Get Lost Mountaineering

Skellingthorpe Fledborough Normanton High Marnham

Start/Finish

Skellingthorpe community centre where there is usually ample free parking. This is most easily reached from the Skellingthorpe roundabout on the A46 Lincoln bypass. Take the road into Skellingthorpe and the car park is roughly where the cycle track from Lincoln crosses the road.

Distance/Time

39 km/24 miles      About 2 – 3 hours

Introduction

This is a pleasant cycle which is entirely on a sustrans track. From Skellingthorpe to the Harby junction, it is a good tarmac track but less good from Harby to Fledborough, where the sustrans track stops following the dismantled railway, and it is more like a path in places. Unfortunately, although many road bridges cross the sustrans track, it is not usually easy to join these roads unless you like cycling through mud or brambles! The clear highlight is crossing the River Trent on a very long viaduct which is much longer than the width of the river. After Fledborough, the route is on minor roads before returning from Fledborough on the sustrans track.

Route

(1) Follow the cycle track from behind the community centre in the direction of Harby. Soon leave Skellingthorpe behind. After just over 3 km, go under the Doddington Road bridge. Continue for about another 1.5 km to go under the Harby Road bridge. Continue, ignoring the sharp left tiun for Harby. Almost immediately, the track deteriorates and can be muddy in places. Continue ahead, passing some turbines on the right then crossing Wigsley Drain before passing under the Wigsley Road bridge then the South Clifton Road bridge soon after. Soon after, pass the only house next to the track which still has its old level crossing. Continue and go under another bridge, near Moor Farm, then another (on no road) before reaching the remains of Clifton on Trent station. One platform and a station sign remains but the former station buildings are now private and fenced off. Just after the station is the A1133 road bridge, part of the road from Newton on Trent to Collingham and Newark. Continue and soon pass the turn off for North and South Clifton then soon reach the start of the long viaduct over the River Trent. At the far end is an old signal, after which there is what is left of the formaer High Marnham Power Station on the left. Within a mile reach the old Fledborough Station. At the end of the old platform, the sustrans track leaves the track bed of the old dismantled railway and ascends to the road where there are signs. If wanting to continue towards Tuxford, it is best to go by road from here rather than by what is often a muddy cycle way down the side of a field.

(2) From the road at Fledborough, cross back over the sustrans track, pass the former High Marnham power station set well back on the left, pass a large building on the right then soon reach a right turn signed Skegby and Tuxford. Follow this, uphill for a short distance then a longer downhill, to reach a T junction. Turn left, signed for Skegby. Pass through the hamlet of Skegby the follow the road, slightly uphill, to a T junction by a house. Turn left onto Tuxford Road and soon reach Normanton. Pass through the village, passing the church and the Square and Compass pub then leave the village and reach a crossroads where a large factory lies obviously to the right. Go straight over the crossroads and continue into Low Marnham where the road meanders through the village, passing a noticeboard then the church before heading towards High Marnham where there is an uphill section. Pass Marnham Hall and reach High Marnham at a grassy triangle. Turn right and go downhill to reach the Brownlow Arms and a playground. It is possible to cycle to the river but the last 50 metres can be quite muddy. Retrace out of High Marnham but go straight on at the grassy triangle and soon reach the road back to Fledborough. Turn right and follow this ugently uphill then downhill to reach the old railway bridge where the sustrans track can be regained where it was left earlier.

(3) Retrace the sustrans track back to Skellingthorpe.

Notes

(a) This cycle ride took place in December, 2019.