Market Harborough to Foxton Locks and back along the canal.

Thursday 06 December, with Maureen. Again, we changed our original plan because of muddy paths!  

We set off from the canal basin near the Waterside restaurant. Luckily we were intercepted by a nearby resident who told us that we should make a detour along the main road for about a quarter of a mile. House-building is in progress and one of the bridges is closed until February. 

We duly turned back and walked away from the town until we found the footpath sign which took us back to the canal, where we turned right along the towpath.  It's about five miles to Foxton Locks.

One of Sustrans millennium posts

 After five miles we were hungry, and put that right at Bridge 61 pub. A brief rain shower was almost over by the time we emerged.

Foxton Locks

Almost sunlight!

At one point we saw a kingfisher flying straight along the water, not looking as shiny as one sunny days.

We had another short break on the way back, but, for the first time in a while we walked (just) over ten miles.

Pitsford Water clockwise

Thursday 29 November

With Eddie and Maureen. It was rather cold and windy with occasional drizzle, so Pitsford seemed an easy option. We kept a pretty steady pace of just over three miles an hour - in spite of a very brief break. The weather just didn't encourage hanging about. With heads down, we didn't see any notable wildlife. Where have all the lapwings gone? 

Ready for whatever the weather is throwing at us!

Lyddington to Uppingham by road.

Wednesday 28th November 2018. With Marta. Wet weather, so we decided to avoid the muddy fields. Just under 5 miles. We walked to Uppingham and wandered around the back streets on the heritage trail. 

Let nothing filthy, spoken or seen, enter the threshhold within which there is a child. (Juvenal)

The fatstock market was in the square - lots of pigs, sheep and cattle. Coffee in The Crown.

And then we walked back - down the hill!

Just nder

Circular, Lyddington to Stoke Dry .

Monday 26 November 2018.  With Eddie and Norma. Six and a half miles. We set off from Lyddington, taking the road south out of the village. Soon after the minor road to Thorpe by Water we took the public footpath ( not the permissive one) which heads across the fields to the A 6003. We crossed this road and turned right, walking uphill for a couple of hundred yards alongside the road, until we saw the footpath sign pointing left. The path took us uphill to a point where we got views of Eyebrook reservoir. 

 The path then went downhill and almost to the edge of the water, though there's a fence with a "Private" notice. We should have continued close to the fence, but were distracted by a gap in the hedge and veered off too far to the right, passing this magnificent oak tree,

 before finding the correct route again! 

It's so easy to wander off track!!

 When we arrived at the road we turned right and walked uphill into the village of Stoke Dry, with its intriguing church of St Andrews.

Wall paintings inside the church.

 We had a snack break at the church before continuing along the road and back to the A 6003. We crossed the road, and took the footpath through fields down hill joining the minor road (Stoke Road) just before the village. To complete the walk we did another loop of a mile or so on the footpath behind the houses on the opposite side of the road. 

Kirby Hall from Gretton circular

Monday 19 November with Norma and Eddie.  Just under 5 miles, followed by lunch at Lydia's .

Starting from the village hall, along the dusty track past Kirby Hall, across the road and follow the footpath before turning right to go past the data storage centre (?). Turn right along Gretton Road, go past the junction with Kirby Lane. At the recycling plant turn right again along the footpath and follow footpaths back into Gretton.

Gretton, Thorpe by Water, Caldecott, Gretton

With Eddie, Thursday 15th November, 7.5 miles approx. 

We took the path down Church Gap, and out into the field with ridge and furrow. We cut across to the half-hidden gate. Through the gate and along the path to the railway line - cross with care. On the other side the path goes downhill over a field which is often muddy, then follows the hedge. Just before farm buildings the path goes through the hedge and we turned right along the farm track.  At this point the path has diverted slightly and now follows the line of the Welland. There is a new bridge since I last walked the route three years ago. Not quite Monet, but at least it has two handrails. 

 When we reached the B672, we crossed it and walked along the minor road into Lyddington. A favourite of mine, with its very mini switchback, and little traffic. As we joined Lyddington we turned left, away from the village, and took the permissive footpath on our right, just outside the village. 
This was not the path we intended to take, as we soon realised, but we followed it and with a bit of map reading and a slight retracing of steps we rejoined the original path, over the fields, including one with a few curious, but not aggressive cows. We reached the main road, the A6003, at the electricity substation. Here we turned left and followed the main road into Caldecott. This section, about half a mile, is not to be recommended, even though the verges are quite wide - it's very noisy and busy.

From Caldecott we took our usual route across the valley.  We turned left along the B672, and after less than half a mile the footpath turns off to the right. we followed it , coming closer to the river after a few fields. We reached Mill Road at the weir and made our way back up to Gretton.

Gretton, Rockingham, Caldecott, Gretton

Wed 14 November.  With Marta.  The same route as on Thursday 1st November.  About 9.5 miles.

 Views over the Welland valley

 Approaching Rockingham - placid cows

 and goats.

 We stopped in the tea-shop on Rockingham, before continuing to Caldecott, and back close to the river

 before heading up the hill to Gretton.