25-05-2021, 09:20 PM
1
Roberts Rambles 7
Decided to do something different today....Had some business to do at the bank in Doncaster town centre, so I accompanied Mrs Fox on the early number 84a bus. Clouds filled the sky, the rain started and the waterproof came out of the rucksack even before the bus arrived.....Doncaster town centre was fairly busy and most folk were sporting masks. No counter staff in my bank, just machines and someone telling you where to queue....
I started the GPS as soon as I left the bank and began to pick my way first through the town centre, and then through back streets leading out of town....After a mile or too I passed the Keepmoat football stadium, home to Doncaster Rovers....
Lakeside is a very attractive area 3 miles South of Doncaster and was my next port of call after leaving Keepmoat. If you complete a traverse of the lake it will add another 3 miles to the journey. There are quicker ways on my walk home, but the lake is such a pleasant place I couldn't resist it. After the lake there is an entertainment area comprising Vue cinema, Bowling Alley, and various eating establishments. Passing the 'Dome' on the right (swimming, greens bowling and a variety of other indoor activities) I crossed the busy Bawtry Road and arrived at Doncaster Racecourse famous for the Grand St Leger race in September.
The Leger Way is a long road out of Doncaster, quite uneventful with houses lining one side of the road, and a large wooded area well pathed and very popular with walkers and runners. I joined Thorne road and used the toilet in Wheatley Park, another lake where I spent many an hour here with my parents. We knew it as 'The Boating Lake' where you could spend a Sunday afternoon rowing around the lake. Sadly the rowing boats have long gone now and the lake re designed. I believe they have quite a lot of trouble now from vandals. It's still well looked after though, and a group called the 'Friends of Sandall Park' take turns in guarding the park. Park runs are held here regularly, but not being a fan of large hoards of people I prefer to run in the solitude of the country.
12 miles covered today in four hours, it's been a while since I have walked that far....No problems getting to sleep tonight...
Today's Stats......
It rained while walking around Lakeside, still enjoyable for me, but not good for photos...
A 'Flotilla of Swans'? At the otherside of Lakeside. And the rain had stopped....
The ducks have taken over from the row boats on the boating Lake.....
Well! A blokes got to eat.......
I've seen these deer on a few occasions and nobody believes me. I was walking along the busy A18 and they were a long way off.....
The last mile, and on home ground.....
25-05-2021, 09:44 PM
2
Re: Roberts Rambles 7
Foxy, had to collect a Bike today, that will upset bret, anyway, in the old days when having to visit pastures new, I would have consulted maps, to get me to the last 5% of the journey I had never done before. Today I relied on a ten year old TomTom. It blanked half way through the journey so, it was good to know the instincts were still in place.25-05-2021, 09:54 PM
3
Re: Roberts Rambles 7
Originally Posted by spitfire
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Foxy, had to collect a Bike today, that will upset bret, anyway, in the old days when having to visit pastures new, I would have consulted maps, to get me to the last 5% of the journey I had never done before. Today I relied on a ten year old TomTom. It blanked half way through the journey so, it was good to know the instincts were still in place.
25-05-2021, 10:03 PM
5
Re: Roberts Rambles 7
Originally Posted by Mags
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A very interesting tour through Doncaster and the surrounding area, Bob ..... thank you! 
25-05-2021, 11:01 PM
7
Re: Roberts Rambles 7
Originally Posted by OldGreyFox
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I joined Thorne road and used the toilet in Wheatley Park, another lake where I spent many an hour here with my parents. We knew it as 'The Boating Lake' where you could spend a Sunday afternoon rowing around the lake.
26-05-2021, 09:24 AM
9
Re: Roberts Rambles 7
Ah, nostalgia ain't what it used to be.I didn't recognise any of the town. It's probably thirty years since I was there. I could though still take you to the spot where my Lovely Cousin first took my hand whilst the two sides of our family were walking towards the market. She was only twelve, the little minx.
The racecourse I do remember, of course, and Leger Way. I cycled past the one and along the latter to get to and from Danum Grammar as it was then.
There is a road that runs from behind the stands up to the woods. You used to be able to drive around them but now the road ends in a small car park. The road is private and was a favourite spot for driving instructors to start pupils off before taking them out onto public roads.
The woods was our cross country course. I hated it, especially the stinky black glutinous mud if you miss-judged jumping the drainage ditches.
I took my Lovely Cousin and our kids there when they were young, and showed them the spot on the school playing field where I got my nose broken during a rugby match.
I remember the rowing lake. My Uncle/FiL took my brother and me plus our oldest (blood related) cousin out on the water.
Happy days.
I really enjoyed the trip down memory lane. Thanks for showing the piccies.
26-05-2021, 10:47 AM
10
Re: Roberts Rambles 7
Originally Posted by Pixie Knuckles
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I enjoyed that walk - its nice to see towns down south, especially after this past couple of years. The wildlife is lovely (although I have to admit that I thought the deer were actual standing stones, before I read your story! 
) Thanks for sharing
I've seen those deer running around before but either didn't have my camera, or I was too slow to take the shot...
They were that faraway I couldn't see them through the screen on the camera, I just had to point in the right direction, zoom in (that makes me dizzy) shoot and hope for the best. The least they could have done was stop eating and look at the camera.....Cheeeeese!
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