Back

 

Vicar Water and Spa Ponds Country Park at Clipstone

Foldout leaflet with map, detailed directions, and historical information about the route.

Full route 7 miles but options of Spa Ponds Loop (5 miles) or Vicar Pond Loop (2½ miles). Some steep bits  but all paths have good surfaces.

Extract:
'Spa Ponds Nature Reserve is a bit of an oddity - springs and ponds are rare in this district, due to the porous nature of the underlying Sherwood Sandstone rocks. It was established in 1984 and is managed by Notts Wildlife Trust. Three of these spring-fed ponds are medieval, dug in the 14th Century when the area was part of the royal hunting grounds of Clipstone Park, a particular favourite of King John. (The ruins of the hunting lodge, known as King John's Palace, are at Old Clipstone, 2 miles east). If you watch and listen carefully, you will see many different birds and animals, even Kingfishers if you are lucky.

'Clipstone Colliery was sunk by the Bolsover Mining Company, and went into production in 1922. The company also built the new village for the mine workers and their families. This included houses, a school, a chapel, a pub and stores. Miners were attracted to the pit from Nottinghamshire and other coalfields as far away as Scotland.

Vicar Pond was created in about 1870 by the damming of Vicar Water, designed to be a fishery for the Duke of Portland to stock his lakes at Welbeck Abbey, 8 miles north. With the arrival of hundreds of colliers to work the neighbouring pit, bathing in the pond increased in popularity and became well organised, with roped off sections for swimming and marquees on the lakeside for changing.'

Contact:

Email: urban.cycling@nottscc.gov.uk

Tel: (0115) 977 4585

www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk

Information courtesy of various organisations including Nottinghamshire County Council.