The Basics Length of this circular walk is 3.1/2 miles (5.5 kilometres) mainly over grassy paths, with 1/3 mile of road at the start and 1/2 mile in the middle. It is flat easy walking on agricultural land, with an interesting curiosity at Scarrington. Horses and cattle are rare, birds and rabbits a-plenty.

How to get there Buses are also rare. The new A46 is the nearest trunk road. Exit to the A6097 signed to Mansfield, then follow signs to Car Colston left up the old A46. Turn right into village. From Nottingham take the A52 east, turning left at the roundabout just before Bingham. Right at next R/B to Car Colston. The Royal Oak is on the far side of the green. Post code NG13 8JE. Map Ref SK 718 426. Web-site www.brilliantpubs.co.uk/royaloaknotts Parking You may park at the inn, especially if a customer.

The 18th century Royal Oak sits on the edge of reputedly the largest village green in England where cattle graze and Sunday afternoon cricket is played. High quality pub food is served every day except Sunday evening, either in the restaurant or on the green.

Wines from around the world are available by the bottle or glass. Four real ales are available – three house bitters and a guest ale, all kept in perfect condition as mentioned in CAMRA’s good beer guide. San Miguel and Foster’s lagers are also served. THE VALE OF BELVOIR & NOTTINGHAMSHIRE CAMRA PUB OF THE YEAR 2009. The value-for-money menu includes superb fresh fish dishes, with daily specials shown on the restaurant black- board. With husband-and-wife team Richard and Vicky at the helm, awarded five stars for food hygiene, you can expect high standards.

View or Download Car Colston Self-Guided Walk PDF
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The Walk 1. Bearing right, cross the road you have just left, to pick up the signed Screveton road through Car Colston, past the parish church. After negotiating a neat double bend at the Old Hall, reach a little green on the right side ahead of you. 2. This sign gives you a choice, but take the bridleway, diagonally crossing the green, then turn right be- fore the corner to reach a farm gate.

Cross the fenced footbridge

Pass through (making sure you shut it) and follow the hedge on your left over two fields, separated by a gate, to cross a ditch over a fenced footbridge on your right. Bear left after, shortly to reach a fairly quiet road, Car Lane. Walk straight forward along the road, for about half-a-mile. There is no footway, so keep well in to the right. It’s a slightly boring stretch, so sing or play ‘I- spy’ among yourselves! At the top of a slight rise, go under a power line, pass one field and take a waymarked footpath right, 3. crossing this field diagonally towards the church.

Meeting Car Lane
Waymarked footpath right

It was full of massive sugar beets in September 2013 and almost impassable, so it may be necessary to take the field edge to right or left. At the far corner, head slightly left of the church spire to find the stile that leads into Scarrington. Turn right on to the village street, down to the next corner.

At this corner, by the church, deviate left for a few minutes to reach the Old Forge 4. where you’ll find Scarrington’s little curiosity (and local claim to fame) – a 17ft stack of 50,000 discarded horseshoes. The County Council’s display board tells you (among other things) that it was constructed by the local blacksmith between 1945 and 1965. Did you think this is a tall storey?

Retrace your steps to the church and turn left, following Main Street through this typical quintessentially English village. Oddly enough, you may notice what appears to be a famous U.S. presidential home on your right, but you are not likely to see a helicopter on the lawn there.

The Methodist Chapel

By the Methodist Chapel turn right, then very shortly left, off the lane on to a waymarked footpath 5. opposite a barn conversion. Cross the field diagonally, and at the far side, pass through the hedge, turning slightly right to continue in the next field. At the end of this field, by the signpost, bear right on a wide grassy track.

Bear right on this wide grassy track

Cross the bridge, follow round

Over the slight rise, bear left to cross the Car Dyke by a footbridge, then follow the path round to the same direction as before, with the hedge on your right. You’ll eventually reach a double farm gate, with a metal kissing gate on the right, followed by its twin soon after. Keep straight on down the clear farm track to a gate that opens on to Car Colston’s village green, with the Royal Oak on your left for an excellent meal.

This walk was updated and partly revised in September 2013, to incorporating a few changes over the 20 or so years since Peter Fooks first walked it.

Please note – further changes can occur at any time, for which we cannot accept responsibility. If you are aware of significant alterations, please notify briancluff@talktalk.net , with any other useful comments. We’d like to know if this experiment worked. .

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