About the route Riverside paths and an old ‘green lane’ link these two Trent Vale villages, each a pleasure to visit. Gravel workings are part of the scene but the lakes left behind attract both wildlife and Trent Vale Walk Route boating enthusiasts. Easy walking on mostly level terrain using byways, fi eld and riverside paths; one short ascent and descent. Can be muddy in places. Walk Checklist: South Clifton and A150 Start point/parking A631A666331 High Street, South Clifton. Alternative start: St Cecilia’s A631 Girton Circular Girton Church (limited space). Distance Approximately 6 miles (10 kms). Duration A156 3 hours + stops. A57 Stiles and gates 3 gates; 13 stiles. A1A Refreshments Public House, South Clifton. A46 Public Transport By bus: Service No.66 Newark – Collingham – Harby. A177 OS Grid Reference Walk starts at SK821702; Girton Church SK826663 – A1 Map OS Explorer 271 and OS Landranger 121. The dots show the start points of all our 20 walk routes. Visit our website for more info. St Cecelia’s Church, Girton. Start Point: High Street, South Clifton. Alternative: St Cecilia’s Church, Girton Thanks to Sigma Press for allowing us to reproduce this walk. Route Length: Approximately 6 miles (10 kms) For more information, visit: www.sigmapress.co.uk Route Duration: 3 hours + stops www.trentvale.co.uk Route Type: Easy walking on mostly level terrain. Can be muddy in places South Clifton and Girton Circular O.S. 1:50 000 Sheet 121 the low embankment along the fi eld edge 1 Start. From the High Street, turn left 4 The path is on a low embankment to cross a stile and concrete bridge over a along Trent Lane for 200 metres then which veers left in the fi eld middle to a stream into a fi eld. Again keep to the fi eld take the road on right, Coal Yard Lane (not stile. Continue through two more fi elds ©Crown copyright and database rights, Ordnance 2012, Survey 100019843. Landmark ©Next Perspectives, 100022432. 2012 edge and cross into a third fi eld via a gap signed). Walk up this and where it swings to reach a wide track. Turn right along in the hedge and follow this fi eld edge to right, keep ahead and pass between this to a T-junction of paths and take a wooden footbridge over a stream. Now a double gate and ditch by a house the signed path on the left which leads follow a wide, straight track known as ascending a wide track up Clifton Hill. to the River Trent, near where the River Green Lane (a Restricted Byway) south Fleet joins it. Across the river, Sutton on for 2.5 kms to Girton. Trent may be seen. Access the fl oodbank and turn right and follow the riverside path as it twists and turns for the next 3 kms towards South Clifton. 5 Near the end of the path cross a bridge over the Old Trent and a couple of stiles to reach a minor road – Coal Yard Lane once again. Follow it as it goes fi rst In the Domesday Book only the Besthorpe NWT Nature Reserve. left and where it turns right keep ahead name ‘Clifton’ appeared which to a footpath. Just past the farm on the translates as ‘the farmstead on or Extensive gravel working over many left it goes through a gap in the hedge near a cliff.’ It was only later in the 12th years has resulted in large sheets of onto sports fi eld. Keep to the edge; and 13th centuries that separate identities water being created. Some of these round a corner then forward to a gate were given to distinguish South and have been planted up and given over to on the left. Now follow the path between North Clifton. nature whilst the largest is now a boating the houses to reach Trent Lane once and sailing lake. Many species of wildfowl more and the start point. and waders frequent these new habitats. Dusty Hare was 3 Near its end, turn left onto a minor the world road, West Lane, which leads to St Cecilia’s record holder for Church at Girton. After a rest, retrace your points scored in steps back to Green Lane; turn right for 50 fi rst class Rugby metres and take the signposted footpath Union, with 7191, Dusty Hare plaque. on the left via a stile. including 250 for England, and 88 for the Lions. He was not In the Domesday Book, Girton is just a kicking machine however, a talented recorded as ‘Gretone’ meaning fullback with great skill and pace. ‘the farmstead or village on Dusty started his career at Newark, joined gravely ground’ which seems appropriate Nottingham in 1971, fi nally moving to considering the extent of such workings in Leicester in 1976 playing 394 games until the area. The neat, little Church of St Cecilia retiring after the 1998 cup fi nal which was built in 1879 replacing what is thought Cottage garden, South Clifton. Leicester lost to Bath. to have been a 13th century building. Archaeological work at Girton quarry 2 At the top – there are wide panoramic has produced evidence of settlement in views here – go through a wooden kissing the area from the Neolithic, Bronze Age, gate then bear half-left downhill on a path Iron Age, Roman era, Saxon period and to a second kissing gate. Follow the path on medieval times. .