Harlaxton Clays Wood

Wood, Forest in Lincolnshire South Kesteven

England

Harlaxton Clays Wood

Walking the towpath of the Grantham Canal Two walkers heading towards Grantham on a restored stretch of the Grantham Canal in a view from Longmoor Bridge, (No. 62).
Swans on the canal, too. — Walking the towpath of the Grantham Canal Credit: Trevor Littlewood

Harlaxton Clays Wood is a picturesque woodland located in Lincolnshire, England. Covering an area of approximately 100 acres, this forest is a popular destination for nature enthusiasts and outdoor adventurers alike.

The wood is characterized by its diverse array of trees, including oak, beech, and ash, which create a rich and vibrant canopy. The forest floor is adorned with a variety of wildflowers, adding to the wood's natural beauty. The area is also home to a plethora of wildlife, such as deer, rabbits, and various bird species, making it a haven for animal lovers and birdwatchers.

Harlaxton Clays Wood offers a network of well-maintained trails, allowing visitors to explore the wood at their own pace. These paths wind through the trees, offering a peaceful and tranquil atmosphere. Along the way, there are several benches and picnic areas, providing opportunities for visitors to rest and enjoy the surroundings.

The wood is open to the public year-round and is particularly enchanting during the spring and summer months when the trees are in full bloom. It is a popular spot for hiking, dog walking, and family outings. Visitors are advised to wear appropriate footwear as some parts of the trails can be muddy, especially after rainfall.

Overall, Harlaxton Clays Wood is a delightful natural retreat, offering visitors a chance to immerse themselves in the beauty of the Lincolnshire countryside. Whether it's a leisurely stroll, a picnic, or wildlife spotting, this wood has something to offer everyone.

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Harlaxton Clays Wood Images

Images are sourced within 2km of 52.904379/-0.70637648 or Grid Reference SK8734. Thanks to Geograph Open Source API. All images are credited.

Walking the towpath of the Grantham Canal

Two walkers heading towards Grantham on a restored stretch of the Grantham Canal in a view from Longmoor Bridge, (No. 62). Swans on the canal, too.

Trevor Littlewood

Grantham Canal: approaching bridge No. 63

The bridge is being approached from the north-west. Due to lighting conditions the already dark footbridge is being viewed against a background of shadowed trees and so is not well seen.

Trevor Littlewood

Grantham Canal approaching Denton Wharf Bridge

Approaching from the north-west, heading towards Grantham.

Trevor Littlewood

Bridge carrying footpath on north side of Grantham Canal

The short bridge carries the canal's towpath across a small stream which also acts as a drain via a 'spillweir' for any excess water of the canal. For a time during the summer of 2022 the bridge was removed so that work could be carried out necessitating a diversion for walkers along the path.

Trevor Littlewood

Grantham Canal north of Harlaxton

Here the canal is seen heading to the east, towards Harlaxton Bridge, which is out of sight around the bend.

Trevor Littlewood

Demarcation line on surface of Grantham Canal

The canal here is heading north towards a bend beyond which the route will be heading west. The demarcation line on the water is between a clear surface and complete coverage by duckweed. The day was a windy one and it's assumed that the small floating plants were blown to accumulate that way. The same distribution was seen at number of other locations.

Trevor Littlewood

Canal surface covered with duckweed

A restored stretch of the Grantham Canal with its surface entirely covered by floating duckweed, interrupted only by a few floating tree leaves. A possible explanation is that although restored and so navigable it's unlikely that the water is disturbed by any craft other than an occasional canoe, as there's no access from the rest of the canal / river system for a vessel of any size.

Trevor Littlewood

Grantham Canal and National Cycle Route 15

Cutting through the NE of this square the newly surfaced cycleway makes for easy cycling and walking.

Kate Jewell

Anglers beware

Notice to fishermen not to fish underneath the power lines. The second pylon is a few feet from the boundary with the next square north.

Kate Jewell

Denton Wharf, Grantham Canal

Go to Link

for lots of facts. A small carpark and picnic area by the water. The slipway was built in 1990 by volunteers so boats could access the canal again. Not much chance of that at the moment!

Kate Jewell

Denton Bridge

Bridge 64 over the Grantham canal. The white painted sign on the far side of the arch says Denton Wharf. Lots of duck weed on the surface.

Kate Jewell

Detail of milepost on Cycle Route 15 at Denton Bridge

The view in the background shows Halaxton Clays Wood and arable farmland in SK8734

Kate Jewell

Grantham Canal, Cycle Route 15 and pylons

The bridge is number 63 over the canal. Very modern! Compare with bridge 64 in this square. The wood on the hill on the skyline is in the next square.

Kate Jewell

Casthorpe Bridge on the Grantham Canal, near Denton

Bridge 63 on the Denton to Sedgebrook road. A total of 46 of the 69 bridges along the Grantham Canal were reduced and culverted in the 1950s as part of a major road improvement programme across the Vale of Belvoir and this is a major obstacle to bringing the canal back into navigation. Raising the bridges to a suitable height is not just a simple task of rebuilding the old hump-back bridges. A further complication is the requirement to conform to road safety laws: a clear line of sight at bridges is needed to prevent accidents. This bridge shows a successful, if rather unattractive, rebuilding.

Kate Jewell

Arable farmland near Denton, Lincolnshire

Large field of wheat, designed for large machinery. Not a lot in this square except wheat, a dismantled mineral railway, a country road and trees.

Kate Jewell

Denton Reservoir

Oh yes, and some water! (See caption on Link .) The western edge of the reservoir clips the edge of the square. The wheat field in SK8633 : Arable farmland near Denton, Lincolnshire can be seen through the trees.

Kate Jewell

Line of old mineral roadway, near Denton

A track leading down to Denton Reservoir follows the old course of a specially-built "lorry road", dating from 1961-2, which was intended to bring iron ore from new ironstone quarries at Barrowby to the mineral railway system that criss-crosses this area. The Barrowby quarries were never, in the event, worked. (Caption amended based on information provided by John Sutton Link )

Kate Jewell

Denton Reservoir

Small reservoir (61 million gallons) feeds into the Grantham Canal. It was completed in 1801 and covers about 27 acres. Popular with anglers and walkers. A very grey day!

Kate Jewell

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Harlaxton Clays Wood is located at Grid Ref: SK8734 (Lat: 52.904379, Lng: -0.70637648)

Administrative County: Lincolnshire

District: South Kesteven

Police Authority: Lincolnshire