[1] Starting from The Sands car park, with the Crown and Plough Inn behind you and the 'On the Sands' cafe and deli on your right, walk up Mill Lane. The lane has well-mown verges, more like a private drive than a road. When the metalled road ends a bridlegate allows access to the field and the path continues in the same direction across fields of grass. Continue to climb with the hedge on your left until you meet the road at Hazeltongue Farm.
It's well worth taking a stop for breath, turn to take in the view. Eventually you will be able to see right across the Trent valley towards Southwell and Newark where the smoke from the sugar beet factory may be evident.
[2] Turn right onto the road. Take care as the bend in the road can be hazardous. Pass in front of the farmhouse then take the bridleway through the gate straight ahead. Follow the hedge on your right to meet another road by a mast. Cross the road and take the footpath through a bridle gate opposite. Bear left across the field to the end of a line of scrub. Locate a path between the scrub with the field hedge on your left. Follow the hedge to a bridle gate and pass through this onto a narrow path in woodland with land dropping away to your right. Stay on the high ground. The path emerges onto a road, this is Holwell Mouth.
[3] Turn right along the road for about 400m. This road can be quite busy with fast moving traffic so care is called for. Look for a sign for a footpath on your right and take this path. Cross two fields before the path plummets back down from Botany Bay across more grassy fields. The hedge is first on your right, then passes to the left as the slope lessens, then disappears altogether.
[4] Crossing a stile into a large arable field, the waymark post indicates a cross path. In fact, five paths meet at this point. Our route is across the field ahead, and if the path is not apparent on the ground, bear slightly left and head for the gap in the far hedge just to the right of the central of three pylons you can see in the distance. Only as you approach the gap in the far hedge will you see a yellow-topped post on the far side of the hedge. Bear slightly right across the next field heading for the next pylon to the right. Look for a yellow-topped post in the left-hand hedge by the stream, and then walk along the edge of the field by the stream until you see another yellow-topped post by an overgrown bridge over the stream.
Pass through the hedge, over the bridge and cross the field under the wires about half way between the two pylons. When you pass under the wires, turn right and head for a stile in the hedge where there is a small footbridge over a dyke. Cross two smaller fields to a footbridge over a small stream, and head for a yellow-topped post in the right-hand hedge of the next field. When you get there, ignore a path off to the left towards the road, and instead cross diagonally to the top left corner of the field, cross a farm track near the road and go over a stile in the hedge. Cross the next field to the bridle gate in the far left corner which leads to a bridleway.
[5] If you are short of time you can miss out the village and take the bridleway straight to the gate across the field to [6], then turn right to continue on the main route.
For the full walk through the village of Nether Broughton, bear left across the field along the footpath to a gate. Turn left along a track to meet the village road.
(A) At the road junction study the Heritage Trail board by the parish notice board. There are nine of these Heritage Trail boards around the village. Our walk passes some of the boards but you may wish to explore and find them all. Learn more about the Nether Broughton Heritage Trail here:- http://www.leicestershirevillages.com/netherbroughton/gallery,333323.html
From the parish notice board bear left and in 50m, as the road bends left again, a footpath sign indicates a hidden path on the right. Take this then turn left at a path junction onto a narrow hedged track. A stile finally takes us into a paddock surrounded by village houses. Cross the paddock to a gate which enters a garden, follow the path to the right and exit onto the road.
Turn left along the village street passing the village hall, then bear right on to the A606. Here a pavement offers safe walking past the Anchor Inn where another Heritage Trail board can be found. Turn right into Hecadeck Lane ( this is a one way street with no pavement and possible fast moving traffice - take care). Turn left at the next road junction towards the church then turn right along the road signed for Long Clawson. The road bends left then after about 200m take the bridleway signed to the right. Follow this along the edge of two fields with the hedge on your right until you meet a cross footpath.
[6] Turn left along a footpath with the hedge on your left. Cross a stream then pass under electricity cables. The path is heading for the summit of Slyborough Hill and starts a gentle climb as it enters a field away from the hedge, bear gently left to meet the hedge then follow the hedge in the next field. Enter a third field with no hedge. You may be tempted to turn left here but that is not our path. Locate a faint track up the hill across this rough field which has been neglected for many years. The path crosses the centre of the field to the top of the hill then enters another field where a mown track offers easier passage and a hedge on your right. The path continues to meet the end of Coronation Avenue, follow this towards the village.
[7] Turn left at the main road then after 50m take the footpath to the right, up some steps. Follow this to cross a small stream then a fenced path to a road. Keep to the pavement on the right and take another enclosed footpath to the left of a bungalow. Meeting another path, turn left and follow this to the road. Turn right along the road towards the church. Turn left then right to enter the churchyard and follow the path to the rear of the church where the path joins a road, having cut out a large loop in the road. Turn right along the road which lead back to The Sands.