Walk 2 Black gold at the heart of The National Forest

An illustrious mining heritage: a legacy of deep collieries, opencast sites, mining subsidence and an elusive new species of rabbit!

Distance: approximately 12 km (7.4 miles) Time: about 4 hours

Park at Conkers Waterside Centre, off the B5003, on Bath Yard, Moira. Check the closure time of the car park before setting off on  your walk.

This circular walk will take you on a journey through the industrial heart of  The National Forest, past former coal mines and opencast sites, to explore aspects of the South Derbyshire Coalfield. In the 19th century, coal was vital to the commercial development  of the region and it shaped both the landscape and the livelihood of the local communities. Walking here today, many people would not realise the past history of the area as the landscape has been changed beyond recognition, first by coal mining, then opencast working and finally by restoration as part of the developing National Forest. As a result, there is little to see today of the Carboniferous Coal Measures rocks that formed the basis of this industry.

The walk begins at Conkers Waterside [1] [SK 30871 15608] the visitor attraction at the heart of The National Forest. Conkers consists of the Discovery and Waterside visitor centres, linked by a small train (‘Conkachoo’). The Waterside visitor centre is built on the site of the old Bath Pits (opened 1813) whilst the Discovery centre is situated at the former Rawdon Colliery (opened 1821). When Bath Pit closed, saw mills and a dry dock for the repair of boats and barges were constructed, and steam locomotives were repaired on the site. On closure, the site was cleared and the area developed as part of the Conkers Waterside visitor centre and National Forest Company offices. How different the scene must look today.

Walk along the tarmac footpath to the right-hand side of the adventure playground. Turn left to cross the Conkachoo line before the bridge, signposted Ashby Woulds Heritage Trail (be aware that the gates will close if a train is coming). Immediately on your right-hand side is a large granite marker advertising the ‘Ennstone Trail’ (note the large white crystals of feldspar, clear glassy quartz and shiny black mica). Walk downhill and pass under a brick bridge [2][SK 30861 15936], then turn left and follow the path past the granite picnic benches and into the woodland [3][SK 30565 16008]. Bear left, following signs for the Ashby Woulds Heritage Trail and Measham. You can see evidence of past mining activities from clues in the landscape: glittering fragments of coal represent all that is left of the mine spoil after restoration. Hollows and depressions in the land surface may be due to mining subsidence, excavation of clay pits or dewatering of coal-washing and slurry ponds. Although it is not possible to see the underlying geology, you are now walking over the Pennine Middle Coal Measures of late Carboniferous age, about 310 million years old, which consist of alternating or interbedded mudstone, siltstone, sandstone and coal seams.

In a short distance you will reach a small pond [4][SK 30546 16076]; there is a cafe on site if you would like to stop for refreshments. Another granite marker and interpretation board highlight the route of the Conkers Circuit and provides more information on the area. Turn left towards Measham to join the Ashby Woulds Heritage Trail. You are now walking on an old dismantled railway track, the Ashby and Nuneaton Joint Railway that opened in 1871 to service the collieries in this area.

Walking along the trail you will notice an ‘Ashby Canal Mine Seam’ marker on your right which gives details of the depths to the coal seams beneath your feet; the Kilburn is the deepest at 353 m. Also notice the old railway signals a little farther along on the left. As you walk along the Ashby Woulds Trail, evidence of Coal Measures rocks can be seen in the soil, in the form of fragments of coal, mudstone and sandstone. Continue on the trail to point [5][SK 31037 15092], where brown signs point the way to the Ashby Canal and Moira Furnace (down a steep set of steps). You can cut the walk short here, by returning to Conkers Waterside via Moira Furnace and the canal.

Continue on the trail until you enter Donisthorpe Woodland Park [6][SK 31117 14988]; a series of interpretation boards relate the history of the area.

As you enter the Woodland Park, you are walking over a small area of sandstone in the Pennine Middle Coal Measures. You can’t see the rocks exposed at the surface as the area has been restored, but there are lots of fragments in the spoil around the park. After the pit closed, 300 000 cubic metres of colliery spoil were redistributed over the site to landscape the area. Since then, over 74 000 trees have been planted, comprising native oak, ash, poplar, grey alder and Corsican pine. If you have time, explore the trails around Donisthorpe Woodland Park, which has many paths that are accessible to disabled visitors (contact The National Forest Company for the ‘Access for All’ leaflet for this area). Otherwise, continue on the Ashby Woulds Trail, crossing a small bridge over a stream [7][SK 31289 14747]. As the trail gently rises, keep straight on the main path towards the entrance gates of the park [8][SK 31570 14036].

Leave the park and cross the road, turning right towards the church car park. If you have time, visit the church [9][SK 31487 13964] and stop for a moment to examine its walls, which are built of Carboniferous sandstone. Evidence can be seen in the sandstone of graded bedding (coarse sand- to grit-sized grains that grade upwards into finer sand) and cross-bedding (pp.8 and 10). Cross back over the car park and walk downhill, following signs for the Ashby Woulds Trail. At the bottom of the hill bear left towards the houses [10][SK 31763 13698], leaving the main trail, and notice the old brickyard chimney on your right.

The mysterious tree rabbit, Oryctolagus cuniculus arborealis, has been allegedly sighted at several locations in the Donisthorpe area. This unique species is thought to have evolved from a single breeding pair of rabbits that burrowed into the local coal workings at the turn of the century. Within a few generations they had evolved black fur and a specialised retractable claw on their forelimbs which enabled them to cling on to vertical surfaces underground. They are also accused of gnawing the wooden pit props of older mines and damaging roof supports, which led to wide-scale subsidence on the surface. Eventually the rabbits left the mines for a new life on the surface, possibly due to mine closures, as the first sightings occurred after Oakthorpe Colliery closed. At risk again from predators, they used their retractable claws to climb and hide in trees and disused buildings. Since Donisthorpe Colliery closed in 1991, there has been a spate of sightings in the area, so keep your eyes open and have a closer look at the chimney. Whether this enigmatic creature really does exist is a matter of conjecture as there is no hard scientific evidence to support the phenomenon. However, local conservationists are keen to investigate this potential new species and many locals heartily believe in the rabbit’s existence.

Continue downhill to cross a metal stile, entering a field. The path continues to the right of the pond in front of you. Saltersford Valley is immediately recognisable due to the large areas of open water known as ‘flashes’. When coal was excavated, the ground gradually subsided causing the Saltersford Brook to flood the area. The valley was left derelict after the mines closed, but has since been improved and is now designated as a local nature reserve.

Follow the path and cross a small footbridge between the two ponds [11][SK 31994 13487]. Continue uphill towards the houses, passing the Lowlands Farm Woodland on your right, a new woodland created through ‘The National Forest Changing Landscapes Scheme’ in 2009. Continue uphill and turn immediately left after a large metal gate [12][SK 32197 13297]. Cross a stile into a field; the undulating ridge running east to west through the field marks the line of the former Ashby Canal. Although not visible, you are still walking over the sandstone-rich Pennine Middle Coal Measures. Continue on the path until you meet another footpath on the left [13][SK 32318 13375] . If you have time, take a small detour to the Saltersford Valley Picnic area [14][SK 32254 13551], a lovely place to explore and have a picnic. The 5.4 hectare (13 acre) site consists of woodland, mining flashes and meadows and has a rich variety of water birds. The native woodland is planted with oak, ash, cherry, hazel, guelder rose and dogwood and the wildflower-rich grassland areas are managed as traditional hay meadows. On the banks of the flashes there are fishing platforms suitable for disabled users and a wooden boardwalk gives access across part of the lake.

Return to point [13][SK 32318 13375], turn left and continue to the road; cross over and turn right to a footpath on the left, signed ‘Willesley Wood ¾ mile’[15][SK 32542 13317]. Follow the yellow footpath markers across two fields towards the barns of Lowlands Farm. Continue on the grassy path (which follows the towpath of the old Ashby Canal) past the farm buildings, and descend to the left-hand side of the lake [16][SK 32958 13665], another mining flash. You have now walked on to lower-lying ground of mudstone-rich Coal Measures that are softer and less resistant to erosion than the more resilient sandstone (behind you). The edge of the ridge crossing the field may be a fault, separating the two different rock types.

Walk past the lake and through the woodland until you cross a stile and enter a clearing. Take the path to the left into the Oakthorpe Picnic site, which stands on the remains of the former Oakthorpe Colliery.

After 100 m notice the hard-standing remains of the pit-head and two capped mine shafts on the right hand side [17][SK 33168 13916] (‘Oakthorpe No. 2, cap cast 21/02/91’). Continue on the path past the shafts. Follow the path past the picnic tables towards the car park, and then take the path on the right towards Willesley Wood [18][SK 33058 14049]; an interpretation board provides lots of information about the site. Follow the path, bearing right downhill towards the lake [19][SK 33285 14209] and look for evidence of Coal Measures rocks in the soil, which consists of mainly mining spoil. The lake is another mining flash that is quirkily known locally as the ‘Thortit’ Lake; it is only 1 m deep and stocked with carp, pike and tench. The lake formed in the early 1980s as underground mine workings collapsed causing subsidence. The woods are also known as Thortit Woods; apparently the pit heads were so well hidden in the woods that locals commented ‘who’d a thought it’.

The Ticknall Tramway once crossed the site from Willesley crossroads (along the line of the present footpath) westwards to the Willesley Basin on the former Ashby canal. If you have time, explore the woodlands and meadows around the site. Today Willesley Wood is owned and managed by the Woodland Trust and covers 56 hectares (138 acres) in total; it was one of the first new woodlands to be created in The National Forest in 1991, and is home to the rare native black poplar.

Retrace your steps back to the Oakthorpe car park, turning right up the main tarmac path; look out for signs of past mining activity in the woodlands here, in particular, a rusty metal track that could be the remains of the old tramway. Exit the main gate on to Ashby Road, cross the road with care, and then pass through the gate into Hick’s Lodge [20][SK 32806 14322]. Follow the bridleway north to the brow of a small hill and stop to admire the panoramic views over Hick’s Lodge. Once an opencast site, it has been restored creating new woodland and ecological habitats including wetland areas and species-rich grassland. Continue downhill towards the lake, where the path splits in two and take the path to the left [21][SK 32803 14924]. In contrast to other water bodies seen on this walk, these lakes are not mining flashes; they are man-made features, dug out during restoration and landscaping of the opencast site in 2005/6. There are two islands on the main lake, created to provide nesting areas for ringed plovers and lapwings. If you have time, explore Hick’s Lodge at your leisure — it is possible to complete a circular route around the site. The new National Forest Cycling Centre opened on this site in Spring 2011, complete with visitor centre and cafe. Eight miles of safe, off-road, family-friendly trails and cycle paths have been created on the site.

After approx 300 m you will see a wooden footpath marker on your left. You will need to veer off to the left of the main path here [22][SK 32412 15221] to follow more footpath markers, slightly downhill, towards another small lake (on your left). Continue to follow the footpath markers until you enter the woodland of Newfield Colliery [23][SK 32284 15633] then follow a small overgrown path in a westerly direction through the trees. On first entering the woodland, look out for a ditch and a bank of earth crammed full of broken clay pipes, which are probably left over from previous clay-working at the colliery.

Continue on the path through the trees until you reach a large clearing — this represents a flattened area of mine spoil that has been left to naturally regenerate as heathland. Today, Newfield Colliery is typical of the habitat which can form naturally on restored colliery spoil. The site is a five hectare nature reserve, including areas of heathland, acid grassland, and oak/birch woodland. There are several small mining flashes, water-filled pits and pools in the woodlands that are rich in wildlife and plant life, including Sphagnum moss. Spend some time investigating the evocative and atmospheric woodlands at Newfield Colliery; elusive traces of its past industrial heritage are hidden in all corners of the woodland.

When you are ready, walk in a north- westerly direction parallel to the woodland edge, following the footpath markers towards a fence that marks the boundary of the site. Cross the stile [24][SK 32152 15612] and walk along the field boundary (notice the capped mine shaft in the middle of the field) to a metal gate, marking another entrance to Newfield Colliery [25][SK 32020 15609]. An interpretation board provides more information on the old colliery and yellow waymarker posts highlight the route of the Ivanhoe Way. Enter the woodland and continue on this leafy path through the trees for several hundred metres, following the yellow waymarker posts, until you meet the road. Turn right and after 50 m, cross the road and turn left [26][SK 31624 15272] to follow the Ivanhoe Way towards the canal. The path continues beside the canal (notice the rusty remains of an old pumping engine on your left) towards Moira Furnace. Turn right over the swing bridge and explore the area. The furnace is now a museum and heritage centre; a tearoom, craft units and toilets are nearby [27][SK 31402 15205].

Return to the canal and turn right on to the towpath (sign-posted Donisthorpe) and walk past Moira Furnace. After approximately 150 m turn right through a metal gate and walk downhill on a path towards the limekilns [28][SK 31381 15018]. Look closely at the limekilns — they are built with blocks of creamy-beige, medium-to coarse-grained Carboniferous sandstone. Some of the blocks display well-defined horizontal bedding planes and graded beds, which consist of a layer of coarse grit that reduces in size (or ‘fines’) upwards to a fine-grained sand. You will also be able to pick out cross- bedding (pp.8 and 10) in the sandstone, defined by layers at a high angle to the bedding planes. Some of the sandstones are strongly coloured by secondary iron oxide minerals that were precipitated after the sediments accumulated.

Follow the path that leads directly away from the limekilns and canal and enter ‘Pit Prop Wood’ through a wooden gate [29][SK 31323 15046] carved with its name. This lovely atmospheric old woodland is full of character, and invites you to explore further; follow the meandering leafy paths, cross the timber boardwalks and admire the unusual sculptures at leisure. Depressions in the woodland floor are all that remain of the former ironstone/clay pits that were excavated in this area. When ready, make your way back to the canal and Moira Furnace. Turn left onto the towpath, signposted towards ‘Moira Lock, Conkers Waterside and Bath Yard Basin’. After about 300 m you will reach Moira Lock [30][SK 31372 15447]. Cross the road with care and continue along the canal towpath until you reach your starting point near the canal basin at Conkers Waterside.

Figures

(Figure 59) The ‘Conkachoo’ train connects the Conkers Waterside to the Discovery Visitor Centre. Photograph © Charlie James, courtesy of NFC.

(Figure 60) Hicks Lodge opencast site. Photograph © UK Coal.

(Figure 61) Walk 2 route map. Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database rights 2011.

(Figure 62) Ashby Woulds Heritage Trail, the line of an old railway track.

(Figure 63) Meandering paths at Donisthorpe Woodland Park, created on the site of the former Donisthorpe Colliery, which closed in 1990.

(Figure 64) Reedbeds at ‘Thortit Lake’, Willesley Wood, another mining flash.

(Figure 65) Walking on one of the many paths through Willesley Wood. Photograph © Annette McGrath, courtesy of NFC.

(Figure 66) Section of the Ivanhoe Way long-distance footpath, as it enters the woodland of Newfield Colliery.Photograph © Annette McGrath, courtesy of NFC.

(Figure 67) View inside one of the old limekilns close to Moira Furnace and the Ashby Canal. Photograph © Annette McGrath, courtesy of NFC.

(Figure 68) The rewatered Ashby Canal between Conkers Waterside Visitor Centre and Moira Furnace. Sarah’s Wood can be seen on the far side of the canal. Photograph © Annette McGrath, courtesy of NFC.