Burrough Hill - Somerby - Burrough-on-the-Hill - Burrough Hill

With Harry, on a fine sunny day with a brisk wind. Around 6.5 miles.  Very similar to this walk from July 31 2008.   A lovely walk, with great views, and plenty of ups and downs.

Pippa from the Fox and Hounds

After lunch at the Fox and Hounds at Knossington - cheese and chutney baguette, with posh chips and a well-dressed salad - we parked at Burrough Hill car park 

and walked up to the hill fort with its trig point 

and toposcope at 680 feet.

We identified some of the places, but it was certainly not clear enough to see Lincoln Cathedral!

The view to the north-west

For the walk we left the fort on the north side - more or less opposite the toposcope, and followed the yellow posts which lead down a grassy track through gorse. This is marked as a permissive path, and is part of the Dalby Hills path. It swings right to go through a wood.

The wood was a bit muddy in places.  We turned off the path when we came to a gap in the wood, and made our way up the hill - the official route continues across the gap and turns right later. It was not difficult to rejoin it.

Looking back down the gap in the woods

Little Dalby hall with church spire beyond the trees

At this point you join the Leicestershire Round footpath which leads uphill, with some steps at the highest point. There were buzzards circling above the woods.

Last time we did this walk in July 2008, the way was not so clear - possibly because of crops and the fact that some sections were overgrown. We had no problem following the route to Somerby. (This is the section where my garmin was switched off, unfortunately!)

Somerby

ridge and furrow?

After crossing a footbridge and several fields, you come to a narrow alley between houses and out to Somerby's main street.

 


Turn right and walk through Somerby. Just after Field Road is a footpath on the left of the main road. This leads across a large field.  Aim for the left hand side of the wood ahead, and you should reach a point where you eventually see the next way-marker.  Go through the gate and walk alongside the dips and hollows of the old gravel pits.

The path swings left round these , then bends sharply to the right.  There is a gated area, where we saw a farmer collecting sheep - for dipping or shearing, last time we did the walk.
At this point I shall quote from the book which introduced me to walking in this area -   Heather MacDermid - Foxton Locks to Rutland Water 


From the

'enclosure of gates. Burrough church spire is straight ahead of you.Walk downhill with the hedge and isolated trees still on your right.

Cross a grassy track which leads to the ruins of a little brick house on your left and go over the fence ahead of you.Continue down the steep hill, moving slightly away from the hedge on your right. In the bottom left corner of the field there is a flimsy plank bridge over the stream. You need to cross a rather boggy path of grass to reach it. Make your way up the hill passing to the left an isolated telegraph pole to reach the top left corner of the field.  A stile here, close to a telegraph pole, leads into a narrow jitty between houses. Emerge on the main road in Burrough at the footpath sign.'

Burrough Church tower and spire.


There is a path from the back of Burrough churchyard, but make sure you take the one to the right.  For most of the way Burrough Hill with its toposcope is visible to the right. After crossing several fields in a direction just west of north, you reach a wider path (part of the Leicestershire Round). Turn right - due east, and follow the path below the hill fort. It is possible to reach the top by heading up the steep slope, and from there make your way back to the car park.

and a couple of other animals on the way back to the car park -

Map and details