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.

Jurassic Way 6 Sibbertoft to Braybrooke

With Marta. 9 miles, including a couple of (intentional) detours. Weather fine, overcast. Ground muddy in places. Our biggest obstacle was a rapeseed field!

We set off from Sibbertoft, opposite the church.

Sibbertoft church

An easy to miss footpath sign!

From here the path was easy to follow across fields and then downhill into a short section of woodland, between Mount Pleasant and The Lawn. Slippery mud underfoot made it hard going.

Looking back up the slippery slope

The path was easy to follow, slightly downhill until we met a road (Dick's Hill).  We crossed this and followed the path round the lower slope of a hill until we reached a field where the path was marked, but completely hidden by the crop of rape.  I don't think the rain and wind had helped, as the plants were leaning every which way - but this was the only field where we couldn't keep to the path, or even see where it ran. We walked round the edge of the field - easier but still something of an obstacle course.

That a way?

At the other side of the field we found the way markers. The dotted line just to the left of the red dot shows the route we should have taken.  From here, with the map and way markers everything went smoothly until we hit another rape field. This time we followed a clear path cutting across diagonally - we should have followed the field edge. However we were able to adjust our route without much trouble and arrived in East Farndon.

There's a large farm/ hall(?) with good views over the countryside. East Farndon is on a hill.

View of the church and part of the village from the disused pits/ earthworks. The signpost shows the loop of the Jurassic Way here.

Time for a coffee break - there's a convenient bench under a tree near the church.

Just in time for coffee!

After this we walked through the churchyard, and out across a coupe of fields. The path took us to the Oxenden Road.

The cows were lying down peacefully right next to the gate we had to use. Curious, but not too curious.

We noticed a viewpoint on the map, a few hundred yards down the road out of our way - Rupert's view over the Naseby battlefield. 

 





We returned to walk along the Oxenden Road, then made another detour towards the deserted medieval village of Little Oxenden - it's supposed to be a superb site, and we could see a few bumps and hollows, but we wanted to get on, so we may not have gone far enough. Another day?
We followed the road into Great Oxenden, taking a path to the left, parallel to the road. This brought us out right where we wanted to be, opposite The George, where we stopped for lunch. We sat outside, under shelter which had been erected for the Jubilee, and ate to the sound of the one heavy shower of the walk.

We turned right out of the pub, then took the footpath to the right just before this house name post.  We walked over the Great Oxenden Tunnel on the Brampton Valley Way and walked through a short patch of woodland, and then fields.

We passed a farm called Waterloo Lodge, and crossed the road to the farm.

From here we continued to follow the path until we came to a T junction with another path - there's bench half hidden in the vegetation here.  We turned left and followed the path until it became a wider track and swung round into Braybrooke.


Map and details

A previous visit to Braybrooke - April 2009