Continue along the track at the side of the dyke, through the gap in the next hedge into the second field. Half way along the side of this field turn right over a small plank footbridge at Brackenhurst Information Panel No.28.
(A) Southwell Minster is a minster and cathedral. It is the seat of the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham. The earliest church on the site is believed to have been founded in 627 by Paulinus, the first Archbishop of York. In 956 King Eadwig gave a gift of land in Southwell to Oskytel, Archbishop of York, on which a Minster church was established. The Norman Domesday Book of 1086 recorded Southwell manor in great detail, and the Norman reconstruction of Southwell Minster began in 1108. Work on the nave began after 1120 and the building was completed by c.1150. The Minster was built partly as an attached church of the Archbishop of York's Palace (which stood next door and is now ruined). It served the Archbishop as a place of worship and was also a collegiate body of theological learning, hence its designation as a minster. The Norman choir was replaced with an Early English building in 1234 because it was too small. The octagonal chapter house, built in 1286 complete with vault in Decorated Gothic style and naturalistic carving of foliage (a masterpiece of 13th century stonecarving including several Green Men), completed the cathedral.
[2] Walk up the hill to the top right hand corner of the field.
Take in the views of Southwell Minster, Holy Trinity Church and parts of Southwell.
Go through the gap in the hedge and continue with the hedge on your right towards the hamlet of Westhorpe. When the hedge turns sharp right, continue straight on down the hill. Turn left at the yellow post and walk along the edge of the field.
On your right is Westhorpe Dumble. Look at the steep wooded sides of the stream cut into the clay. This is a typical Nottinghamshire dumble.
Keep the dumble on your right. As the lane at the end of the field comes into sight take the ramp on the right down to the lane. When you reach the lane turn right over the bridge over the stream.
[3] Walk up the lane towards the houses and past the Cundy Hill sign on the right. Follow the road round left into The Holm and walk past Dumble Cottage. Just after the next bend right, take the footpath on the left over a stile. Cross the field, go through the kissing gate and turn right down the lane. At the bottom, take the track on the left as directed by the Public Footpath fingerpost. After 200 yards there is a gate across the track. Keep straight on as the track opens up into a field. Ignoring a gap in the hedge to the right, keep on initially with the hedge and later the dyke on your immediate right, to the far end of the field. Go through a gap in hedge ahead, climb the few rough steps and continue along the side of the next field keeping the dyke on your right.
About 200 yards before the end of the field, turn right at the yellow post, cross over a small plank bridge and pass through a kissing gate. Turn left and follow the hedge up to the farm track. Take the track and go left. As the track swings sharp left toward a cattle grid take the footpath into the field on the right, as indicated by a footpath fingerpost.
[4] Bear diagonally left across the field, over to the left hand hedge and then follow it until you come to a large gate on the left just before a cattle water trough. Go through the gate into the adjoining field as indicated by the finger post, can be muddy as a result of being part of a cattle farm, initially keeping close to the left hand hedge. When you reach the brow of this field you will see a large gate in the far hedge, generally in sight line with an electricity pylon in the field beyond. Head for this gate and go through it. Cross a field access track into the next field and continue along with the hedge on your right to go through the gate in the far corner. Turn immediately right. Walk round two sides of the field with the hedge on your right to a kissing gate and hunt jump. Go through the kissing gate and on to the track a few yards ahead. Turn left.
(B) The track you are on is Cotmoor Lane which is an old route that might have served the disappeared medieval village of Radley. Look for a gap in the hedge on the right which gives views right across the Trent valley to the Vale of Belvoir on a clear day. The wide variety of tree species in Halloughton Wood shows that it is very old woodland which has survived on the border of the parishes of Southwell and Halloughton.
[5] Continue along the track for nearly half a mile until you come to the end of the north side of Halloughton Wood with a yellow post and a Public Bridleway fingerpost. Ignore the red arrowed path to the right, but go through the galvanised bridleway gate straight ahead, and keeping the hedge on your right, walk round two sides of the field to go through another galvanised bridleway gate. Keeping the hedge on your left go through a third galvanised bridleway gate. Continue with the hedge on your left, passing under power lines and onwards for about half a mile until the bridleway turns into a broad farm track and you pass Stubbins Farm to the left. When you reach the tarmac lane carry straight on, and when the lane turns sharp right carry on down the smaller lane. Slightly to the right you can see the buildings of Brackenhurst College. Continue to a picnic site at the main road (A612). Cross the main road very busy, take care.
(C) Brackenhurst Hall is a Grade II listed country house, now part of Nottingham Trent University. The hall and attached former coach house, orangery and garden wall was built in 1828 for the Revd Thomas Coats Cane and extensively remodelled c1890 for W N Hicking. The hall was the birthplace of Viscount Allenby, 1861-1936, British commander in Palestine 1917-18. It was converted to an agricultural college in 1949. The University's Brackenhurst Campus now covers 200 hectares, with specialist Animal Unit, Veterinary Nursing Centre, Equestrian Centre and Glasshouse Complex.
[6] Once across the road, turn left on the pedestrian path parallel to the road and walk down the hill for about 200 yards to a Public Footpath sign, where you pass through a kissing gate on the right. Bear left across the field in the direction indicated by the finger post, and go through a kissing gate in the hedge with more views of Southwell Minster ahead. Cross the next field, then go through a "V" squeeze stile, and follow the path through a strip of land to a stile leading to the tarmac lane. Turn left and walk down past No1 Park Lane to the junction where you turn right, back to the long stay car park where you started.