Brampton Valley Way, Arthingworth, Waterloo Farm.

A warm day, with little wind. Ideal for walking the same route as on Monday 11th March, but with Marta this time. once again, about 8 miles...though I managed to stop my mile counter in Great Oxenden Tunnel, while trying to access the torch on my phone. Had forgotten to pack the head torch this time! Ho hum.

A short early coffee pause in Arthingworth, which has a few public benches, then up to the trig point.

Tee-shirt weather even

Well, almost...

A harmless piece of rural graffiti

Then on past Waterloo Lodge Farm, where they are doing some work on improving the footpath. We had a short chat with (I guess) the owner and his dog.  Waterloo Farm for another hot drink and a sandwich, eaten outside today!  Yes, I admit we put our outer layers on.

The last stretch was the two and a half miles south along the old railway track, the Brampton Valley Way, through Great Oxenden Tunnel.  (418 metres long).

The light at the end is just visible

Looking up the air shaft

Marta in the spotlight

and we're out.

Brampton Valley Way and Arthingworth (2)

Monday 11th March 2019. With Maureen, Norma and Kate. A bit more than 8 miles.

We started from the same point as last week, the car park between Arthingworth and Kelmarsh. This time we began by walking south, and Before entering the Kelmarsh tunnel we took a path to our right, which took us through a pleasantly wooded picnic area, went to our right (west) for a short distance before turning south, parallel to the railway track.
We walked uphill and came out of the woodland at the minor road between Kelmarsh and Harrington.

At the road we turned left, and left again towards Arthingworth at the junction. We followed this small road for about a mile and a half into the village, turning left just before the church, and walking past this elaborate piece of hedging.

At the end of the village there are two footpath signs. We took the one on the right, and headed north, retracing our steps of last week, up the slope and along the fields, back to the trig point.

Another mini-work-out completed.

The trig point at the huge height of 146 meters above sea level! Nearly 500 feet.

Along the muddy track, turn left, head downhill and up to Waterloo Lodge, (the tearoom that wasn't).
Here we found our path, behind a farm building. We knew we had to turn right and  head north, but we could easily have missed the signs. The path continued, passing caravans on our right and soon joining the Brampton Valley Way. We turned left to find the path to the tearoom. Mission accomplished. Time for coffee and an early lunch, before walking the final two miles and a bit, south and back to the car park.

A slightly sinister figure preparing to face the elements.

Today's route.

Brampton Valley Way and Arthingworth (1)

Monday 04 March 2019
Walk 1. With Eddie, Maureen, Norma and Kate.  Just over 8 miles. We started from the car park between Arthingworth and Kelmarsh, and headed north towards Market Harborough. We followed the dismantled railway track for about two miles, walking through the Great Oxenden tunnel, helped by my head torch, and phone torches. 

Just after the tunnel we found a path heading steeply upwards to join the Jurassic Way/Macmillan Way footpath above the tunnel. A bit muddy and slippery... but conquered with elegance and good grace.

We turned left, heading east, then north east, following footpath markers mostly, though there was a short section which was not clear. We passed Waterloo Lodge Farm - I had mistakenly thought this was a place with a tearoom, but it clearly was nothing of the sort, so we continued, unrefreshed. The path headed downhill and then up, heading east again.
When it came out there was a choice of left or right. Our route led south, to the right, between hedges, and muddy in places.
We crossed a minor road, close to a trig point (146 m above sea level), and continued south, with a turn to the left at the top of a slope, leaving a small spinney, Coldmeadow Spinney to our right. At the bottom of the slop we should have stayed on this side of the hedge, keeping it on our left. It looked more sheltered on the other side, but this was not a good choice - at one point we would have had to cross a very wet ditch. 
A local dog-walker let us know that we were on private property, and the combination of obstacles decided us to turn back. and follow the correct route.
When we arrived in Arthingworth the pub was closed, but its outside tables were tempting. Scone break! The landlord arrived soon afterwards, and was happy to serve us coffees. Luckily there was a loo, too!

We followed the road signposted Harrington - a very quiet road, with a few ups and downs. At the road junction we turned right and immediately left through a nature reserve, and then briefly alongside the A14.

Not the most scenic footpath

We rejoined the Brampton Valley Way, and soon reached the entrance to Kelmarsh Tunnel. At this point we split up.  Two of us looked for the detour,which we eventually found, via an unorthodox route.

The other three braved the darkness.

We all met up at the car park, and headed for the real Waterloo Farm Tearoom for lunch.

Brixworth and Brampton Valley Way

Just over 6 miles. With Norma and Ken. Although the weather was grey and showers threatened we stayed dry, apart from a few fat raindrops just as we stopped for a break.

We set off from the Country Park car park, walking towards the causeway clockwise for a few hanundred yards before taking the footpath to our left and up towards the A508. We crossed the road, and then took the right hand fork of the footpath through the houses, (the Ashway and Iron Pikes) and along Holcot Road, Harborough Road, High Street and Church Street, eventually to Brixworth church. We walked through the churchyard and turned left through a gate down Station Road. When we reached Church Street we turned right along Saneco Lane and found our foortpath through the fields and down hill towards the Spratton Crossing on the Brampton Valley Way. 

We followed the old railway path south for about a mile and half, as far as Merry Tom Crossing, then took the bridleway past Merry Tom Farm and back up to the outskirts of Brixworth.  We turned right at Northampton Road , and followed the cycle route signs to the main A508 roundabout back to the car park.

Brixworth and Chapel Brampton take 2

Monday 6 February 2017.  With Maureen and Norma. Misty then sunny, then cloudy. Underfoot firm and frozen to begin with. Under 10 Miles.

We parked at Spratton Crossing on the Brampton Valley Way, but went back to the road and turned right towards Brixworth. Very soon a footpath goes off to the left, across fields and up towards Brixworth church.

I'm glad this was frozen!

Trees loom through the mist

We're on track

Look, there is sky

Parts of this church date from c750-850. 

 Brixworth has a village heritage trail, with blue plaques dotted around, so our progress was leisurely.

Piggy on the roof

 We walked right through the village on the Northampton Road, past the new housing estate, eventually taking the bridleway to our right downhill to Merry Tom crossing, on the Brampton Valley Way once more.

We now have a view

Horses lined up, behind a fence.

 At Merry Tom crossing we continue along the road, ignoring the muddy path uphill through the field on our left. We reach the junction with the A5199 and turn left. Today there is little traffic and no problems walking along it as far as the Red House, where we turn right and a little later left at the bridleway heading into Chapel Brampton. 
When we reach the village we turn right, and later left to cross the A 5199 again, and down Pitsford Road. This takes us to the Brampton Valley Way once more, and Pitsford and Brampton Station. We have a coffee break on a bench - I discover that my coffee is hot water only, but Maureen's scone more than compensates.

 All that remains is to walk the couple of miles along the old railway line and back to Spratton Crossing.

A very cropped photo of an obligingly stationary buzzard.

A squirrel against the light (exposure adjusted later).

Finally a sandwich and drink at the BreadLine bakery/cafe in Brixworth rounded off a satsifying walk.

Brixworth and Chapel Brampton

Thursday 02 February 2017, 10.15 am. With Maureen. Another grey day, but apart from some drizzle we stayed dry.  I chose this route because much of it does not involve agricultural mud-skating.  One muddy path over fields. Just over six and a half miles, with around 350 feet of climbing.

We parked at Spratton crossing on the Brampton Valley Way, and set off south along the old railway line towards Merry Tom Crossing. We reached this after walking for a mile and a half. At the crossing we took the road leading off to our right. 

We decided to brave the field path leading off to the left and slightly uphill. We tackled the two fields, rather than follow the road.  The path was pretty muddy, though easy to follow, and we were glad to be done with it.

We met the road and turned left towards The Red House, and right immediately afterwards. When a bridleway crossed the road we turned left towards Chapel Brampton, then through the village, and turned left to meet the A 5199. We crossed this and walked downhill and over the river. Not far after that is the Brampton Halt pub, in the old station master's house, and then  Pitsford and Brampton station on the Northampton and Lamport steam railway.  

We found a bench where we could refresh ourselves after the rigours of the morning so far.

We followed the Brampton Valley Way north now, back to Merry Tom Crossing, and this time we turned right again along the well-surfaced bridleway back up to the village of Brixworth.  We now had a mile or so to walk through the village, turning left along Spratton Lane and walking downhill to Spratton Crossing. The road here has no footway, and a couple of bends - we had to keep our ears and eyes open, as there was quite a bit of traffic.
There is an alternative route via field paths, so maybe next time, if the weather has been drier!

Lamport and Draughton

Thursday 08 Dec 2016. 10 am. With Maureen and Gordon. 5.6 miles. Some muddy fields, but we have seen worse!  Weather a little drizzly to start with, but the sun emerged occasionally before we finished the walk.

Time seems to be standing still in this part of Northamptonshire, judging by the church clocks.

We leave  Lamport  at about 10am - or 3.05? . . . 

From Lamport we walked along the pavement next to the A508 towards Harborough , then took the bridleway to our left downhill to the Brampton Valley Way.

Sheep on the bridleway down to the Brampton Valley Way

 We turned right along the dismantled railway track, crossing the A508 once more and continuing for about a mile. 

Mosaics - and plenty of benches along the old railway

We left the Brampton Valley Way , turning right just after an old footbridge, a short distance before Draughton Crossing. We headed slightly uphill across a field planted with a crop. the path was clear and not too muddy. Then we kept to the edge of the next field for a while, but had to brave another muddy patch just before Draughton. The way was not clear at the end, but there is a stile in the top left corner, before reaching Home Farm. Another stile took us onto the Maidwell Road into Draughton. We went straight ahead to the church, and had a break and snack in the church porch.

One hour later in Draughton - it's 3.15!

Refreshed and ready for action after a break

I'm not sure what this flowering shrub is.

 We followed the road out of the village, and turned right when we came to a footpath sign.
The first section of this was no problem, but we had to cross another large field, with no signs that we could see, in order to reach a fairly busy stretch of road near Short Wood and Shortwood House.  We turned right along the road, then left along a byway past a house of barking dogs.

There were glimpses of fairytale countryside through hazy sunshine - very pretty.

A lovely view if you could see it better

We turned right near the top of a slope along a pleasant wooded path, before following field edges to the road into Lamport. We turned right and followed our noses back to the car.

A path through the woods returning towards Lamport.