Four Counties - from Easton on the Hill

Mon, 2013 Sep 16 9:41 AM British Summer Time

Led by Mel - with me, Terry and Steph, Chris and Marion, Chris, Barry, Gordon, Maureen, and Jill. Around 6 miles, and mostly flat. No rain, bright and breezy.

Look at the weather when we set off! And it's still blue skies when we arrive at Easton on the Hill.

We walk out of Easton on West Street. This turns into a byway,  and leads through fields and woodland with views west towards Ketton.  There are a few hunt-followers around this morning in the usual 4x4 s.

Clouds over Ketton

We continue downhill until we reach the Welland, close to Tinwell. At the river we turn right, heading East towards Stamford.  

Photocall at the site of the Roman ford, where "in AD 61 survivors of the ninth Roman Legion fled . . . pursued by Queen Boadicea"

Then it's on to the Town Meadow with its tables for our break.   We walk over the footbridge and past the George, uphill out of Stamford along the Peterborough Road, through St Martins Without.  Opposite a gate to Burghley Park we take the footpath southwest, crossing the A1 via a footbridge, then past Wothorpe House.

It stands in ruined splendour - once used for the Burghley House family to stay while the main house was spring-cleaned. 
Our route continues southwest, alongside a few blackberry bushes, on the edge of woodland.

Barry in silver medal position here

We meet the A43, cross it and make our back up the short hill into Easton and back to the cars. Just the job for a Monday morning - and no rain either.

Oh, the four counties are Northants, Rutland (just over the Welland), Lincolnshire (Stamford) and Cambridgeshire (the outskirts of Peterborough).

Map and details