O is for Outwoods

O is for Outwoods – and another update for an entry in my book, ‘A-Z of Loughborough’!

I am thankful that I took the opportunity to go for a long walk in some of the areas surrounding Loughborough yesterday, on what was a beautifully sunny and clear afternoon, after a morning of heavy rain. Not only that, I’ve just read that the next phase of the project to return the Outwoods to its ancient woodland species is about to begin, and much of the Outwoods will be closed from 1st November until 24th November while many of the non-native trees, mostly conifers, are felled. I wrote about the first stage of this project in the book, so I’m keen to keep up with the progress of the work. There are some FAQs about the project on the council website, but essentially, the non-native trees are being felled to allow more oak trees to grow, and to encourage the growth of flora on the woodland floor.

On my walk, I took the path off Valley Road where it joins Belvoir Drive and headed up to the Outwoods. Along the way I passed the site of the new cemetery, which is beginning to take shape, and from the fields close by there were some lovely clear views of Loughborough.

Part of the new cemetery

Nanpantan Sports Ground

Reaching the Outwoods itself, I stumbled upon a memorial bench, and then took a very circuitous route, eventually ending up in the car park off Breakback Lane, where I saw all the work that’s been done on the ranger’s hut that is going to be a café.

 

Artwork in the wood

Then I followed the path that runs parallel to the road, before exiting onto the road, and then turning left into the bridleway that is Brook Lane. I walked all the way along Brook Lane, where there were some fabulous views back across Loughborough, and I noticed I could even see Stanford Hall from there.

Stanford Hall in the far distance

Looking back at the Outwoods from Brook Lane

Brook Lane came out at the junction in Woodhouse Eaves, where the Bull’s Head is on the corner, and after a quick cuppa in the local cafe, I walked to the village hall, but took the path just before the hall.  A new tree had been planted here, in honour of people who had died during the pandemic.

This particular path took me all the way to School Lane in Woodhouse, and I walked up past Pestilence Cottage, and stopped to look at the memorial at the church, and the new memorial bench in Woodhouse, which was close to the church.

Crows' nests

From here it was an easy walk through the village of Woodhouse, and at the end of the village I turned down the path to Beaumanor Hall, taking the right-hand path to come home via the path alongside Mucklin Wood, and then through the Grange Park Estate.

 

The Lodge to Beaumanor Hall, designed by William Railton,is currently for sale

         

Posted by lynneaboutloughborough 31 October 2021

You are welcome to quote passages from any of my posts, with appropriate credit. The correct citation for this looks as follow:

Dyer, Lynne (2021). O is for Outwoods. Available from:https://lynneaboutloughborough.blogspot.com/2021/10/o-is-for-outwoods.html  [Accessed 31 October 2021]

Take down policy:

I post no pictures that are not my own, unless I have express permission so to do. All text is my own, and not copied from any other information sources, printed or electronic, unless identified and credited as such. If you find I have posted something in contravention of these statements, or if there are photographs of you which you would prefer not to be here, please contact me at the address listed on the About Me page, and I will remove these.

You can leave comments below, but do check back as my reply will appear here, below your comment.

Thank you for reading this blog. 

Lynne