East Carlton - Nevill Holt - East Carlton

Led by Barry - with Gordon and me. 10 miles approx. Sunny, very warm, still some mud.

We set off from East Carlton Park at about 9 am.  We turned right out of the park gates and walked along the road downhill, as far as the Ashley Road - a long section, but we met only one car.  We turned left round a bend in the road towards Ashley.  Shortly after the bend we took a footpath going due west on the right.  We soon turned right to go north, across the Welland and a dismantled railway line and then crossed the minor road to Medbourne.

Upper Leighs Farm

A fair pull uphill to Stoke's Buildings

Wide views all around from the top.  They are restoring the buildings at the moment.  We carried on slightly east of north to reach the road from Drayton to Nevill Holt.   It's a magnificent place - once owned by the Cunards, birthplace of Nancy Astor,  then a prep school from 1928 - 1998, and now owned by David Ross,  formerly of Carphone Warehouse.  They stage a festival of opera here in the summer. 

A punning motto - wish nothing ill

The horse's head seems to face a different way from different angles











From Nevill Holt the path goes downhill to the east through fields and past a pheasant rearing area, where we saw a basic scarecrow and a pair of unscared red kites.

There is also a pleasantly shaded strip of woodland, where we took a break.

After a few more fields we arrived at Great Easton, and walked along Deepdale, Butchers Lane and Brook Lane, before turning right along Barnsdale ( the road to Bringhurst and Drayton).

Great Easton

After a hundred yards or so there is a footpath to the left, which crosses a few fields and skirts the hill, emerging just below Bringhurst.  We turned left and downhill, instead of going into the village.  We turned right along the dismantled railway and continued until we met the Jurassic Way.  
Hey, a new kissing gate! 

We turned left and followed the Jurassic Way along 'Occupation Road' over the Welland until we met the road between Middleton and Ashley.  We walked along the road into Middleton, and turned left opposite the Red Lion - another closed pub!

The path took us along the bottom edge of East Carlton Park, and we turned left, and up to the café and car park.

Through the portal

Map and details