Tilton-on-the-hill, Marefield,Owston, Halstead, Tilton

Led by Barry, followed by me and Gordon. Drizzle before we started, then just grey, with moderate visibility. Hilly, some mud in the fields. Break at Owston church. Just under 9 miles.

Looking back at this walk, one of the few things which added colour to the day was snowdrops - everywhere, in small clumps, in neat patches along the roadside, in drifts in the gardens of some of the grand houses. No blue in the sky, and all the greens, in fields and woods were muted through a grey filter.  

We set off along Marefield Lane, following it round to the left as it turned into a rough track, losing height all the while. It crosses a dismantled railway line, and eventually meets a minor road. Here we turn left into Marefield.

We carry on over another section of railway, then turn right along another unfenced road, which wiggles its way more or less north and uphill for almost a mile, joining the Twyford Road.  We turn right again and walk past some farm buildings and under a viaduct, before crossing several large fields towards White House Farm.

Then we cross the road (Dawsons Lane, or Marefield Lane, depending on your map). We go through a gate advertising Owston Equestrian Centre, following the path for a short distance before heading off uphill to the left towards Newbold Grange Farm.  The path goes through a field here, not along the drive, as we were told, when we'd taken the trouble to report a very sick-looking sheep in the field.

When we reach the road we turn right and follow it past a turn off to the right to Newbold Farm, then as the road swings to the left, we go through a gate along Newbold Lane towards Owston. 

We turn off along a footpath to our right, which leads through fields and over a small stream, then passes the remains of the old priory fishponds, before arriving at Owston Church.  The golden ironstone must look lovely in the sun.

After a coffee break, we take the permissive footpath from the church, through more bumps and hollows marking the site of the old priory of Owston, and looking back we can see the pond which probably topped up the fishpond area lower down.

We hit some muddy fields for a while, but the way is well marked and eventually we come out at Halstead House Farm, and follow the drive to the main road to Tilton. Another mile or so takes us back to the start. 



Map and details of the walk