Southwell - The Minster, Bramley Apple, Workhouse, Byron and Charles 1st

(S/E) Start at the Southwell Trail car park which is next to the Final Whistle pub. The trail was part of the Midland Railway link to Mansfield which closed finally in 1968. Walk past Caudwell’s Greet Lily Mill and cross over the River Greet.

(1) Take the footpath left. The flour mill was closed in 1977 and was converted into residential apartments in 1989.

(2) The footpath alongside the mill follows the meandering River Greet for about a mile to cross the river to the pleasant hamlet of Maythorn. Continue along the minor road, passing “All Mine Cakes by the Lake” café to reach the main road.

(3) Cross the road to the right to take the footpath, left, through Norwood Park by the golf course to the orchard. Keep to the footpath through the Bramley Apple trees and then between the huge area of strawberry plants to reach a road. Continue basically in the same direction while crossing two minor roads and then a narrow fenced path leading through a field, and to a footbridge in a dingle.

(4) On emerging from the dingle take a footpath immediately left which eventually leads to a pleasant wooded walk alongside the Potwell Dyke to a road.

(5) Turn right along Halloughton Road and continue to the main Nottingham road. Turn right and immediately left past the rugby ground. Keep straight on uphill ignoring the road branch to the right.

(6) At the top bear left to find a footpath off left. There are good views over to the Minster as you walk down the footpath before turning left along a path that leads down the side of the school.

(7) Bear right then straight ahead with the children’s playground to your right and the bowls club left. Continue along the road before turning right.

(8) Where the road then turns left, go straight ahead into the Minster grounds. When you have viewed the Minster and the Archbishop’s Palace, continue down Church Road to a footpath on the left where the road bends right. Take the right hand path and keep ahead ignoring paths left and right to meet Newark Road.

(9) Cross the road into a housing estate and either continue ahead or right to eventually emerge on to Upton Road.

(10) Turn left, and take the path left. This area has been planted as a community orchard and runs between the housing estate and the River Greet to emerge opposite your parking spot. Before taking the footpath you could use the opportunity to visit the National Trust Workhouse about 50 yards ahead before returning to the footpath. (S/E)