Old teversal is the setting for D.H.Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover. And most of the key points of interest still exist including Wragby Hall, The woods where the game Keepers shed stood and the Game Keepers cottage. The story was published in 1928 and from reading the book and following in the footsteps of Lady Chatterley this is my walk taking in all the key features of the book and finishing with a stroll through Hardwick Hall. The walk is approximately 10.5 miles ling but can be shortened easily and I will include the shorter Routes as well. The majority of this walk is along disused and easy to follow flat train lines.
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| The footpath towards skegby from Teversal visitors centre. |
Starting at the Teversal visitors centre turn right onto the disused line and walk for approximately 3/4 of mile where at the bridge you will turn left and head towards Old Teversal.
It is possible to turn left then right and at the fork in the path take a small circular walk over the old pit, Silver Hill as mentioned in the book and from the summit of the slack heap have un spoilt of Hardwick Hall and countryside.
The Teversal vistors centre provide breakfast cobs and hot food and drinks as well as providing maps of local walks. Opening hours vary
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| The old footpath under the disused train line to Old Teversal |
At the old railway bridge turn left and head down the field climbing over the bridge at the river and heading up the cornfield to Old Teversal and Wragby Hall.
At the top of the field turn left through the Private farm lane and footpath all the way past st catherines church and then the house on your left with the large private gates is the old vicarage house but is also the Wragby Hall as used by D.H.Lawrenece as the Chatterleys Home.
Wragby Hall the home of Lady Constance and Clifford Chatterley .
With the Hall at your back walk forward to the main road and turn right in a small way you come to a style on your left into a field this is the field Lady Chatterley walks through to meet her lover Game Keeper Mellors. Here their are two paths the one to your right heads straight down to the river and a footpath to the Diary Farm and Dawgates farm, in the corner of the field is a small woods and this is the setting for Mellors work shed and the start of the affair.
Visible in the corner is the small woods where couple meet as Lady Chatterley walked to fetch milk. Take the path on the left and walk diagonal to the road turn right up the hill and at the top turn left on to the By path walk along this path to the corner of the field and follow the diagonal path to your right across the field to the road an Houses. Walk along the road for approximatley 100 yards and you arrive at cottage this is the home of the Game keeper Mellors . There is a footpath behined the cottage and this leads to the meadow field at the back where the couple ran out naked making love in the rain . 
Mellors cottage.For the longer walk take this footpath behined the cottage and straight across the meadow through the woods and down to the river. Walk up the field to the Rawthorne train line path and turn left walking to the car park at the end in Ault Hucknal. Turn left out of the car park and follow the road to a small junction turn left into the Hardwick Estate through the old gate house continue up the lane which was used during the war as a run way by the air squadron for parchute jumping and pratice. At the end of the lane you will arrive at Hardwick Hall and join up with the smaller walks. However for a smaller walk continue to left down the road to Lady Spencers wood, go thruogh the gate and walk down towards the stream. 
Start walking up the steps from the stream and half way up is path to your right take this path and walk along the back of Hardwick Hall walking through the famous wine glass garden section of trees which frame the view of the rear of the house. On a clear day this gives the most spectacular and unspoilet view of Hardwick Hall. After walking across the back of the hall and coming to the road you have choice of paths shortest follow the road and footpath to come out at the side of Hardwick Hall meeting up with the long route or secondly continue through the gate and follow the path coming out onto the estate lane on the hill with the gate house to your right and now standing on the make shift air strip. Turn left and follow the lane back to Hardwick Hall. The field s to your left as you walk lead to Stainsby Mill and rare Long horn cattle graze this grass. At the hall follow the road past the new Hall and Old Hall and down the Hill to the stone masons foundry.
Old Hardwick Hall.
Hardwick Hall and the road pass down to the stone masons. Just after the stone mason which opens to public in the peak season there is a gate and apath through a small sheeps field. This is the start of the path back. However at the bottom of this road is Hardwick Inn a small pub that used to be a coach house and serves family food from 12:00 noon seven days a week and also has a whiskey list of more than 100 hundred tipples. Prices are not the cheepest but the quality is there and I would recomend the walk down and back up the hill to all just for dinner. Muddy boots welcome and in the winter the bar area as an open Fire. Ideal for cold toes.
Turning through the gate into the sheep field at the side of the masons walk across the field and back into the Lady Spencers wood and follow the easily marked path straight on and back along the road to Mellors cottage. While walking through the wood you can clearly smell wild Garlic. At mellors cottage carry on following the road until you come to the old train bridge which the line pass along and over. Here is the layby which Lady Chatterley waited in secret to meet her sister to discuss her affair by the side of the railway bridge. at the bridge take the path to the right and onto the disused train line walking all the way back to teversal visitors centre and passing just before it the path to your right that takes you onto and around Silver Hill. There are lots of walks from the visitors centre and they can provide maps for most, the area is a warren of coal lines and footpaths and it is possible to walk to pleasley vale, Mansfield, sutton-in-ashfield, tibself and the five pits trail all from this area. However this is my walk based on the story looking at some of the most fantastic views of Hardwick to boost and even time to take dinner in at a quaint country pub.
Hope you enjoy the walk by Hairy Hiker.
