This week our former librarian will be taking in the sites around Vicar Water Country Park and Cavendish Wood near Clipstone.

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Start - Car park at Vicar Water Country Park, Clipstone, off B6030
Public transport - Stagecoach bus services 14, 15, 16, and 16A, Mansfield to Clipstone and Edwinstowe, Ollerton and Walesby
Distance – 9.1 Km (about 5½ miles)
Time - allow about 2½ hours plus time for breaks
Walking grade - easy, no significant climbs
Surfaces - mainly good: some stretches may be muddy after rain. Good footwear essential.
Refreshments - Rumbles Catering Project at Vicar Water 01623 424836; Dog and Duck, King's Clipstone 01623 822138
Useful numbers - Bus times 0871 200 22 33
Useful websites - www.rumbles.org.uk
Ordnance Survey Map - Explorer 270, Sherwood Forest

1) From the car park, follow the narrow tarmac road alongside the stream (Vicar Water) towards Vicar Pond. Keep straight on where a footbridge leads to the right and follow the road round to another car park. At the far end of the car park, after crossing another footbridge, you will reach a "T" junction of paths. A signpost indicates that this is the National Cycle Route No 6. Turn left here and walk through a short tunnel and soon afterwards under a former railway bridge.

2) Continue along this track until you reach some industrial units on the right. Where a bridleway leads off to the left, keep straight on. The way varies between a cart track and a well defined path. At one point a wide track leads off to the right towards the site of former colliery sidings. Keep straight ahead and, as you near King's Clipstone, look to your left to see the remains of King John's Palace. It is said that the Kings of Northumbria built the palace, before the time of King John, who used it as a hunting lodge. Edward I held parliament here in 1209. At the Dog and Duck Car park there are information boards which explain the history and topography of the area.

3) On reaching the main road, turn left and walk alongside the road into the village. Take care here as the pavement is very narrow in places and the road is often very busy. Cross the road where it is convenient and, where the main road bends round to the left, take the side road on the right – Gorsethorpe Lane, then in a few yards, turn left onto Squires Lane.

4) Walk past several private houses on both sides and continue along the lane towards Cavendish Lodge. On reaching the lodge, walk past the main gates as the road, now a track, bends round to the left. Notice the old hay carts stored in the outbuildings. Continue on the wide track until another track leads off to the left. Ignore this, but in only a few yards, at the corner of the wood, take the footpath which leads into the wood on the right. This is Cavendish Wood.

5) In only about a hundred yards you will reach a wide track - walk straight on across this track and on to another wide track which slowly curves round to the right and goes downhill. It is soon joined by another track from the left. Keep walking downhill until you reach a bridge over the River Maun. Cross this bridge, but turn immediately left – do not cross the second bridge.

6) Now walk with the Maun and the wood on your left and a long fishing lake on your right. After the end of the lake, there is a short gap before you reach another long fishing lake. Before the end of the second lake, turn left and cross a wide bridge over the Maun. Ascend a gentle slope though the wood. At the end of this track you reach the track you left earlier shortly after passing Cavendish Lodge. This is Clipstone Drive. Turn right here and walk as far as the corner of some school playing fields on your left. Here there is a narrow gap on the left between two wooden posts.

7) Go through the gap and walk alongside the playing fields on your right to the corner of the field where there is a "T" junction of paths. Turn right and step over some concrete blocks to reach a narrow tarmac path which bends round to the left and eventually reaches a small park area with seats. Cross this green space and follow the path round to the left to some trees where you reach a short cul-de-sac in a housing estate with a wide grass verge and some trees. Walk to the end of the cul-de-sac to a road. Cross the road and walk down Seventh Avenue to the main Mansfield Road (B6030)

8) Turn left here and cross the road and then walk towards the entrance to Vicar Water Country Park on the right. Walk along the approach road, past the Rumbles Café to the car park.