Easton on the Hill,Tinwell, Stamford, Wothorpe,

 Monday August 9 th 

I walked with Harry from Easton on the Hill,

past the church, and along the footpath/ track which leads straight on not through the company car park area.  The track turns into a footpath down Easton Hillside (OS label), alongside a wood and over the mainline railway.

It joins another track and continues to the Welland, just before Tinwell - you can access Tinwell, but we turned right and followed the river,under the noisy A1 and past the remains of Stamford Spa and its healing ironwater.

We crossed the river at Broadeng Bridge and followed the well used path to the Town Meadows, where we paused for a break, before heading up to the A43. We crossed and turned right, along the lower footpath, through the newly built mansions, and some more established des reses - the path is clearly separated and easy to follow, and climbs gently. It goes alongside the A1 for a while - quite pleasant as there are lots of trees to

mitigate the unavoidable roar of traffic. Under the road, through a still muddy tunnel,we emerge into what would be idyllic if only it was quiet.

The path takes us to the west of the old Wothorpe House (now Wothorpe Towers) , then along a path enclosed between two high hedges and back to the bridleway labelled as Warren Road, then into Easton on the Hill. Just under 5.5 miles, and done before any rain fell.

Easton on the Hill, Tinwell, Stamford, Wothorpe.

 Tuesday 03 August, about 6 miles.

First mile or so missing!

Dry and later sunny and warm. Walked with Marta from Easton-on-the-hill, near the village hall

following directions past the priest’s house,

then turning right down the tarmac covered byway towards Tinwell Crossing (of the mainline railway).

The path continues through woodland, and turns very slightly left towards the river, and a bridge leading into Tinwell, which we did not cross. Instead we turned right, and followed the course of the Welland,

under the roaring A1, past the pumping station, with its weir, then the Spa. We had a coffee stop on a concrete structure, with the sound of distant traffic.  This is a well-walked route, popular with dog walkers and families alike.   We crossed the footbridge (Broadeng Bridge) and the path took us to Stamford Town Meadows. 

From there we headed towards the A43 and the footpath leading to Wothorpe. At the top there is a bench with a great view of the town.  Turn right and then take a cut through to the left behind houses and through some woodland. When you reach the Old Great North Road turn right and then, opposite the entrance to the golf club, turn right on to a bridle way. This leads past Wothorpe Towers, previously known as Wothorpe House.

We also explored the path just past the building, which leads between two very high hedges. Then it was back to Easton in the Hill. 

Lunch Ciabata at the Blue Bell, Easton on the Hill (which is now displaying the UK flag, though they still have an Italian one by their pizza oven.)

Easton on the Hill, Stamford, Wothorpe

 Saturday 17 July, with Harry, 5.5 miles.

Another blazingly hot day.  We went out to draw Wothorpe Towers, 

then decided to walk the same route as last Thursday, 

but in reverse and without the overgrown diversion to Wittering.

Easton on the Hill, Stamford, Wothorpe

 Thursday 15 july - 7.2 miles.

Dry and warm, but not sunny.  Walked with Harry and Eddie - Easton on the Hill 

past the church

through fields down hill and across the railway line

and below the A1,

then across the River Welland

to the Meadows,

past the station

via Wothorpe

and the Old Great North Road. The footpath has views of Ketton cement works

and the ruined Wothorpe House

On an impulse we took the footpath to Wittering which disappeared under crops after the first minor road.

Very awkward walking and my socks ended up full of grass seeds.

Marbled white butterflies in a small wild area, lots of scabious plants. Returned to Easton via Cliffe Road.

Easton - Stamford - Wothorpe - Easton

Mon, 2014 Nov 10 9:26 AM GMT

With Tommy, Norma, Chris, Terry and Gordon. A fine dry morning, cool. Some mud underfoot. Around 5.5 miles.

An easy, pleasant short walk this morning, on good paths and in fine weather, if a little cool to start with.

We walked north along Church Street to the church, and turned right - not down Park Walk but along the next path.

Easton on the Hill house-scape

Flowers still blooming

 We crossed a few fields going north east, over the railway and under the A1. We continued in more or less the same direction following the Welland into Stamford, past the old Roman Ford to Town Meadows, where we made use of a picnic table for our break.

The Welland near Stamford

Stamford from Town Meadows

We turned south east, crossed the bridge towards the car park, walked up Wothorpe Road to the A 43 and crossed over. Next we followed the path to the right, parallel to the road and then going southwest over a field and along a narrow footpath with hedges each side. This brought us out into Wothorpe, with its very fine houses.

Walking through the posh part of Wothorpe

 As the road turned to the left Stamford came into view beyond the fields.

A more distant view of Stamford

We passed the other footpath near the end of the road (First Drift) , then arrived at the Old North Road. We crossed over and turned to our right, past the Wood suppliers, as far as the entrance to the golf course. Here we crossed the road again and took a bridleway southwest.

Along the bridleway opposite the golf course

 We crossed the A1 by a bridge, and continued past Old Wothorpe House. It must have been a fine place in its day.

Old Wothorpe House

 The path took us as far as the A43, which we crossed and followed the road back to the cars, in Easton on the HIll.

Coming back into Easton on the HIll

Map and details

Four Counties - from Easton on the Hill

Mon, 2013 Sep 16 9:41 AM British Summer Time

Led by Mel - with me, Terry and Steph, Chris and Marion, Chris, Barry, Gordon, Maureen, and Jill. Around 6 miles, and mostly flat. No rain, bright and breezy.

Look at the weather when we set off! And it's still blue skies when we arrive at Easton on the Hill.

We walk out of Easton on West Street. This turns into a byway,  and leads through fields and woodland with views west towards Ketton.  There are a few hunt-followers around this morning in the usual 4x4 s.

Clouds over Ketton

We continue downhill until we reach the Welland, close to Tinwell. At the river we turn right, heading East towards Stamford.  

Photocall at the site of the Roman ford, where "in AD 61 survivors of the ninth Roman Legion fled . . . pursued by Queen Boadicea"

Then it's on to the Town Meadow with its tables for our break.   We walk over the footbridge and past the George, uphill out of Stamford along the Peterborough Road, through St Martins Without.  Opposite a gate to Burghley Park we take the footpath southwest, crossing the A1 via a footbridge, then past Wothorpe House.

It stands in ruined splendour - once used for the Burghley House family to stay while the main house was spring-cleaned. 
Our route continues southwest, alongside a few blackberry bushes, on the edge of woodland.

Barry in silver medal position here

We meet the A43, cross it and make our back up the short hill into Easton and back to the cars. Just the job for a Monday morning - and no rain either.

Oh, the four counties are Northants, Rutland (just over the Welland), Lincolnshire (Stamford) and Cambridgeshire (the outskirts of Peterborough).

Map and details