Rufford Abbey Country Park Part 02 - The Lakeside Walk
w/e 07 December 2008
All this week's pictures were taken
with a Kodak DX6490
In Part 1 of our visit
to Rufford Abbey Country Park, we looked mainly at the southern
part of the park around the Abbey buildings and the formal gardens.
Our walk to the northern extremity took us by the side of the
lake and we returned through the trees which cover a large proportion
of the park. To reach the lake though we first had to walk along
a path at the side of a large expanse of open grassland fittingly
called the Long Meadow.
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On reaching the lake the path divides and passes along each side
with a signpost at the junction giving approximate walking times
in minutes to Rufford Mill which lies on the northern boundary
of the park. There was only a couple of minutes difference and
we opted to walk down the path to the east of the lake. Although
this path is just a little way from the water's edge, there are
a number of viewing points and picnic areas that provide ample
opportunity for views across the lake.
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As we neared the Mill, another viewing point provided a place
that gives a clear sight of the bridge that takes the path on
the other side of the lake to the Mill.
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A closer view of the bridge also shows that this is a popular
spot with some of the bird life that inhabits the lake. We also
noticed here that the timings on the signpost were pretty accurate
as some people who had chosen the western route, slightly longer
than our eastern path, arrived almost at the same time and we
had paused several times on the way to take photographs.
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The outflow from the lake runs down a narrow channel and crosses
a minor road at this ford. Could this be the same ford that had
been gifted to Cistercian monks by a relative of William the
Conqueror in 1146? A number of vehicles crossed the ford whilst
we watched. Some like the white van shown went through the ford
at a speed that seemed a little excessive and would have drenched
anyone crossing the bridge on the left.
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This is the same ford seen from the other side of the road and
the motorbike passed through the water at a much more sensible
speed. You can also see here the channel from the lake but no
sign of the ducks indicated by the road sign! Rufford Mill on
the right, the former corn mill is now a complex housing a Garden
Shop, Outdoor Living Store, Tea Shop, the Talbot Suite (which
can be hired for weddings, meetings etc.) and a Visitor Information
Centre. This is also where the second car park is situated.
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There are several routes that we could have taken back to the
Abbey and we chose the one that led along a wide grassy avenue
between the trees. The avenue is known as Broad Ride for pretty
obvious reasons and the picture above shows the view looking
back from the Abbey end of the walk.
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We reached the Abbey again via a path called Queen Mother's Walk.
Local schoolchildren were responsible for the planting along
this path but this is not the best time of year to be seeing
it. Perhaps it calls for another visit in another season. On
a visit like this though we had only scratched the surface of
the features at Rufford Abbey. There's still much to explore
including the Reg Hookway Arboretum, the Silver Pool Nature Reserve,
the Wildwood Theatre, the Ice House the Wilderness Woodland and
even the Animal Graves not to mention the Abbey ruins. Yes it
definitely calls for another visit sometime.
Back to Part 01
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