Wednesday 26 February 2014

The Walking Group - Doncaster Walk

On Sunday, we joined the walking group on their Doncaster walk.  We met at Kirk Sandall and started our walk by the old church.  The church is really pretty, but has ended up almost in the middle of an industrial estate which is a shame.

It was a very grey and blustery day, but thankfully dry for the whole of our walk.  This area of South Yorkshire is very flat - just the sort of walking I like!!
We walked along by the side of the Canal for some time.
The leader of our walk surprised us with a welcome tea stop - this fantastic Coffee Boat which was doing a roaring trade.  Some of our group tested the Whisky and Walnut cake which looked fantastic - I resisted!
Refreshed, we marched on until we got to St Mary's Church at Kirk Bramwith.
We discovered that they were holding their annual Snowdrop festival and so the church was open for us to look around.
The inside of the church is beautiful and the ladies who were helping out were so very knowlegdable.

The church has great links to the military and it's patron is none other than HRH the Queen of England.  According to my guide, HRH is always very forthcoming with cash for repairs etc.

She recently sent this kneeler for the church and insisted that it wasn't put in a glass case, but put out to use.
It was the walking groups family walk and we had 3 children with us, so the lady explained about the mice in the church.  The church has 14 mice carved into the woodwork by the "Mouseman of Kilburn"
I think I was more thrilled about these than the kids!
These must have been made when Robert Thompson was very young as they were carved in the mid 1930's.
The church ladies were providing tea and cakes, and so we had tea stop no 2 - approx 10 minutes after tea stop no 1!!!  You can tell why I like this walking group!
Each pew in the church bears more of Robert Thompson's work with carved dedications to local men who gave their lives in World War 1 or 2.  The church is well worth a visit if you are local and get chance whilst the Snowdrop festival is on.
So onwards we went - over farm land and past some lovely old buildings - "ripe for renovation " as they say in Estate Agent language.
You know I can't resist a distressed green door!
We had a great walk - it really is a lovely walking group with plenty of stops for a girl with a camera!
We are looking forward to the next one.

10 comments:

Young at Heart said...

ooh does look chilly.... love the wooden rodents!!x

Curtise said...

I think I could manage that sort of walking group - two tea breaks, now you're talking! The church looks very interesting, and I would have got a bit giddy about the mice too! xxx

Louise said...

sounds like an interesting walk and I like that it had two tea stops! I've seen those carved mice somewhere... must have been in one of my books - or perhaps a few other churches have similar ones.

Lyn said...

I enjoyed this walk with you Diane. How good is that....two tea and cake stops!
Xxx

Anonymous said...

You seem to have found your niche group.

The church was lovely and I did like the mice and the windows.

Rosie said...

Sounds like a lovely walking group to be part of with lots of easy walking, refreshments stops and lovely buildings to photograph along the way. I love the mice and the church looks fascinating:)

Mac n' Janet said...

Nice walk, whiskey cake sounds delicious. I love the Mouseman's mice!

Gilly said...

What a great walking group!! Will you get two tea stops on the next walk?? Lovely photographs, too - you always make me feel I have been there!

Lisa said...

I now have the song 'what's behind the green door?' going through my head!
How wonderful to get 2 tea stops on your walk. I love the sound of the church you visited with such fine examples of the mouse carvings.
Lisa x

Unknown said...

Great post Diane. Loved that little stroll along with you. x