June Walks Giveaway: Ruddington & the Great Central Railway, Notts

This walk is reproduced from our popular walking book 'Nottinghamshire - A Dog Walker's Guide'. A dog isn't required, but if you do have one, they will LOVE this walk. 

📥 To download this walk and take it with you, click here!

RUDDINGTON & THE GREAT CENTRAL RAILWAY, NOTTS

Distance: 4.5 miles 

WALK HIGHLIGHTS

Here is a great family walk which, of course, also includes the four-legged member, as there is something for everyone. There’s an extensive play area for the children, industrial heritage for transport enthusiasts, outstanding views and a lovely nature reserve. The route passes through Rushcliffe Country Park, which has over five miles of pathways, wild flower meadows and over 400 species of trees.

HOW TO GET THERE & PARKING 

Take the A60 south from Nottingham, signed for Ruddington and Loughborough. On leaving Ruddington turn right at the last roundabout which has a brown information sign for Rushcliffe Country Park and the Transport Heritage Museum. Continue to the next roundabout and then turn right. The car park is on the left. 

There is a large car park at Rushcliffe Country Park, with a machine for
suggested donations of £1 to help with the upkeep of the park. (GR: SK 575322). OS map: Explorer 260 Nottingham.

THE WALK

1. Walk past the country park buildings, keeping to the right. There is a lake in front of you. Dogs should be on the lead in this area. Turn right and take the wide path with the lake on your left. Take the next path on the left, still walking round the lake. Ignore the dog-walking areas on the right and continue to a T-junction.

2. At the T-junction turn right and follow the wider path to a Y-junction. Keep right here and follow the wide path with meadows on either side. The meadows are home to over 100 species of wild flowers. There is also an abundance of birds in the park, including yellowhammer, reed bunting, dunnock and redstart. The barn owl boxes are also home to little owls and kestrels. Amongst the reptiles present are grass snakes, great crested and smooth newts, and redeared terrapins. 

Continue along the path passing a seat and a sign for The Hedgerows. Just after the sign take a grassy path on the left which bends to the left and reaches a yellow barrier.

3. Pass round the barrier and out of the park. Continue straight ahead up the tarmac road towards some farm buildings (Moor Farm). The road bends to the left with a farmhouse on the right. There is a gap in the hedge halfway down the road with a footpath sign.

4. Go through the gap and turn left. Follow the path round the field for about ¾ mile. Halfway down the field the path passes from the right to the left-hand side of the hedge. On reaching a Tjunction, turn right and follow the path until you reach a railway embankment.

5. Cross the preserved railway line with care and directly turn right following a path with the railway line on your right for about a mile. 

6. Eventually you reach a farm road. Turn right over the bridge and follow the
road to reach a barrier. At the barrier turn right, back into Rushcliffe Country Park. Keep to the path on the left past the children’s play area. It is possible to see the railway lines running into the Heritage Centre on the left. For a better view, stand on the white walkway bridge on the left. Continue along the original path which takes you back to the car park.

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