Martyn's Blog

On a pleasant Wednesday at the end of June, the 29th to be exact, I ticked station number 67 of 76 off the list of stations to be visited in the East Midlands Ranger Area. Worksop was the destination, located at the terminus of the Robin Hood Line which runs to there from Nottingham.

I didn’t travel there via Nottingham, though. I caught the direct train from Burton on Trent to Sheffield, and then headed east to Worksop. This was on the same line which took me to Retford just a few weeks previously.

Worksop railway station was opened in July 1849 by the Sheffield and Lincolnshire Junction Railway. It is a stunning looking station both inside and outside, with many old features having been retained and restored over the years. The station is staffed, with a booking office on platform one. Part of the main station building is now a pub (The Mallard Inn), and there is a café on platform two. A level crossing provides a step-free link between the two platforms, though there is also a footbridge.

I left Worksop station, headed for the Chesterfield Canal. The canal runs through the town centre. When I was in Retford, I walked part of the same canal while I was there.

A small pathway close to the canal lock leads to Sandhill Lake, a popular fishing lake, also known as ‘Godfrey’s Pond’. There is a path running around the circumference of the lake.

I exited the lake at the main entrance and walked back to re-join the canal. After walking the canal towpath through the town centre, I left it again and headed down to the historic Worksop Priory (formally known as the Priory Church of Our Lady and Saint Cuthbert, Worksop). The priory was founded around the year 1120. It is no longer a priory, but still operates as a parish church. Close to the priory is the Gatehouse, which was built in 1330 as a place for guests to stay while visiting the priory.

Across the road from the priory is the Memorial Avenue Gardens, a park and open space. This is also next to The Canch, another park. I’ve been to many parks on my travels, but this has to be one of the best. There are facilities galore, including a café, play equipment for children, a skate park and much more.

I also spotted some bee sculptures within the park. These are part of the North Notts Nectar Trail, a sculpture trail similar to the Big Burton Carousel and Burton Swan Trail. In fact the same organisation, Making Trails, is responsible for all of them. I spotted some more in Retford in May, but didn’t take pictures of them.

Thirty bee sculptures are located in various locations around the Worksop and Retford areas, and they will be there until September 2022, when they will be auctioned off for charity.

Outside Memorial Avenue Gardens is the local war memorial, erected just after the First World War.

From the war memorial, I headed back up the road to the railway station. I had another train to catch, but I wasn’t going home just yet. Find out where I went tomorrow.

To be continued…