We head north again with this issue’s ‘Within an hour of Barrow’ to Clumber Park,
near Worksop, Nottinghamshire. This National Trust property is part of Sherwood
Forest so has woods and heathland to ramble and play in; 20 miles of cycle
paths; and a richly, majestic Gothic Revival chapel.
What drew us to Clumber Park, though, was
the lake, easily-accessible pathways and
free hire of a mobility scooter. We booked
one in advance and it was ready and waiting
for us when we arrived. This meant that my
daughter and I could easily visit the park
with my father, and he could get out and
enjoy somewhere new and open. My father
had a quick demonstration to ensure he felt
comfortable with it, but he is experienced
with his own scooter and this wasn’t any
different, so it wasn’t long before we were
off, exploring. When he was ready, he was
able to walk for a short time because the
paths in and around the woods are smooth
and many of them are on a flat plane. It
meant my daughter had ‘fun’ racing away
with his mobility scooter (probably not
encouraged by the National Trust!). It also
meant that it was easy to picnic on the
wide expanse of grass by the lake.
The park, created by the Dukes of
Newcastle, also includes beautiful walledgardens and, unexpectedly, the National
Collection of Rhubarb! There are more
varieties than you may think. If you don’t
want to take your own picnic, there are
cafes and restaurants in the park with some
of its food supplied by the
variety of fruit and vegetables grown in the
park’s own gardens.
There are lots of lovely walks in and around
Leicestershire, but it’s not always easy to
find somewhere accessible for a wheelchair
user, and there are even fewer places where
you can hire a mobility scooter, so you
are not struggling with dismantling and
reassembling your own scooter.
When we are out of lockdown, this is truly a
lovely place to visit. It’s a good idea to call
them first, on 01909 476592 or email them
on clumberpark@nationaltrust.org.uk to
check on their opening times and to hire a
mobility scooter in advance.
Karisa Krcmar
If you know of a good place to visit within an hour of Barrow (by car, bike, bus, train or foot) please do let us know. Contact: editor@barrowvoice.co.uk