Pytchley, Broughton and Badsaddle

Monday 24 July 2017. With Maureen, Norma and Eddie. About 8 miles, because of a missed turning! 
Walking gets trickier when the crops have been harvested, and some paths head straight over sticky ploughed fields. We were following the instructions from a walk I did 6 years ago, but a couple of moments of inattention led me slightly astray.Underfoot was quite wet - the top layer of soil stuck to our boots.  Our deviation also presented us with wet legs after we'd walked through some rather lush vegetation.

I went back the next day, and after another false trail, finally found the correct route. I'll walk it again to fix it in my head.

Revised instructions!

1. Park opposite the Overstone Arms, walk up to the crossroads, turn left along  the High Street. take the right fork to Top End, walk to the end of the End, and turn left through a farmyard.

Turn right after a black barn, and take a bridleway past farm buildings and then between fields.  Follow the bridleway between hedges as it swings left.  As this ends you come to a field where you bear right to cut across the corner, through a gap in the hedge, then follow the right hand edge of the field, keeping trees to your right.

2. The track goes down to Underwood's Hill  Spinney, then across a footbridge and up a slope to the right to join a bridleway. Turn left and follow the bridleway to a gate.  There is a gap in the hedge leading to a narrow overgrown path - follow this to the stile at the other end and turn right. (There are plenty of notices here telling you to keep to the footpath!)

Over another stile and along a narrow fenced-in path. Another stile, and the path continues between walls, through what looks like a private yard, and out through someone's garden, more or less.Broughton church is on our right

3.  Walk down the path to Church St, turn left and join High Street and then left on Northampton Road. Walk to the end of the houses - quite a way - as far as a garage, which is not visible until close up.  Opposite is a footpath sign through a gate.  Turn left and cross the field - you can see the paths cleared through the crops. Walk with the hedge to your left, But before the end there is a stile on the left. Go overthis and continue in the same direction, but with the hedge on your right.  You cross two footbridges - both over dry stream-beds this time.

4. Go through a gap in the hedge, and turn right, crossing the field diagonally to the left to a gate in the opposite corner. Cross the minor road and walk along the farm track, continuing past the farm (Pytchley Lodge) which you pass on the left.

5.  Continue for 400 yards, ignoring a wide track to the right,  until you reach a waymarker pointing right. Follow the path across the fields(Or along next field boundary if, as we found, the field is freshly ploughed). Eventually this rejoins the correct route and leads round to the left of abandoned Badsaddle Farm. Take the first green bridleway to the left, through the hedge and over the next field to join . . .

6. . . .  a farm track - grassy rather than metalled.   You cross a farm road, close to a pylon, and in the next field keep to the left, with trees on your left.

7. At the bottom of a slope, turn right for about 30 yards and cross a serious footbridge.  Continue in the original direction, keeping the trees on your left.  You walk along a bridleway between hedges ( a bit overgrown) until you reach a minor road (Orlingbury-Broughton). Cross the road.

8. Head slightly diagonally left to the opposite corner, where there is a small gap in the hedge. Avoid the wide gap slightly to the right. Carry on with the hedge on your right.  In the next field, move away from the right hand edge, following the path through a dip a solitary tree to a gate.  Or follow the field edge round. Carry on through field to a gap in the hedge, and across another field of flax.You reach a stile just past some farm buildings.

9.  Turn left through the small farmyard, and down a path between the house and a wall.  You emerge at the corner of Butcher's Lane. Follow this to High Street, passing the primary school with its raised veg beds and mini-pond.  Follow the High Street back to the Overstone Arms.

Between 5 and 6 it is possible to add some distance by heading up to the A43, and then taking the farm track.

Not many photos - the weather was rather dull.

Oh yes . . . in Broughton!

Broughton church just after the path close to a cottage window.

When I've done the whole walk properly, I'll post again.