Joe’s Wood and Pond, Nottinghamshire, England

Joe’s Wood is a secluded slice of nature with fishing ponds off Hucknall Road in Nottinghamshire. It can be easily reached by public transport and is perfect for a quiet walk, or a unique addition to a day visiting nearby sites like Annesley Old Church.

It took my mum and I a while to find it. We saw it on various maps, but we weren’t sure if we were allowed to go down this road or if it was even the right way, so we put it off. It was a sweaty August day in 2013 when we finally found it. It was indeed the right way and a lovely walk through fields to reach it.

We were rewarded with serene silence and views of the blue sky and trees reflected in the pond. There was just one other person there, a fisherman.

I’m not sure what the origin of the name is. There’s very little information about it online but since a lot of Nottinghamshire’s fishing ponds were developed by individual local anglers, I’m guessing Joe was one of them. That is just a guess though!

There are actually two ponds – the first one you’ll come across, photographed above, which is easily accessible with boards for anglers to sit. The second is tucked deeper into Joe’s Wood and is more overgrown. There are striking views of the hills above from there.

Before we left, the fisherman chatted to us about how nice the woods and general area are. He said it’s a great place to fish, in case you’re interested. We still weren’t sure if we were allowed to be there, but he seemed totally cool with it and there’s a caravan park nearby, so I think it was fine.

How to get there

Coordinates: 53°03’28.3″N 1°13’20.9″W
Closest public address: Hucknall Road bus stop, Nottingham, NG15 0BD

• By bus: This is the easiest way to get here. Take the Trent Barton 3A bus to Hucknall Road. The bus stop is right by the road that leads to Joe’s Wood. It’s a 0.3 mi/500 m walk from the bus stop to the woods. For more info on bus routes, check the Trent Barton website.
• By car: We definitely aren’t allowed to drive down this road without permission. Your best bet is to park in the bays opposite Newstead Cemetery and walk up Hucknall Road (0.8 mi/1.3 km).
• By train: Take the EMR train for Mansfield Woodhouse or Worksop to Newstead. Make sure your train actually stops there – there are two every hour and one is a ‘fast train’ that skips Newstead. It’s a 1.4 mi/2.2 km walk from Newstead Station to Joe’s Wood.

How long to spend at Joe’s Wood and Pond

It’s quite a small area so I wouldn’t plan to spend more than 20 minutes here, unless you’re thinking of scrambling up into the fields beyond. Don’t forget to factor in the time it’ll take you to walk to and from the woods. It’d be a shame to come out all this way and only visit Joe’s Wood, so why not check out the nearby scenery?

Nearby attractions

• Annesley Forest: The Rosselsike Wood part of Annesley Forest runs along Hucknall Road. The closest trail entrance is about 0.8 miles from the road to Joe’s Wood, but unless it’s a bleak winter day, it’s a lovely road so I’d definitely recommend walking down.
• Annesley Old Church (1.7 mi): The remains of a medieval church that’s supposedly haunted.
• Newstead & Annesley Country Park (1.8 mi): Old colliery pits have become lakes in a park.
• Linby Village (1.9 mi): Linby is a picturesque rural village that won Nottingham’s ‘best kept village’ award in 2013. Google Maps suggests a shorter route via a trail, but warns that it includes ‘restricted or private roads,’ so I’m not sure if it’s possible to walk that way.
• Church of St Mary Magdalene (2.2 mi): Byron’s burial place and a quaint little church in Hucknall.
• Newstead Abbey (3 mi walking, 6 mi by car): The most famous and well-frequented of local attractions, but still worth a visit. If you’re into history, the abbey is full of it, and if you’re into scenery, you’ll love the gardens. If you like both, you definitely don’t want to miss Newstead Abbey!

Facilities

There are no facilities here. Bring snacks and water with you and go to the toilet before you leave, especially if you’ll be spending a full day exploring the surrounding area.

When to visit

Unless it’s snowing, I’d avoid winter because it’ll look quite bleak. There’s also nowhere to shelter if it rains, so be aware of that if it’s a rainy day.

If you’ve got any thoughts or questions, feel free to comment. This is a lovely, unspoilt area and I’d love to see more people experiencing it!