Pitsford Water - clockwise

With Marta, Wednesday 11 March 2020.

The usual almost 7 miles, in sun and wind, followed by a sandwich at the cafe.

Lots of fisher people around, and walkers and cyclists.  No lapwings, but plenty of mallards, tufted ducks, coots.

Market Harborough to Foxton Locks and back

The same 12 mile walk as last Thursday, with Norma, Maureen, Kate and Harry.

This time we did the detour via the ten-lock staircase before an early lunch at Bridge 61 pub.

Weather brighter than on Thursday, but a chill wind, and we got back just as it started to rain.

Market Harborough to Foxton Locks and back

Thursday 05 March 2020.  A 12 mile flat walk, almost all along the canal towpath. With Eddie and Maureen. Dry, grey and muddy after earlier rain.

Reflections in the greylight

One of the millennium mileposts erected by Sustrans and the national Cycle network. This one, about 1 and a half miles from the Locks, needs some TLC. There is another by the Welland in Harborough, looking much smarter.

This is part of a time trail puzzle. Unfortunately some ejects have nicked some of the discs, making the puzzle impossible to complete now. For more info on these millennium  posts click here

Eddie and Maureen descend the slightly slippery cobbles of Bridge 61, before we go into the pub of the same name.

Into the Bridge 61 pub for coffee and cake...or a pint...and still a cake.

Spring is springing

Maintenance of the flight of ten locks

and back to the start.

We ended the walk with a sandwich and coffee in Market Harborough's Eco Village.

Pitsford Water - again

Thursday 27 February 2020. With Maureen. 6.88 miles. Our first decent walk for about three weeks.

The morning began dull and wet, and a heavy shower of sleet at around 9am put us right off the idea of walking early on. For once we decided to go later, and were rewarded with sunshine, though the wind was still cold and strong.

The paths round the reservoir were fine, with a few muddy puddles, and we even managed to sit at a table and eat a scone, though we didn't hang about for long.
not too many birds seen today - the usual  lapwings along the causeway weren't there, though there were a few geese, coots etc.

We kept up a pretty steady pace and covered a distance of almost 7 miles. 

When gorse is out of season....

Pitsford Water again

Thursday 09 January 2020 with Maureen

The usual anti-clockwise walk. Dramatic lighting effects, lots of lapwings by the causeway, masses of geese, coots, swans. Quite windy!

Marston Trussell and Sibbertoft again

Monday 09 December, with Maureen and Eddie. 8 1/2 miles.

Exactly the same route as last Thursday, but no detour to the ROC observation post this time.

"The Lake" in Marston Trussell

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Instead when we decided to shelter in Sibbertoft  church porch for our break, out of the biting wind, we were able to look inside, and talk to one of the local church "admin".
That's why the walk comes out longer in theory this time. Churches and old buildings with thick walls seem to affect GPS signals.

Between Clipston and Sibbertoft

Village sign

Bird carvings in the church

The thicker lines are when we were in the church.

A couple more observations about Sibbertoft - the river Welland has its source here, apparently under a patch of grass; and a Wellington bomber crashed nearby on 24th December 1941, killing all members of the Polish crew.

Marston Trussell- Sibbertoft circular, on minor roads.

Thursday 05 December, with Maureen. Just over 8 miles. It's almost the walk we did in March 2014, after a spell of wet weather, but today we didn't do the extra mile to include Clipston.

The walking was easy, and the frost had melted, though there were some muddy patches on these quiet roads. The whole area is where the very bloody battle of Naseby took place on 14 June 1645.

Marston Trussell church, the start and end of our walk.

We walked into the village and turned left at the junction, past the fishing lake.

 We followed the road round to the right past Marston Lodge, and continued, ignoring the small road to Sibbertoft. The road climbs steadily, but not steeply up to the ROC Viewpoint, just off the road to our right.

An information board gives details of the battle off Naseby. I'm convinced soldiers must have to be drunk in order to fight, and that this is one reason why they behaved so badly to the local people, especially the women.

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At the T-junction we turned right, away from Clipston and towards Sibbertoft. We arrived at the church as eleven o'clock was striking. This has been a pleasant place for a break on several walks in the past - in spring the snowdrops are lovely, but of course, not in early December.

An unusual flower trough by the village sign.

We carried on past the church, ignoring a road to our right with the signpost to Marston Trussell.  Instead we headed downhill, with Hothorpe Hall in view. There is a small road off to our right, and we took this to reach Marston again.

it leads past the magnificent trees in the grounds of Marston Trussell Hall,

and back into the village.


Lunch at Farndon Fields farm shop cafe.

Catching up with myself. Pitsford water. 3 walks.

This is a walk we fall back on when everywhere underfoot is soggy - the rain has been excessive this autumn. It's also convenient if I have to go via Corby. The Willow cafe at Pitsford/Brixworth Country Park always provides a decent sandwich for lunch. It's just under seven miles depending on the exact route we take.

Monday 7 October with Maureen.

Raining a little as we drove over, but no rain during the walk.

Monday 14 October with Maureen and Eddie.

We walked round clockwise for a change, adding little extra at the start to visit a Memorial to Northamptonshire's Firefighters - not that we knew what it was until we got there!



We also passed a poem on wooden slabs and a vineyard.

There was a flock of lapwings along the causeway shoreline.


Wednesday 06 November with Marta.
The same walk as the one on 14 October. No lapwings seen today.

Aerial perspective lighting effect.

Spindle tree in glory

Autumn colours slightly subdued.