Bluebell time at Rutland Water

 Monday 21st April

With Harry, Kate and Norma.  We parked at Whitwell, and strolled gently through Barnsdale Wood,

admiring the bluebells ..

…and red campion

and someone’s wild-ish garden

We walked as far as the bottom of the lane at Barnsdale, had a brief pause to admire the lake, then returned. 

The weather was grey, mainly drizzly, then a bit heavier, but still light rain.

We finished with coffee and tea cakes at the Harbour Bar, which was quite full - as expected on a damp Easter Monday.

Around 4 miles.

Drawing and a stroll at Rutland Water

 Tuesday 18th February

With Harry, Esther, Joseph and Hazel.

First a coffee at Whitwell’s Harbour cafe, where we all sat and drew for a while - the cafe was busy but not crowded.

Then we walked round to Sykes Lane, into the cold wind, and back with the wind behind us. Not far, but enough for an airing.

Aconites near Edith Weston village shop.

Empingham to Whitwell Harbour, Rutland Water

 Monday 20th January. With Norma, Kate and Maureen. 4.75 miles.

Across the field from Nook Lane, and through the stretch of woodland.

We followed the path to the end of the dam and through Sykes Lane Car Park, past the Great Tower sculpture.

The weather was grey to begin with, but brightened up a fair bit as we walked.

We continued along the reservoir path towards Whitwell area.

A longish coffee and tea cake break at the Harbour Cafe.

We could just about see our shadows as we walked back.

We even saw a few snowdrops today.

Looking brighter…

Our route:

22nd April 2024 - Bluebells at Barnsdale

22nd April 2024

Kate drove us (me, Norma and Maureen) out to Sykes Lane, and we walked to Whitwell and then Barnwell car park, through the bluebell woods

and up along the access road to the car park, back via the heritage apple orchard.

On the way back we stopped at the Harbour Cafe in Whitwell for coffee and teacake. The walk was around 5.5 miles today.

Rutland Water - Sykes Lane to Barnsdale and back

Monday 29 April 2019, with Maureen, Norma and Eddie. Bluebell time, glorious though the weather was a little dull. About 7 miles.

Empingham to Barnsdale Woods

Thursday 26th April with Maureen. In search of bluebells. About 8.5 miles. Chily and mostly cloudy with a few glimpses of sunshine.

From Empingham village, we crossed the main road and walked down Nook Lane to the footpath between two houses. Through a gate and down across the field. we climbed a stile and followed the path to the entrance to the woods. Then it was over a stile and a plank bridge, through the woods, over another stile, across a field and another stile. This brought us out below the dam.  We kept the fence on our right and headed for the gate which meets the entrance road to Sykes Lane car park.

After this we followed the path to Whitwell and then to Barnsdale. The bluebells were out in force.

 We then returned to Empingham and lunched at the Orchard cafe, Welland Garden Centre in Uppingham.

Empingham, Rutland Water to Barnsdale and back

Monday 26 March 2018, with Marion and Kate. 7.7 miles. A beautiful morning, sunny with very little wind.  Spring in the air, for the moment.  Almost the same walk as last Thursday, but slightly shortened.

The Great Tower

Trees and reflections

A well-earned break

Ready to move

That looked fun this morning

Empingham to Rutland Water to Barnsdale and back.

Thursday 22 March with Maureen. 8.4 miles. Fine morning's walk, with a break at the bottom of the hill near Barnsdale Lodge, then back.  This was followed by lunch at Wellies (again!).

Empingham, Fort Henry, Exton, Whitwell

Monday 06 November, 9.30 am.  With Maureen and Eddie.  Beautiful weather today., after the early frost had melted.  10.78 miles.
Same route as last Thursday.

Along Exton Road, opposite Church Street.  Take second footpath on the right, by a bench.
Keep the woodland on your left, then cut across the field to a stile, and diagonally across the next field. Continue in the same direction and go downhill towards Horn Spinney. There's a stile with a gap beside it, then walk through the spinney and over a real stile.

 The path climbs the shoulder of the hill then down and over a ladder-style stile to the road opposite Horn Mill. Turn left and walk up to the next footpath which goes off to the right.  As we pass the trout hatchery we see the trees of Pug's Park Spinney to the right.

The autumn leaves are still holding on.

A bit of extra exercise

 Follow the path, and climb the stile, head for the bridge over North Brook, walk with Pug's Park Spinney on your right, the gradually downhill toward Lower Lake and Fort Henry Lake.

The sheep on the right is wearing a crow as a hat

Fort Henry

 Take the path to the right of this lake and follow it through woodland and alongside arable land until you reach a flight of steps.

A flight of steps before we turn left

Turn left along an estate road. When the road bends to the left, your path continues straight ahead. After about a mile it meets the Viking Way at a T-junction. Turn left and head south west (with a few dog-legs) , following the Viking Way alongside Tunneley Wood, past the private RC Cemetery and into Exton village.

This may be the Old Pump House. The building in the background is the old school. 

Today we took the road on the left which goes past the present school (Exton and Greetham), then turns into a footpath which takes a slightly roundabout route to the junction with the road to Empingham.

Cross the road on to the well-marked footpath to Whitwell. This comes out in the car park behind the Noel Arms. Cross the A606 and take the footpath up past cottages and the church, then follow the road to Whitwell car park on Rutland Water.

A  better day for photos!

Whitwell church in the sun!

View from the cafe

Worth a coffee stop!  Then we followed the waterside path round to Sykes Lane, pausing to admire The Great Tower, which I always want to call Symphony in C, probably because of the words on the plaque! Hmm.

 The great tower

by Alexander 1980

Mankind is capable of an awareness 

that is outside the range of everyday life.

My monumental sculptures are created 

to communicate with that awareness

in a way similar to classical music

just as most symphonies are not intended

to be descriptive so these works do not 

represent figures or objects

Alexander

It's big - 31 feet high.

We had a look at the beach - not very sandy, or very tempting in the cold weather though.
Then we followed the footpath from the near end of the dam alongside the fence, across a field and through the wood back into the village of Empingham.