Where was the best sledging?

[Tim in the North East 200]

Not really a seasonal topic - but where was the best sledging to be found in Nottingham?

During the winter of 1962/63 I used the Forest - which had what became known as 'the Death Track' - starting on the path above the children's playground, down the steep hill across another path and between the trees and then skirting to the left of the pavilion before dropping down onto the road (which was a through way then between Mansfield Road and Mount Hooton Road), across the road then a bump up to he pavement/hard standing before 'taking off' as you shot onto the short 45 degree slope down onto the playing fields. (see attached). Looking at an aerial view now on Bing Maps it does not seem a great distance - but to an 8 year old it was a high speed and hugely bumpy adventure. The snow at the top of the run got heavily compacted and regularly froze - so the the first few yards were sheet ice, which was great for getting up speed!

In later winters I went up to Woodthorpe Park with its ampitheatre like layout which gave some amazing fast rides - however, I recall there was always a few ambulances called for as people went head first into the lamp posts. Ouch!

Any other memories?

Tim

[catfan 14,793]

Wollaton Park always for me as a kid.

Plenty of hills there. Side of the Hall & slide down towards the lake. !

[Fynger 841]

On snow

[LizzieM 9,514]

We only had to go out our door on 'Hill Farm Estate' in Arnold to have a great sledging hill down onto Rolleston Drive. There were very few cars around up there in the late 50s early 60s so it was pretty safe. Great fun until one of the childless neighbours (old misery guts) threw ash across the road.

[Paulus 541]

Poor Ashley.........................

[fch782c 144]

There's a coincidence LizzieM when my parents married in 1960 their first home was a bungalow at 87 Langford Road Arnold they stayed here till I was born in 1966.

Apologies for drifting slightly off subject

[fch782c 144]

My brothers and I loved burnt stump park for sledging just as long as you could stop in time for the newly erected fencing around the cricket pitch

[LizzieM 9,514]

Fch782c # 6, I might have gone sledging with your Mum and Dad then, lol. I lived on Winthorpe Road which was the first road to be built on the estate. The house was just sold this week having been the family home for 55 years ....... I was so sad to lock it up for the very last time. Ok, back to sledging!

[banjo48 928]

Our favourite spot was the old Breckhill fields, that too was called the Death Track ! a couple of nasty incidents giving it its name.

The track started at the top of a very steep bit and wound down through the trees then half way down there was a large hump which tended to throw you off line for the next row of thick bushes then down a flat bit and under a low barbed wire fence at the bottom.

My brother brought a young bloke home one night, who had hit a tree at speed on his sledge and was quite ill, my mum and dad took one look at him and rushed him down to general hospital, where later they removed his spleen which was heamoridging (spelling) badly.

My brother received a commendation for saving his life.

Another great and safer spot was Woodthorpe park quite a few runs there.

Being an apprentice sparky at the time,

I made my own sledges out of 1" conduit bent and formed into the runners and front, in one piece, then smaller 3/4" conduit bent again in loops then welded to the runners to support the wooden platform. Bit like the real wooden sledges the rich kids had bought them.Very light and very strong.

I used to polish the runners with wet & dry and they went like "sh*t of a shovel "

I eventually made a few of them and sold em to my mates, and I made my kids one each when they grew up.

[Rob.L 1,090]

Mapperley golf course used to be my favourite, from the gate off Digby Avenue.

At the bottom of the hill was a stream, and if you got it right, you went over the little wooden bridge. Get it wrong, and you got wet.

[Trevor S 2,003]

The Morgans just north of RoT and a stone's throw from our old house in Cliff Drive.

Would seem that the hill, overlooking the Trent, has now reverted to it's medieval name of Gibbet Hill.

Remember the hill being packed with skiers and sledges, young and old alike, of a weekend. Probably because it was the highest spot around for many miles and the runs were quite long and curved.

http://pictures.yourlocalweb.co.uk/01/55/54/gibbet-hill-1687668.jpg

[darkazana 1,736]

Back of Watnall Hall, down the field towards Bluebell Wood. A great run as long as you abandoned sledge at the bottom before it went under the barbed wire fence!!!!

[katyjay 5,091]

I don't ever remember going on a sledge as a kid, I certainly didn't have one, and can't remember any of the local kids having one. All I remember about snow and ice, is making slides on hills. I didn't realise I had had a deprived childhood till this thread appeared, LOL! But, I can mention my favourite movie National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, and the sledding scene in that is a cracker!

[Beefsteak 305]

Trent Bridge, when the aussies are here!

[dgbrit 258]

Out my back door down Old Coach rd from the Tin bridge

[mary1947 2,086]

There's only one place in Nottingham for best sledging.

Mile run at Colwick Woods

Mary 1947

[darkazana 1,736]

#13 Katyjay...Our favourite Christmas film,, It comes out every year for an airing

[NewBasfordlad 3,599]

Down Chard Street, start at Rosetta Road, have a lookout posted at Zulu Road crossing. With a bit of luck could get all the way down to Isandula Road.

Colin

[Kendaldrac 40]

Bit out of the area but when I was a lad and had decent snow shower the hill at Toton Sidings was not only fun but also a bit of a death trap with the railway siding at the bottom to tip up the sled and send you flying or the old art deco signal block to go crashing into the solid concrete wall.

[Bilboro-lad 294]

In the winter of 62/63 it was Wollaton Park for us, down the slope that you see when you go in the main gates. We couldn't afford a proper sledge (only the Wollaton kids had those) and there were no cheap plastic ones so we used to use whatever we could find on the way. That year we found some barrel slats, curved so the front stuck up. They were as good as any sledge.

Another brilliant place was balloon woods that had a path down the middle that was like a big groove in the ground and when it froze it was like a toboggan run around the corners.

[Pixie 162]

Freda ave in gedling! But make sure theres no cars about!

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

I think most kids at Bilborough used Wollaton Park. I remember my mate breaking his leg when he sledged into a tree. Years later my mum and dad used to take my kids sledging there. Funny how people become children again when they are with their grand-kids. I know I do sometimes.

[StephenFord 866]

Yes, grandparents' prerogative - with only one grandson, and he only 9 months old, we haven't quite reached the sledging stage yet!

[Bilbraborn 1,594]

It soon comes

[Mess 620]

Not really a seasonal topic - but where was the best sledging to be found in Nottingham?

During the winter of 1962/63 I used the Forest - which had what became known as 'the Death Track' - starting on the path above the children's playground, down the steep hill across another path and between the trees and then skirting to the left of the pavilion before dropping down onto the road (which was a through way then between Mansfield Road and Mount Hooton Road), across the road then a bump up to he pavement/hard standing before 'taking off' as you shot onto the short 45 degree slope down onto the playing fields. (see attached). Looking at an aerial view now on Bing Maps it does not seem a great distance - but to an 8 year old it was a high speed and hugely bumpy adventure. The snow at the top of the run got heavily compactsledging route.jpged and regularly froze - so the the first few yards were sheet ice, which was great for getting up speed!

In later winters I went up to Woodthorpe Park with its ampitheatre like layout which gave some amazing fast rides - however, I recall there was always a few ambulances called for as people went head first into the lamp posts. Ouch!

Any other memories?

Tim

I also had a fantastic time sledging on the Forest during the winter of 1962/3. I recall the track we used being called the camels hump as your sledge used to take off as you went over it on the hard frozen surface.

I came off my sledge one evening and split my chin open but because it was so cold I didn't feel it until I got home! The hospital taped it up without stitching which was a great relief for me.

I lived on Russell Rd so during that winter went down on to the Forest several times.

My school Forest Fields Grammar cancelled all games that winter and we all went down to Wollaton Park on the No 45 Trolley bus with our sledges and had another great afternoon on the incline at the side of the hall.

I remember trudging home frozen to the marrow. My mum had to get me in a hot bath to warm me up again. Great memories.