About the route An easy walk connects two villages in a deeply agricultural part of the Trent Vale. Encountered on the way one finds a medieval track, a unique grassland meadow – and, Trent Vale Walk Route strangely, ‘nodding donkeys.’ Relatively easy, mostly level walking using tracks, pavements and field paths; can be muddy in parts. Walk Checklist: A150 South Leverton and A631 Start point/parking A631 Village Hall in Main Street, South Leverton. Treswell Circular Distance Approximately 4 miles (6 kms). Duration A156 2 - 2.5 hours + stops. A57 Stiles and gates 1 gate at churchyard only. A1 Refreshments Public House, South Leverton. A46 Public Transport By bus: Services 91, 92 & 93. OS Grid Reference A17 Walk starts at SK784810 – Map OS Explorer 271 and OS Landranger 121. A1 The dots show the start points of all our 20 walk routes. Visit our website for more info. St Matthew’s Norman Church, South Leverton. Start Point: Village Hall in Main Street, South Leverton Route Length: Approximately 4 miles (6 kms) For more information, visit: Route Duration: 2 - 2.5 hours + stops www.trentvale.co.uk Route Type: Mostly level walking using tracks, pavements and field paths O.S. 1:50 000 Sheet 121 South Leverton and Treswell Circular 1 Start. From the village hall take the 2 Walk along lane by the side of the pub and follow it Retford Road for © Crown copyright and database rights, Ordnance 2012, Survey 100019843. Landmark © Next Perspectives, 100022432. 2012 into the back of the churchyard. Leave approx 600 metres – the churchyard and go into Church Street. on the right you get Detour: About 300 metres to the left from a distant view of the here is the old school which was built over windmill at North 300 years ago by a local benefactor. Leverton – passing Return passing St Matthew’s Church on the Old Police House Saxon carved your right and continue to the junction on the right (which stone fragment, with Retford Road. looks new) as far St Matthew’s Church. as the sharp right Detour: A little further along on the right bend in the road. is a sculpture created in the shape of a Here cross the road plough. It is made from local objects: a to a lane on the beam and bricks from an old farm and left, Meeting House if you look closely you can see tiles inset; Lane. Follow the these were designed and made from lane as far as the local clay by all the villagers to celebrate second left-hand the millennium. bend. Now go south on a track (Millfield Lane), first enclosed by hedges, then 4 across two fields This was a medieval track, now a There is an oilfield below South before turning left byway – a ‘nodding donkey’ oil pump may Leverton, which was discovered in into Northfield Lane be seen behind some railings to the left. the 1950s or 1960s, and produces – a track – which high grade crude oil. Ashton’s Meadow North Leverton is grassland surrounded by species rich Windmill. descends into the village of Treswell. hedgerows. It has been designated as Community Sculpture, South Leverton. an SSSI due to its grassland type, and a Retrace your steps to the junction and cross NWT Treswell Wood is one of the wide range of wild flowers. The meadow over the road. best examples of an ash/oak/maple was purchased by the NWT in 1985, and wood in Nottinghamshire, and has been described as ‘the best example South Leverton lies north of the stands on poorly drained soils, derived from of a species rich neutral grassland in county where the escarpment Mercia Mudstones (formerly Keupar Marl). Nottinghamshire.’ © Adam Cormack © Adam Cormack gives way to the River Trent. The 3 At a T-junction turn right into a village of South Leverton, mentioned in ‘Nodding donkey’ oil pump. tarmacked lane, Rectory Road. Continue the Doomsday book, has a grand Norman down this followed by a short ascent to a After 200m the track turns sharp left, and church – St Matthew’s and many traditional T-junction with the main road, Town Street. then 200m on it then turns right. On the Nottinghamshire buildings. Most of the Turn left and continue through the village left is Ashton’s Meadow, a NWT Nature church is of Norman construction. However for approx. 1.2 kms (0.75 mile) passing the Reserve. Follow the track northwards for two fragments of carved stone, reused in Methodist Chapel on the right and Townside approx. 1.2 kms ignoring tracks both to later fabric of the church, have recently Lane on the left. On the outskirts of the the left and right near its end to reach been studied and identified as possibly village – now Cottam Lane – just before a Town Street in South Leverton. Now turn being from as early as the 8th century. new bridge where the road veers right, turn left to return to the Village Hall and the These may be fragments of a pre-Norman left along a wide hardcore track (Rampton public house. Ashton’s Meadow NWT Reserve. cross meant to mark a religious site. Lane) with a line of trees on the right..