Rotherham Roundwalk - The Route
Leave All Saints Square via Bridgegate, turn left by the entrance to the bus station and cross over Chantry Bridge past the Chapel of Our Lady on Rotherham Bridge.
Carry on over the canal and railway bridges and opposite the railway station turn right into George St and go under the subway. Then left down Thames Street to Greasbrough Street. Cross the road and take Tenter Street between the Stag's Head (pub now closed) and B&Q. At the top cross over the narrow railway bridge into Rodger Street. After 100 yards take a footpath passing between a wall and allotments and follow the waymarked signs to Fenton Road.
Cross Fenton Road, turn right and first left at the Ring O' Bells into Roughwood Road. Turn right almost immediately into Simmonite Road and after 300 yards take the footpath between numbers 141 and 143. Follow the waymarked signs to reach an asphalt path between a school and a playing field and head towards the housing estate and Wingfield Road. Turn left, then go ahead at the roundabout to join Town Lane.
Turn right after 300 yards, cross Town Lane at a lay-by and take the footpath through a gap in the wall. Follow the waymarked signs for ¾ of a mile to Scholes Coppice and continue following the signs to Wentworth Lakes. At the lakes bear left taking the bridge between Morley and Dog Kennel Ponds and follow the waymarked signs to join Cortworth Lane at the Park entrance. Turn right, ignore the Coaley Lane turn off, and after 400 yards turn left on a footpath to the hamlet of Street.
Turn right on a wide track which passes the south side of Hoober Stand. After ½ mile turn left at the road and then right after 300 yards onto a footpath and follow the waymarked signs to Stubbin Road. Turn right and after 100 yards at Glebe House turn left onto a footpath to the hamlet of Chapel View. Turn right, down the road through a gate and then follow the signs to Back Lane. Turn left along Back Lane and at the crossroads carry straight on a track called the Tors or the Tops.
Where the Tops crosses a public footpath turn left to Newbiggin and then right to Greasbrough Road. Follow the waymarked signs to Parkgate and at the traffic lights go ahead into Aldwarke Lane. At the roundabout go straight on past the Station Hotel.
You will pass the massive Aldwarke Steel Works on your left and cross the River Don and the Sheffield and South Yorkshire Navigation Canal with Aldwarke Lock on your left hand side. This part of the walk is down a busy road so be careful.
After crossing the river and canal bridges you reach the Mushroom Garage (how they got the car on top of the mushroom was a constant source of fascination to me as a child). At the roundabout (very busy traffic) keep straight ahead and take the left hand side of Herringthorpe Valley Road for about ¾ of a mile to Herringthorpe Valley Park. Turn left on the obvious asphalt path into the park and follow the waymarked sign through Gibbing Greave Wood (yes the Hanging Tree did used to be there - probably still is). Climb upwards here on the right hand side of the valley to Brecks Lane. Turn right and take Belcourt Road - the first on the left. At the cul-de-sac cross the waste ground to Brecks Crescent, then cross the crescent to enter Gibbing Greave Road and take the first right up Toll Bar Road. Turn left at Beech Avenue to reach Bawtry Road (a very busy dual carriageway). Cross over and turn left. After 400 yards turn up Air Mount Close and follow the footpath at its end to Sorby Way. Continue down Sorby Way through the housing estate to Morthen Road.
At Morthen Road turn right and at the bottom of the incline turn right again into a wide footpath (Sandy Flatt Lane). Follow the waymarked signs to Royds Moor Hill Road. Cross the road and take the footpath into a farm drive. Pass the farm and barn and follow the waymarked signs for ¾ of a mile to where the footpath meet a rough track. Turn right here and continue towards Whiston Parish Church. Two hundred yards before the Church turn left over steps built into the stone wall. Follow the waymarked sign through Revel Wood to join a track running alongside the motorway. And so onto Pleasley Road. Cross over, turn left and after 400 yards take the second footpath on the right over a stone stile in the hedge. Follow the waymarked signs past Guilthwaite Hall Farm. After ½ mile you reach Bole Hill Road at Treeton. Turn right along Long Lane and after 300 yards take the footpath on the left following the waymarked signs for about 1¼ miles to West Bawtry Road.
Turn left and after 200 yards take the footpath on the right through Canklow Woods climbing up to Boston Park and Castle. (The telephone mast is a good guide).
Before you reach the Castle you can see the old gateway of the College of Jesus built into the old quarry face - this can be reached through the gardens, by the bowling green.
Boston Castle is a hunting lodge built in 1775 by the Earl of Effingham to mark his opposition to British attempts to crush that revolution. It used to be a tuck shop but is now derelict and boarded up. There are plans for its development but as usual nothing is happening.
Turn right at the Castle to leave the park walking down Boston Castle Grove. Pass the Thomas Rotherham College on your right. The photograph shows the college main buildings which were previously Rotherham Grammar School for Boys, and the War Memorial to old boys of the school who died in the Two World Wars. At the Belvedere turn left onto Moorgate Road.
Continue down Moorgate Road into town. This takes you past Rotherham Town Hall.
Then take the road between the High Bar and the Cross Keys. Pass Hamby's shoe shop on your right and you will see the Rotherham Minster, formerly the Parish Church in front of you. Pass through the churchyard to the right and down the steps. Guess what you're back where you began - cold, tired, dirty and wet!