Bassetlaw District Council has opened two new walking routes — the Green Lady Trail at Langold Country Park, and the Gatehouse Walk at The Canch in Worksop. Each is roughly a mile long. Both were named by local residents through a public consultation that asked people to reflect the heritage of each location. The routes join the existing King's Ramble at Kings' Park in Retford and the Miner's Mile at Tom Simpson Recreation Ground in Harworth and Bircotes, completing a four-park network of waymarked walks across the district.

At a glance

  • Two new routes opened by Bassetlaw District Council:
    • Green Lady Trail — Langold Country Park — named after a local myth of a woman said to wander near the lake
    • Gatehouse Walk — The Canch, Worksop — named for the nearby 14th-century Priory Gatehouse
  • Existing routes already open:
    • King's Ramble — Kings' Park, Retford
    • Miner's Mile — Tom Simpson Recreation Ground, Harworth and Bircotes
  • Route length: Each one is roughly one mile
  • Waymarking: Blue posts with orange marker discs
  • Timed to coincide with: National Walking Month and the end of the council's Move More in May campaign

The two new routes

Green Lady Trail — Langold Country Park

The route at Langold Country Park is named the Green Lady Trail, drawing on a local folk story about a woman said to wander near the lake in the country park. Langold itself is one of Bassetlaw's largest country parks, sitting on the northern edge of the district near Carlton in Lindrick and Oldcotes.

Gatehouse Walk — The Canch, Worksop

The Worksop route is called the Gatehouse Walk, reflecting the connection between the council's award-winning park at The Canch and the nearby Priory Gatehouse — one of the most significant pieces of medieval architecture in Worksop, dating back to the 14th century. The Priory Gatehouse is currently part of an active restoration project that we have previously covered.

How the routes were named

Both new routes were named through a public consultation that asked local residents to suggest names reflecting the history and heritage of each area. Of the two existing routes that pre-date this round, the King's Ramble in Retford references Kings' Park, and the Miner's Mile in Harworth and Bircotes acknowledges the area's long mining history.

Why this matters — and how to use them

Each route is approximately one mile long, making them suitable for short family walks, lunchtime breaks, or as part of a daily exercise routine for people building up to longer distances. The council is positioning the routes specifically as an accessible way for residents to get outdoors and stay active — in line with the end of its Move More in May campaign and National Walking Month.

To make each route easy to follow, the council has installed blue posts with orange marker discs at key turning points along the way. Walkers can pick up the route at any point and follow the markers.

Cllr Darrell Pulk, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said the council is "encouraging everyone to make the most of them and take a step towards a healthier lifestyle".

The wider picture

Walking and outdoor access have become a quietly significant area of council activity in recent years — reflecting both the public-health value of low-cost physical activity and the importance of well-maintained parks to local tourism. Bassetlaw's network now stands at four formal waymarked routes — two in Worksop, one in Retford, one in Harworth and Bircotes — covering roughly four miles of accessible local walking.

Source: Bassetlaw District Council — New Walking Routes Unveiled in Langold and Worksop, May 2026.