May 26th 2025 - Wakerley Woods to Fineshade

 Monday 26th May 

With Harry, Maureen and Kate. We parked at Wakerley Woods, pausing to admire a VW van’s set up for cooking breakfast.

We followed the familiar Jurassic Way route through the woods, past Laxton Hall and over the A43.  On the other side of the busy road we crossed a field of sheep, and over the bridge to the short steep climb past Fineshade Abbey.

Over a stile and into another field, where the Highland Cattle were all lying down, some hidden in the patch of trees - we didn’t even see them at first.

The path through the woods was lovely in the dappled sunlight.

One more field to go and we reached the road to Fineshade Top Lodge.  

We did a fairly leisurely 3 mile circuit of Fineshade Woods, using the gravel tracks.

A pause for  coffee and teacakes at the cafe set us up for the final mile and a half back to Wakerley Woods car park.

Just over 6 and a 1/2 miles in all, and about 350 feet of up and down.

Thanks to Kate for the lift, and Maureen for the scones

Fineshade Woods

 With Kate, Maureen and Norma. The weather was good, quite mild, and dry, apart from one shower as we drove back home.

A 3.5 mile stroll around  the tracks through the woods, sort of following Stickman, Wallace and Gromit, and ‘Wellness’ Trails.

We allowed our ‘inner children’ a bit of play today.

We ‘wowed’ at the puddles

the trees

the catkins

and the fungi.

Kate made her own stickman

We had coffee and cake in Grounds cafe, and only as we emerged did the sky turn threatening.

The afternoon brought sunshine again!

Short wanders in early Feb

East Carlton is always a good bet 

5th Feb - Norma drove me and Maureen to East Carlton, where the wind was less noticeable than it had been at home.  

We walked for about 1.5 miles, and then had a hot drink sitting outside the cafe. 

Lots of snowdrops and aconites.

Tuesday 6th - a wander round Uppingham

Tuesday 20th Feb - a short but brisk walk round Fineshade with Marta.

3 miles.

15th Jan 2024 - Wakerley and Fineshade

Met Maureen and Kate in Wakerley woods, with Harry and Norma.

We walked up to Fineshade Top Lodge, hoping for a coffee, but alas the machine was out of commission for a service, so we had tea and tea cake instead.

Weather - brilliantly sunny, but with a ferocious north east wind.

Conditions underfoot generally ok, though there were a couple of soggy boggy bits.

Just under 4 miles in all .

The woodland paths are crisp

sharp shadows stark 

bright winter sun paints 

tree trunks on the ground

our long shadows march ahead

under January’s low midday sun.

Wakerley Woods to Fineshade

 Monday 12th September

Got up and breakfasted just in time to collect Norma for the walk from Wakerley Woods to Fineshade. We met Maureen and Kate there.

 Warmish for walking, and the sun emerged for a while as we had coffee at Top Lodge cafe.

Harry and I walked round the outside, ( 7 miles +) while the others did a shorter walk and we met again at the cafe.

Just as we were driving back the rain began.

Wakerley Woods to Fineshade

Monday 11th July 2022.

With Harry, Norma and Maureen about 7 miles. Weather very hot, so we chose a route which offered some shade. We set off from Wakerley Woods car park at 9.45 and made our way along the Jurassic Way footpath - though signage is not brilliant. Along the first wide path Harry saw a White Admiral butterfly or possibly a Purple Emperor. 

A hare crossed the path and went into the woods, and we saw several silver-washed fritillaries, spectacular large butterflies.

We emerged from the woods near Laxton Hall, and followed the unshaded path southeast, then east towards the A43 - a pain to cross, but easy enough with patience.  

Shade-seeking sheep

Once across the road we continued to the concrete bridge over the dry stream,

and followed the path uphill past Fineshade Abbey, then through woodland, and another open field to the access road to Fineshade Top Lodge.

We chatted to a couple with binoculars who said they had seen a Purple Emperor, and a Purple Hairstreak.

We all ordered coffee in the cafe, and a snack. Once refreshed we decided to walk round the woods and try our luck with butterflies.

We saw fritillaries and another White Admiral(or was it a Purple Emperor?), lots of meadow brown, at least one ringlet.

We passed the playground

and the Danish Shelters

A pause in the shade of the bird hide, where there were some butterflies and a few birds including a jay and a buzzard. Not like the old days when the RSPB kept the feeders supplied, but agreeable. The water scrape/ pond is very low just now.

We decided to have lunch in the cafe before retracing our steps down to the A43, and back through Wakerley Woods. One spot in the sunshine was full of different butterflies, including commas, tortoiseshells and brimstones.

Gatekeeper butterfly

Silver-washed fritillary

Brimstone

7 miles in all.

(most photos here by Harry).