As it was summer, the number of strollers was smaller than usual. The group of ten set off from Hatfield Chace and walked along the tree lined bridleway to Broadway, Dunsville.
After crossing the main road, we entered Quarry Park. We walked through a wooded area and onto the extensive field, passing the children’s play areas and the outdoor gym. Surprisingly, nobody wished to ‘have a go’ on the apparatus. We then walked through two lightly wooded areas followed by a more densely wooded area to ‘Carrot corner’ at the far end of the park.
Having reached the Barnby Dun/Dunsville parish boundary we re-entered the woods, wound our way back to the main entrance to the park and back along the bridleway to the pub.
Three more members of the group joined us for a very pleasant lunch at Hatfield Chace.
This area was a former quarrying site and is now a park and local nature reserve. It is an ideal place to enjoy some beautiful nature and scenery including wildflower meadows, woodland areas and a variety of wildlife. There is seating throughout the park along with a few picnic benches. Quarry Park has a highly active ‘friends of’; group who work untiringly to conserve and improve the park. The park has, once again, retained its Green Flag award, a scheme managed by the environmental charity ‘Keep Britain Tidy’ that recognises well-managed parks and green spaces. I really got to know this area and all its seasonal variations during lockdown in 2020 and I feel it is well worth a visit.