Walcote circular, via Gilmorton and Kimcote

Mon, 9 Sep 2013 10:19 British Summer Time

Led by Barry, with me and Gordon. Pretty flat, good underfoot - mix of arable and cattle country. 7.5 miles. No rain while we were out. At least 26 stiles. 

We had a last minute change of plan when we discovered the A43 was closed and that side of Corby was as near gridlocked as I have ever seen it.  So we headed back across Corby and past Market Harborough.  Thanks to Barry for a last minute alternative to my walk.

I've driven past Walcote countless times on my way to the M1 when heading north, but had never stopped.  As so often there is more to these villages than meets the eye of the passing motorist-in-a-rush. 

We find a place to park, and set off north along Brook Street, taking a footpath west, to the left just before the road divides. The path soon turns north once more,  along the field edge and over a few fields before turning north west and passing the corner of Winterfield Spinney. 

 The path zigzags a bit through fields north then west, but when two paths meet between Oback and Thornborough Farms we turn right in a northeasterly direction.  In the third field we take the left hand option when the path divides. This takes us to the left hand corner of the field, across another one, then along the edge of a third, very smelly today, as it's recently been manured.  Good job we don't intend to eat in any posh pub.

We turn left and walk uphill for a few hundred yards along the Lutterworth Road, which is busier than we expected.  
The footpath goes off to the right,  and heads north north east to Gilmorton. We pass the old motte in a field near the church - no public right of way, so we sneak a peek through the gate.

Our path goes through the churchyard, where we take a break. 

Gilmorton Church

An unusual memorial bench.

The church porch was built to celebrate Victoria's diamond jubilee - the stained glass is clearly Victorian, and we think the carved head above looks like the lady herself.

We leave the church behind us and walk through the village.

Grey skies today!

We turn right along the road to Kimcote, and when the road bends to the right we take a path straight ahead. It looks as though there was once a village or similar here - lots of lumps and bumps in the ground, but nothing on the map.

This runs parallel with the road just south of Bruntingthorpe airfield/ proving ground.

We follow the path to the north of The Lodge, and then turn south towards Kimcote, over more fields.

Kimcote church

  We walk past the church and cross the road to Poultney Lane, through the village and farms.  The road turns into a footpath past sewage works, and then gradually leads southwest towards Walcote. 

Globe artichokes - yum!

The not-so-swfit River Swift.

We meet the road, cross the mighty Swift, and at Woodside Farm, we turn left on a footpath which takes us back to the village.

Wildlife note:  There are still a few swallows feeding up on the plethora of insects - mainly daddy-long-legs - before they leave for the sunny south.

Map and details