Huthwaite: Nature, Walks and Local History

Brierley Forest Park and Walks

At Brierley Forest Park in Huthwaite, nature and local history come together. Part of the park was created on the spoil heap of Huthwaite Colliery. The park is also home to a wide variety of wildlife, including birds such as skylarks. The creation of part of the park landscape and its wildlife offer two different perspectives on the same area. If you are interested in nature or industrial history, you can consider these topics separately when planning your trip.

The park has a visitor centre with an accessible toilet and refreshments. Check these facilities before your trip. The Low Level Walk starts on Skegby Road and is fully accessible to wheelchair users, people with prams and those with buggies. The Parent and Toddler Walk starts and ends at the visitor centre. The two routes differ in specific ways when it comes to planning your walk: the Low Level Walk is fully accessible, while the Parent and Toddler Walk starts and ends at the centre. Check the accessibility information and path conditions before setting out.

Landmarks and Local History

All Saints Huthwaite was completed in 1903. A service is held there every Sunday at 10 am; check the time before your visit. The CWS Hosiery factory opened on North Street in Huthwaite in 1907. The factory opening came four years after the church was completed: two dates that place different religious and industrial aspects of local history in context.

Huthwaite War Memorial is a Grade II listed structure. It is in the form of a cenotaph and is made of dressed sandstone blocks; a bronze cross and a bronze wreath complete the design. A cenotaph is a symbolic tomb. Dressed blocks are prepared, regularly shaped stone blocks; the term describes the construction more precisely than a general reference to the material. The memorial’s form, dressed sandstone and two bronze elements can therefore be considered as distinct features.

At 16 Main Street, a date stone above the door bears the inscription “B C-E 1737”. The address is locally listed by Ashfield District Council. Unlike the War Memorial, which has a Grade II listing, 16 Main Street is locally designated. This means that two different forms of designation sit side by side: the memorial’s Grade II listing and a locally listed address. The date stone is a distinct architectural detail that connects the doorway with a specific inscription.

Getting to Huthwaite

From Junction 28 of the M1, the route to Huthwaite follows the A38, Alfreton Road and Common Road/B6027. Check the route using current navigation before setting off. For rail travel, Sutton Parkway station is the access point for Huthwaite; it is 3.2 miles away. Check train services in advance. This lets you plan separately for the sequence of roads for driving and the station as a reference point for rail travel.

Discover more destinations: Calverton, East Retford, Nottingham, Clayworth, Worksop, Blyth, Willoughby On The Wolds, Kimberley.

For the broader travel overview: Nottinghamshire.