When the Robin Hood Line train passes Newstead Village, you wouldn’t know there’s a huge country park with five lakes and an interesting history – it’s the former site of the Newstead and Annesley Collieries’ tip and railyard. The lakes were originally created to manage waste water from the pits. It’s now a wildlife haven and a lovely place to walk. I’ve done a lot of walking here, so I want to share a bit of the history, some photos (of course) and advice on when to visit and how to get here.
Annesley Colliery opened in 1865 and Newstead Colliery in 1874. Before the lakes were created, the park was just a tip, but waste water ideally needed to be returned to the River Leen, so the lakes were dug out in 1980 to drain harmful minerals in the water first. They were abandoned when Annesley Colliery closed in 2000 and have since become the healthy lakes they are today.
The fishing lake
If you approach from the Newstead side, this is the first lake you’ll see. There are two halves joined by a small stream. Around the bottom half is a proper path with several spots to sit and fish. Quite a while ago they started building a visitor centre here, but it has sadly never been completed.
The top half of the lake is further up the hill and other than the main track that goes past it, there are no proper paths, but you can easily walk around it – just make sure you bring shoes you don’t care about on rainy days. You can definitely tell they used to dump a lot of clay here. The mud is sticky enough to pull your hiking boots off if you’re not careful.
These photos below are of the top half. It occasionally freezes over in winter.
There are a few paths out of the park around the top half. One leads to the wind turbine, some small ponds and fields beyond where, if you’re feeling intrepid, you could go looking for a very pretty fishing pond. You can also veer off to the road to Newstead Abbey from the fields. Another path, on the far side of the lake, has two options: over a hill or along the far side of the bottom half of the lake. They both end up at an old railway bridge and eventually, the roads to Newstead Abbey and Linby Village. You can also exit the park via the bottom half of the lake or via a sports field from this path.
The middle lagoon
When you climb the hill past the top half of the fishing lake, you’ll see this one. In recent years it has unfortunately been fenced off because dirt biking and dog attacks were affecting the wildlife, but there’s still a great view. Back when the collieries were active, the clay and metals in the waste water would have begun to filter by the time they reached this lake.
There’s a stack of tyres here that has been rearranged several times over the years, but always remained. They’re part of the landscape now. I don’t know the history behind them or how long they’ve been there though.
From this lake you can walk up to the top lagoon, down to the bottom one, past the lake to Annesley or into the woods and fields. If you approach from the Annesley side, this is the first lake you’ll see.
The top lagoon
You’ll usually see quite a few dog walkers at the park, but this lake is always quiet since you reach it by turning left off the main track by the middle lagoon. Fences have also been installed here since I took the photo above, but they’re low and don’t spoil the view.
This is where the waste water from the pit would have started its journey before filtering into the middle and bottom lagoons.
The bottom lagoon
This lake is the furthest one from the main track, but you can complete your walk around the park by walking down from the middle lagoon to this one.
The waste water from the pit would have filtered from this lake into these small ponds, which are near the wind turbine, before joining the River Leen.
Check out this map from Notts Birders to see where each lake is in the park.
The colliery wheels
There’s a red wheel commemorating Newstead Colliery right across from the car park at the Newstead entrance. There’s also a blue one commemorating Annesley Colliery near the Annesley entrance. I’m sure I’ve taken photos of the Annesley one but can’t find them. If anyone is interested please let me know and I’ll go and take some new ones.
Glenalmond Pocket Park
When you arrive at the car park in Newstead, there are two paths: one going left and one going right. The right leads to the lakes. The left leads to a small section of the country park called Glenalmond Pocket Park. On one side is the Robin Hood Line and on the other are woods. There are a couple of benches on the way.
Before the paths go their separate ways, you’ll also see a broken wall between them, which is decorated with well done graffiti that often changes.
How to get there
Newstead entrance address: Newstead and Annesley Country Park, Newstead Village, Nottingham, NG15 0BS
Annesley entrance coordinates: 53°04’35.9″N 1°13’47.4″W
- By car: There’s quite a big car park at the Newstead entrance and as of 2023, parking is free. You might be able to park on the streets around the Annesley entrance but the Newstead one is a much better option.
- By train: The Newstead entrance is just a few minutes from Newstead Station. Take the EMR train for Worksop or Mansfield Woodhouse to Newstead. Make sure your train actually stops there – there are two every hour and the ‘fast’ one skips Newstead. Turn right from the station and right again at the railway crossing. The car park will be on your left.
- By bus: For the Newstead entrance, take the Trent Barton 3A bus to Newstead Triangle and walk down Tilford Road to the railway crossing. The park is just past it on the left. For the Annesley entrance, get off the same bus at Moseley Road.
When to visit
I’d definitely recommend a sunny day. Good weather makes all the difference here. It can look quite bleak on a grey day. I brought a friend here who came to Nottingham just because of my photos of this park, but it was an absolutely miserable day and he was pretty disappointed.
Make sure you bring shoes you don’t care about whenever you visit the park, because the clay in the mud will stain even the hardiest canvas shoes (like my CAT boots).
Facilities
There are no facilities at the park or at Newstead Station. The nearest shop is the village convenience store on Tilford Road. There’s a micropub opposite the car park, on the playing field, but I don’t know if it has a toilet.
For disabled visitors
If you can walk short distances, you should be able to make it to the first lake from the Newstead entrance since there’s a bench to rest on. If you can climb a hill, you’ll be able to rest on the tyres near the middle lagoon and there are a few benches around it. You would also be totally welcome to bring a camping chair with you. Bird watchers do it all the time.
A wheelchair should be able to reach the fishing lake on a dry day, although it’ll be a bit of a bumpy ride. The ‘proper’ paths are still dirt tracks. I wouldn’t bring a wheelchair on a rainy day. There’s too much (very sticky) mud around.
Things to see nearby
- Annesley Forest (0.4 mi): The Rosselsike Wood part of Annesley Forest runs along Hucknall Road, which is at the top of Newstead Village. If you get the bus to Newstead, it’s right by the bus stop coming from Nottingham and opposite the one coming from Mansfield.
- Linby Village (1.5 mi): Linby is a picturesque rural village that won Nottingham’s ‘best kept village’ award in 2013.
- Joe’s Wood and Pond (1.5 mi): Little-known fishing ponds and a wood off Hucknall Road.
- Newstead Abbey (1.6 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. Note that you CANNOT drive to the abbey using the road near Newstead Station without permission. You have to go the long way round via Ravenhead.
- Annesley Old Church (2.1 mi): The remains of a medieval church that’s supposedly haunted.
- Church of St Mary Magdalene (3 mi): Byron’s burial place and a quaint little church in Hucknall.
- River Leen Fishing Pond: As you’ll know if you’ve read the post about it, I’m not exactly sure how to get there, but if you’re feeling intrepid, try to find this lovely fishing pond near the park!
If you have any questions about the park or general area, feel free to comment!
Atlas and a Camera 