11th August 2023, Circular walk from Groby Pool car park via Newtown Linford. Approximately 4 miles.
Our usual leading team were taking a well earned holiday in the North East and had delegated leadership of this walk.
We met at Groby Pool Car Park just after 11am. The start was to be at 11am however the walk leader managed to miss the turn off the A46 so was a few minutes late.
Eighteen of us walked out of the car park and took the path towards Groby Pool.
We admired the ducks, swans and moorhens on the Pool and continued along the path which runs parallel to the road until we came back onto the Groby Newtown Linford road where we took the left hand footpath towards Lady Hay Woods and the National Forest Way.
We passed some milk cows, went through the muddy gate and kept on until we turned right on to The National Forest Way, going towards Newtown Linford.
Care is needed where the path crosses the Groby to Newtown Linford Road at a fairly tight bend. We continued along the N.F. Way dropping down into Newtown Linford opposite the Parish Church.
Time now for cake and coffee, we had a choice of three cafes. Here we met up with four of our regular walkers who just joined us for coffee this week.
After a pleasant break in the sunshine we continued along the Main Street taking the footpath off to the right, past a few houses, then across the fields towards Sheet Hedges Wood.
We walked round the edge of the wood walking through wild flower meadows, past a couple of wind turbines and the fishing lake until we were back to the main road. A short walk and we are at Groby Pool Car Park.
It was a fine day for walking, dry and not too hot.
The walk took in two named woods – Lady Hay and Sheet Hedges. Despite some furious googling I was unable to trace a source for the names.
Looking forward to next week when we have a short walk followed by lunch with one of our walkers who is visiting here after moving south.
