Responsible WalkingThis walk uses just a few ofour many rights of way toaccess and enjoy thecountryside. A right of way isnot owned by the council, itis a right to pass over privateland. When you go out pleaseremember that almost all theland you cross is in privateownership, and someone’slivelihood will depend on thecrops and livestock there. Our countryside is not just a beautiful place, but aworking environment, pleaseplay your part by keeping ittidy for the people who walkand work there tomorrow.

Take a responsible attitudeinto the countryside, leaveonly footprints and take only photographs.

Follow the Country Code, happy walking!

The Waleswood Walk aroundRother ValleyHow do I get there?Aston has good bus links to other areas in theBorough, for up to dateinformation call the Traveline on 01709 515151 or visit www.sypte.co.ukfor timetables.

The walk starts at RotherValley Park. From the bus-stop follow the access roadinto the park until you reachthe visitor centre, this linkputs about another hour onthe walk in total.

Something to think aboutMany of the paths to thenorth of Rother Valley arenewly restored, up untilrecently the whole area wasan open-cast coal site. Again the walk would not bepossible without the abundanthelp and enthusiasm oflandowners and local people.

Any enquiries please ring 01709 822168

Remember to keep a track of where you are in thedescription, occasionallywaymarks get vandalised and we may not have had time to replace it.

Key

Walk No: 4 The Waleswood Walk around Rother Valley

Doorstep Walk No:4

The Waleswood Walk around Rother Valley

An easy way to explore the beautiful,local countryside on your ‘doorstep’.

Produced by the Rights of Way Team.

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All paths around Aston andRother Valley Park are shownclearly on the OS ExplorerMap 278 Rotherham. Whynot pick up a copy at yourlocal bookshop and deviseyour own walks.

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Includes an Aston – Rother Valley Link Walk

Rother Valley Park - History

Rother Valley Country Park was first suggested in the 1960's as the areas of Mosborough, Beighton and Sothallbegan to expand.

Open-casting of the 300 hectare site began in 1976, andremoved a total of 1.7 million tonnes of high quality coal,the last being taken off site in 1981.

In total 480 000 trees and shrubs were planted on site andBedgreave Mill together with its associated farm buildings,was restored to form a centrepiece to the park.

Abundant Birdlife

The park is abundant in woodland, grassland and hedgerow, ensuringa large amount of birdlife. Keep an eye out and you may see jay,sparrowhawk, woodpecker, little owl, green finch and goldfinch.

With 170 acres of open water within the park Rother Valley offersan ideal habitat for the many species of waterfowl such as teal,tufted duck, widgeon and greylag geese.

The Waleswood Walk around Rother Valley

The map used is based on the Ordnance Survey 1:25,000 mapping with the sanction of the controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office. Crown Copyright Reserved. LAO76287

Rother Valley Country Park is veryaccessible, and links to the TransPennine Trail, the National CycleNetwork and the Cuckoo Way, a 42-mile linear route along theChesterfield Canal. For copies ofany of these publications contactthe Rights of Way team (01709)822168. The time for this walk isbased on an adult walking fairlyslowly and having a few goodrests. As ever, don’t forget to dressfor typical English weather, it canget muddy underfoot at any timeof year. The route has links to pubsand shops at Aston, and there is acafe at Rother Valley Park. For more details, downloads ofalternative route descriptions andthemed guides check out our web-page onwww.rotherham.gov.uk

A Family Friendly WalkThis easy walk passes throughrolling farmland and parkland andoffers an interesting easy routeaway from the busy park. Theshort route should take aboutforty five minutes. Part of the walkcan get boggy, please make surechildren have suitable footwear.Allow about 2 hours for smallerlegs to complete the whole walk.

Doorstep WalkShort, Easy tofollow and localTake a walk through the countryside at Rother Valley Park.

■ This walk will take about11/2 hours, and is almostentirely off public road.It also has a much shortercircuit and short-cut.

■ The award winning RotherValley Park is the base ofour walk, this route linksinto the rolling farmlandabove the valley and has a link into nearby Astonwhere there are shops and pubs.

■ You do not need to read a map.

■ You do not need fancyequipment.

Just follow theDoorstep waymark Start at the

Visitor Centre in theRother Valley Park (see

sidebar), head out onto theaccess road, go right and then

cross the road bridge. Once acrossturn left and follow the broad

path with the river immediatelyon your left. After a while you

will see a large suspensionfootbridge ahead on

your left.

To take theshortcut lookout fora path on your right

more or less opposite thesuspension bridge, follow

this path uphill by the edgeof the plantation andrejoin the main route

at Point 4.

1a

Keep following thepath ahead, you are

following part of the Trans PennineTrail, a 350 mile route from Southport

to Hull, this route forms part of a muchlarger European route called the E8 routewhich links the West Coast of Ireland to

Istanbul. Some 20 miles of the Trans PennineTrail crosses Rotherham, with many potential

shorter link walks such as the one you arefollowing. Stay on the path above the river until

you see a wood ahead on your right, here thetrack joins an embankment and bendsslightly left. Just before this go right,

down a very short bank and thenimmediately right again to follow a path which

heads uphill.

2

Keep going straight and after a very

short time the path levels outwith the wood on your right. Soon you will come to a track.

To have a side trip to Aston where there is a pub and shops, head left for about

50 metres, then right across a small archedfootbridge. Then go straight uphill,

crossing the railway and road via bridges,eventually you will reach Mansfield Road.

Carefully cross this and head straight-ahead up Lodge Lane where

there is a pub and shops. Retrace your steps to return

to the trail.

3

Turn right and follow the track,which heads steadilyuphill, (for those who

have taken the shortcut yourejoin the walk here). Stay

on the track, whicheventually joins a road,

take care on thisshort section.

4

Passing a farm on your right the roadturns right and slightly

downhill before coming to acorner where there are a couplemore houses. Just before these is a path on your right, follow thisalong a track, this heads gently

uphill, then finally steeply down, back into the park.

The visitor centre is to your right, just over

the bridge.

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To join the walk fromAston start at the Aughton

Lane/Worksop Road junction (wherethere are several shops) head downhill

along Worksop Road until you pass AstonJunior and Infant School on your left. Here headleft down Lodge Lane until you reach MansfieldRoad, cross this (taking care as the road is busy) and head down Brookhouse Lane, keep heading

straight as the lane leaves the industrial units behindand crosses the road and railway. The path heads

straight downhill until you reach some ponds, keepgoing straight, crossing a small arched footbridge

and turn left. Follow the description from‘Stay on the track…’ (below left) but when you

reach the road bridge at point 5 do not cross it, instead turn right and head

along the track, then follow thedescription back to the

arched footbridge.