with Hempshill Lane) I opted to use the surfaced old railway path initially rather than the rough path south of it. Leaving the wood we cross a wet muddy corner and follow field edges on an obvious path. From here Kimberley Road offers a shorter route to the Kimberley meeting point, but the detour through quiet residential streets is only slightly longer, and quieter....

Hugh Hudson

Following the trams to Gladstone Street the plot misses a patch of green to cut through to Shipstone Street alongside the decorative former brewery. The walk along Lincoln street brought back school day memories then onto another new section of Leen side walk which is a vast improvement on the twists, turns and barriers of the original track.The path continues with the river on the right, the final approach into Bulwell stays on the west bank but a notice warns that the plotted route can be closed. Crossing the Bulwell by-pass road the route continues along what was a railway line hence the huge bridge to pass under the noisy motorway....

Ken

A McDonalds may tempt a pause before a once busy road and the first unavoidable climb to meet the tram route which is generally followed to the city....

Ken

After crossing Newdigate Street a surfaced path takes us past houses to Main Road. Here we would normally cross and continue to follow the old railway, but as noted in my introduction, a path closure forced me right onto Main Road and eventually left up New Farm Lane to rejoin the route (I did go and have a look at the blocked section, which is protected by high fences so I wasn't tempted to try and force a way through, and I also discovered the hard way that there is no short cut to the main road using Bishopdale Road and Reid Gardens). Our route through the Arboretum has a few ups and downs (there is an alternative path higher up, but yesterday this was fenced off for a music event), and the left turn uphill above the flower garden and the lake seems surprising, but it takes us past the Chinese Bell Tower then through the tunnel under Addison Street, and past more trees to emerge on North Sherwood Street, which we follow down into the city via Trinity Square and King Street to the Left Lion meeting point by the Council House in the Old Market Square....

Hugh Hudson

The straight line continues onto Radford Road, and we cross the ring road then head left over the railway and the Leen at Church Street. A path alongside and on the south side of the tram lines takes us under Cinderhill Road and out to the Phoenix Park tram terminus, where we head left, crossing the A610 at a pelican crossing then turn right along the old main road....

Hugh Hudson

Leaving the meeting point at Hucknall station we go up the steps and turn left (if steps are a problem follow the ramped path through the car park). We follow Station Road then cross the pelican crossing to continue up Duke Street, then left and right onto Park Drive....

Hugh Hudson

This is a good direct route in dry conditions, but the descent through the fields from Kimberley was very sticky - the worst kind of wet ploughed clay. We cross Maws Lane and go straight on along Edinboro Row, which leads out into another small park, which we cross diagonally half right, then continue down through the fields, initially still on the Robin Hood Way....

Hugh Hudson

I started in Kimberley and enjoyed this walk to Arnold through countryside and parks. It fulfills many of the Slow Way requirements while failing on others. I feel there is still a shorter compromise for this route....

Ken

While the section out of Kimberley offers some countryside it does involve a climb to achieve the good views....

Ken

Crossing of busy roads is either light controlled or a central refuge....

Ken

Leaving the meeting point in Kimberley, we cross the road with care and head steeply up James Street, turning right along High Street until the unmissable Great Northern Railway path is reached on the left, partway down the hill. We follow Duke Street as far as the Cotmanhay Linear Park, where we turn left along a surfaced path, that leads across Ebenezer Street to Cotmanhay Road. We cross Awsworth Road/Granby Street and go right, turning left down Lower Granby Street which leads to a pelican crossing over Rutland Street....

Hugh Hudson

At Canning Circus we continue half right onto Alfreton Road, which we follow for some distance, past Gregory and Radford Boulevards and over the railway bridge to the junction with Aspley Lane, where we turn left along a wide tree-lined road. We follow Swingate and High Street over the A610 and stay on High Street where the main road goes right onto Green Lane....

Hugh Hudson

I am not sure I agree that it is entirely wheelchair friendly - parts of the old canal cycle track are a bit rough and the corner-cutting shortcut path south of Shipley Gate goes straight across fields on an unsurfaced path (and the route the GPX uses does not follow the well-used path on the ground), but I can see how this aspiration dictated the route through Awsworth, though I don't understand going the long way round the junction where Awsworth Lane meets Main Street. These are minor quibbles, and overall I am happy to recommend this route....

Hugh Hudson

The route through Bestwood Country Park was new to me and quite entertaining, but the final descent/ascent on the west side is quite steep....

Hugh Hudson

From the edge of Bestwood Village, it briefly follows the old railway before entering Bestwood Country Park and gently climbing across grassland and through woodland to a summit near Bestwood Lodge....

StephenWalker

Finding the start was a little tricky, but interesting as it was an old railway....

John Hay

The first 3 miles to Strelley include the quiet roads leaving Kimberley, through Swingate and over the countryside to Strelley. There is a short section where the route leaves Swingate where we follow a narrow muddy path (but this can be avoided by sticking to the road to reach the same place)....

StephenWalker

This is the remains of a review that won't delete itself....

StephenWalker

The fields from Newthorpe were pretty muddy, so needed to clean up before entering the relative civilisation of Kimberley....

StephenWalker

The section of fields between Swingate, Cossall and the railway were pretty slippery....

StephenWalker

At the second road crossing turn right down Duke Street to reach the canal bridge. The railway trail is on the right, reached up a flight of steps, The trail surface is hard until the line has been breached by the A610 Eastwood Bypass. On the other side turn left onto a better path alongside the road, before another flight of steps climbs onto the embankment where the railway trail resumes....

StephenWalker

Approaching Bulwell Hall Park on the good path head straight ahead to the bridge and then straight ahead up the worn grass trod to reach the car parking and club house....

StephenWalker

Cafe about half way in Bulwell Hall Park at the Golf Club. The exit from Hucknall is not through but alongside Titchfield Park and perhaps the posh area of the town before crossing the bypass road. Here I nearly went wrong so follow the plot to arrive in Bulwell Hall Park where the golf club has an open to all cafe....

Ken

I amended the route slightly on departure from Kimberley taking the high road rather than the busy low road. This route passes the old Great Northern station building the Slow Way Kimarn heads off along the trackbed. Kimberley had two stations and the former Midland building is now a house behind which work on conversion of the old Kimberley Brewery is underway....

Ken

A good urban area linking route along a mix of paths, some stiles north of Cossall others can be bypassed. A brief look at the disused Nottingham canal as the route passes the site of a long gone bridge. Real open fields mostly given over to horses and some great views, north to Crich Stand and south to Charnwood Forest....

Ken

The route is well plotted except for the start from Kimberley, there is no link from the FP bridge to the path along the old railway. This route does however use much of Kimhuc and Hucarn so I offer a more direct route Kimarn2. The exit from Kimberley may be of interest to railway buffs and nature lovers but the steps could prove a challenge for others so it may be worth considering a detour up Newdigate Street and join the route later. From Woodhall Farm the path is a tarmac road to the farm and fishing pond so there is light traffic. I offer a very different more direct route in Kimarn2...

Ken

Avoiding the busy St Albans Road and Oxclose Lane the route exits via Daybrook, once the home of Home Ales. Opposite the brewery offices Byron Street provides a wide route before a bridge offers a safe crossing of Oxclose Lane. An interesting path takes the route along the front of Tesco before a breath of fresh air across the the strangely named 'Bulwell Forest' a municipal golf course....

Ken

Pleasant enough route once out of Ilkeston, towards Erewash Canal, through Cossall and good views on a clear day. Bit steep towards Babbington and a lot of stiles - Not suitable for wheelchair and pushchair users...

Nick Milson

The route is relatively short but a lot of beside road walking and then when off street paths, the tracks are either mostly steep in ascent or descent.Not suitable for pushchair or wheel chair users. Good views of Eastwood, Newthorpe and beyond towards Derbyshire Peaks from the top of the hill outside Kimberley....

Nick Milson