Careering Through Nature: The Rather Unattractive Run to Kelham

Tuesday 19 August 2014

The Rather Unattractive Run to Kelham

I have been planning a walking trip to Southwell, the sort that doesn't involve being mowed down by a car on the increasingly crazed Averham Flash route to that attractive Cathedral village. To think I used to cycle quite happily there at the age of 18 to whatever disreputable party or night in the Admiral Rodney was ahead.

Nowadays, I'd feel unsafe in a tank.

So, having been told by my friends about a really pleasant cross country route to Southwell, away from the main roads, I felt the urge to make a reconnaisance a couple of days ago, before making a full effort in the next week or two.

I'm guessing the route must get significantly prettier once you get past Kelham, and indeed, it does look as if it does, because the Newark to Kelham section is really rather unappetising. It involves a couple of stretches across fairly unpretty fields before a death defying crossing of the bypass followed by the A614, a run across the rugby club, and then a very grim section through stubbly fields to a building site of some kind, before reaching the miasmic stink of Kelham Lane.

It really isn't very nice at all, and having enjoyed the trip through Kelham itself to where the path to Upton heads out across the fields - a far more welcoming looking journey - I was masochistic enough to run back to town the whole length of Kelham Lane, which is a bumpy track of no interest whatsoever with uninspiring views, before emerging by the Sugar Factory.

All the pretties indeed!

But still, it was a useful exercise, and it was mostly new territory to me. It is alwaus reassuring to know that even within a a couple of miles of town, there are places I've never been, places I've never disturbed with my erratic footsteps. Soon there will be more, as I attack the entire route to Southwell, and see what I might see...