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| Eakring Church |
I had planned to visit the cinema yesterday to watch "The Revenant" but with bright blue skies and wintry sunshine confidently predicted, I decided to forego that pleasure. Instead, I sought somewhere I had never walked before. My alter ego whispered, "Go east young man" and soon I was driving down to Chesterfield, then east on the A617 towards Mansfield. Through Mansfield then out on the Newark road. After three or four miles I turned left down Eakring Lane.
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| Old shed by Eakring Lane |
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| St Bartholomew's in Kneesall |
I parked by the village church at Eakring and then set off on a very pleasant circular walk that took in three other villages - Kneesall, Kersall and Maplebeck. In between was gently undulating farmland and some stretches of the route I had planned took me across winter corn and beet fields. Then the walking became a little arduous as my purchase upon the ground was troubled by slightly icy muddiness underfoot.
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| The disused telephone kiosk in Kersall |
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| Signposts on Hare Hill |
To walk in unfamiliar territory is delightful. New vistas. A different history. In that part of Nottinghamshire, the field boundaries are marked by hedgerows - not ancient drystone walls and the favoured building material of bygone days was brick - not stone. There are few quarries in the region but our ancestors still managed to build their churches from stone which must have been imported with massive effort from elsewhere.
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The church in Maplebeck
One of only five churches in England dedicated to St Radegund |
Being mid-January, the bright winter sun was on its way to America by 3.45pm so a military march was required to get back to Eakring before nightfall. I had seen an undiscovered fragment of England - chosen randomly but I was not disappointed. It would have been easy to linger thereabouts for a few days - drinking and eating in the pubs, learning more about the area's history and perhaps visiting the oil well museum in the splendidly named Pudding Poke Wood!
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| New footbridge east of Eakring |
You showed reverence to Nature and stone-built churches instead of seeing "The Revenant" - you can always return and see the movie!
ReplyDeleteI'm looking forward to seeing the film myself; and I do hope Leonardo diCaprio receives a Oscar for his performance. I fell in love with him for his acting ability when I first saw him in "What's Eating Gilbert Grape" back in 1993...he was only a young fellow when he made that. (And of course, he is a fellow Scorpio with the same birth date as my one...different year, of course)!
That was a clear blue sky and its lure would've been difficult to resist.
From this comment, I deduce that you fancy Leonardo! I bet you have got posters of him all over your bedroom walls! If he ever comes filming in Queensland you should offer to put him up. I thought he was great in "The Beach" and indeed "Titanic" - far less convincing in "The Gangs of New York".
DeleteNo...I don't "fancy" him that way, the way you infer. I like his "acting ability". As for "Titantic" - in truth, I didn't much care for the movie (I'm probably the only person who felt this way about the film). And at the time, I wished he hadn't gone down the path of the "blockbuster". Maybe I didn't see it on the big screen, and watching it at home I fast-forwarded it. Maybe I should get hold of the DVD and put a day aside to watch it again without having my finger on the F-F buttone!
Delete"The Departed" remains a favourite of mine. I did like "The Gangs of New York"...but then, any movie with Daniel Day-Lewis in it, I will like. Again...I love his acting! I think Day-Lewis is a brilliant actor.
Same here, Lee, when it comes to "Titanic". Never understood the hype around that film.
Delete(Stamping of feet)...Well I liked "Titanic" - so there!
DeleteWhat a perfect looking day to be out and about enjoying the country side. And yes of course, you can always see the movie any time -a wonderful one I must add, a great performance and Oscar worthy.
ReplyDeleteI now plan to see the film next week Blogoratti. Yesterday I was the main character in my self-directed film "Rambling in The North Nottinghamshire Countryside" and yes it was a perfect day. It's a shame to be indoors on a day like that.
DeleteI wish you had visited the oil well museum. I didn't know there was such a thing and I'd love to hear more.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.dukeswoodoilmuseum.co.uk/
DeleteYou only have to post a picture of an old shed to grab my attention. As for St Radegund I'd never come across the name before.
ReplyDeleteWe are both closet shed lovers! And until yesterday I had never heard of Radegund either. Personally, I think her qualifications for sainthood are questionable.
DeleteSt. Radegund - another local girl made good, perhaps? What a beautiful day you had for your walk YP.
DeleteShe was I believe French CG. Search for her on Gooball.
DeleteI wish my age and physical condition permitted such wonderful ramblings. Your photos, descriptions, and the wonderful English place-names are very much anticipated and enjoyed from this side of the pond. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThank you for coming with me Mary. I am happy to be your virtual walker. And you know all those old place names have history and evolution. Their origins can be quite fascinating. Eakring for example means "ring of oaks" - derived from a Scandinavian language.
DeleteThe name Radegund has somewhat Scandinavian overtones, does it not?
DeleteYes CG, that is what I thought but she appears to have lived and done her saintly stuff in France.
DeleteI wish we had such beautiful places to wander here, with old, old churches dedicated to obscure saints. The oldest building within a 20 mile radius of me is probably the crappy mall where I work. :(
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a camp counsellor in the woods of Ohio I had a powerful sense of the old native American presence. They didn't build much but they left their trails and their spirit. I guess that's the same in South Carolina - The Waccamaw, Congaree and Sugaree... and many other tribes. Their ghosts are still around.
DeleteThis is a perfect example of the kind of post that you do that reminds me how beautiful and interesting and wonderful this land is..whatever the season. Makes me feel a bit ashamed to be reading about it in my centrally heated house and not be out there in it!
ReplyDeleteI am pleased to take you on a virtual walk Libby and you should be thankful that your boots are not as muddy as mine! England is a wonderful country in more ways than one and I enjoy sharing our interesting loveliness with foreign bloggers.
DeleteYour good walk resulted in lots of good photos.
ReplyDeleteI took over a hundred Red. This sis just a sample.
DeleteI guess you are back to wearing your old boots, Mr. Pudding? Beautiful pictures, as usual. Love the churches and the old shed. Thanks for the walk. I didn't slip in the mud either!
ReplyDeleteYes. The old boots Mama Thyme. So glad you came along in spite of your American hunting rifle and constantly exclaiming "Gee whizz! When do we get to see The Queen?"
DeleteThe bright red phone box and the tree/shed combination - top photos Mr. Pudding.
ReplyDeleteMs Soup
But there were three churches Alphie! God will not be happy with you. Don't be surprised if you are struck down by a thunderbolt!
DeleteI think you can easily guess which one of this lot is my favourite picture.
ReplyDeleteIt was a glorious day and indeed would have been a shame to spend hours in a dark cinema.
Makes me want to go out on a nice long walk myself, but it's turned rather cold and snowy now here, so I think I'll stay close to the heating all day.
Now let me see...you like the shed! And don't be a wimp Meike - boots on and out into the snow young lady!
DeleteI'm always amazed that you find so many rural places to trod. Here you pretty much have to stick to pavement or be trespassing. Great 'public footpath' sign!
ReplyDeleteI love the angle of the St. Bart photo. The phone booth is, of course, stunning. I do love the little shed the best. Did you slip inside to eat a tasty snack from your backpack?
I believe that there is no other country on earth that has such a network of ancient public rights of way - protected by law. You could spend a lifetime walking our paths and still you wouldn't have covered them all. No I did not go into that shed Hilly as no public paths lead to it. I just had to admire it from afar.
DeleteAs you say the public rights of way are a unique feature and should be guarded well for the future. They are a wonderful asset for the use of all.
DeleteI envy your ability to drive to a random location and start walking. I'd do it too if I had access to a car! But then again, public transportation gets me almost anywhere near the city...
ReplyDelete