A short bike ride, a short walk, a theatre performance

Wednesday 7th September

 After coffee I did another circuit of the valley, Harringworth and Mill Road. Once again managed Station Road without stopping, after a pause at the bottom of the hill.  The whole ride was almost 8 miles including round village at the start.

Twelfth Night at Kirby Hall

A superb performance by The Handlebards, two men and two women, who performed this play revelling in all the chaos and confusion caused by the twins Sebastian and Viola and the convoluted love triangle/quadrilateral that Shakespeare created.

All in the perfect surroundings of Kirby Hall, helped by the weather remaining dry after a short initial shower.

We walked our usual route from Gretton, down the Fullen Lane track and across the fields, carrying picnic chairs.

Of course it was dark for our return, but our head torches served us well.

A grand walk and an excellent evening out.

Bike ride - Welland valley

 Saturday 3rd September

Took bike round valley - down to Harringworth, back via Thorpe by Water and Mill Road, finishing with the ascent of Station Road. between 7 and 8 miles, including Kirby Rd, Corby Rd Hunts Field and Finch Hatton on way out.

The Welland is very low.

Back for coffee and a scone.

Bike ride - Gretton via Kirby Lane and Harringoworth

Thursday 1st September

 Harry continued to prune the holly tree.

I took the bike out and rode round via Kirby Hall - that road seems to be a serious rat run from the A43 to Priors Hall - huge amounts of traffic.

 I turned left before Deene, went close to Spanhoe lodge and down into Harringworth. Chatted to bloke cycling 40 ish miles. He passed me as I was having a brief pause on the hill up into Gretton.

10.28 miles according to Walkmeter.

Cycling around Welland valley

Tuesday 30th August

After lunch we went by bike to Lyddington, Seaton and Harringworth, bought 12 eggs and returned up the hill to Gretton. (I estimate 10 miles). 

Bike ride Gretton to Barrowden and back

Sunday 27th February 2022. About ten miles. With Harry. Across the Welland at Middle Bridge, towards Lyddington and along Thorpe Lane’s double mini-hill. Then road towards Harringworth, turning off at Morcott turn and up the big hill, and across to Barrowden. 

selfie near Wakerley

Lambs

River Welland is quite full

From Barrowden to Wakerley, then Harringworth and just the final hill to go. Much better from the point of view of low sun this way round. 

 

Sunday 7th November, with Harry.

Afternoon , cold and bright. We cycled to Harringworth, Wakerley and Barrowden and back via valley road and Mill Road - approx 10 miles, I guess. Quite hard work, and a bit windy. 

Photo by Harry.

Harringworth Round

 With Eddie and Maureen, about 7.5 miles. Not warm and very little sun.

Harringworth stables.

We decided to tackle this anti-clockwise, taking the path close to the entrance to the stables which crosses the field towards the Welland. The path follows the river as far as Turtle Bridge.

Nettles are still thriving

We turned right soon after crossing the bridge, and made our way towards Barrowden with the hedge on our right. Look out for the way marker guiding you across a field and away from the church spire.

We crossed a couple of fields with stiles, and turned left up the road, the right and left at the junction. We didn’t visit the coffee shop today - the weather was not inviting enough for us to go the extra mile. Instead we continued towards Morcott - quite a. long slightly uphill stretch of road.

View of the windmill ar not easy to get from here, but I tried.

We had to cross the A47 - not too bad this way as visibility is good . Across the road we went through a short downhill section of woodland, then crossed a field to a stile and steep steps down to the A6121. We crossed this and walked through Morcott as far as Mount Pleasant Road, where we turned left then picked up the footpath leading back to the A47 close to the junction with a small road. The next section involved crossing a couple of fairly big ploughed fields - downhill and fairly dry.

We followed the path which goes under a small railway bridge before climbing steeply to Morcott Road (from Seaton to Morcott. Lovely views of the Welland valley viaduct from here.

We took a late scone and coffee break at Seaton church - the usual sun trap bench was at least sheltered from the wind.

From now it was downhill all the way past the farm with its pond to the Welland valley, dry and unflooded and easy walking back to Harringworth. 

We took the path under the viaduct through the churchyard and past the stables to return to the cars

BY bike from Gretton to Rutland Water

 Tuesday 12 October 2021. With Harry 20 miles. The weather promised to be sunny, or so we thought as we drank coffee in the garden.

Out ward route via Harringworth, Wakerley,  Barrowden and the Luffenhams. Return via Lyndon, Wing, Seaton and Harringworth.

A pair of swans on the Welland near Wakerley.

A murky Rutland Water from Normanton car park as the drizzle persisted.

Approaching Wing

Coffee break over…

Penultimate hill climbed - only the hill between Harringworth and Gretton remains

3 hours, 20 miles, 1160 feet of ascent. 

By bike round the Welland Valley

 Gretton to Thorpe by Water to Harringworth, and back to Gretton. 7 miles - a pootle.

Bike ride to Fineshade, ab=nd return via Blatherwycke and Red Lodge road.

 About 18 miles. No map. Good weather.

Harringworth, Shotley, Turtle Bridge, Harringworth

Monday 14th June. Eddie, Norma, Maureen, Kate. 6 miles or so in very hot weather. Photos out of order.

 Thursday 14th June. Very hot. With Maureen, Norma, Kate and Eddie. About 6 miles.

Gretton to Harringworth circuit.

 7th June 2021.

Eddie and I decided to walk from Gretton at 9.15. Sunny warm, and even hot, with a gentle breeze.  Across past Harringworth Lodge and the road to Deene. Along footpath, not Shotley way, but towards Spanhoe airfield. We turned left and emerged on road towards Wakerley at Harry’s old “observatory”.  We walked along the bridleway opposite down to Turtle Bridge, then left along the Welland to Harringworth. Brief pause for coffee (for me, an essential!), before walking past the stables and through the churchyard, under the viaduct and back on to the road to Gretton. We tried to use the farm track but there was sheep business going on, so we turned back and continued to Gretton along the road. Almost 10 miles in all.

7 mile cycle ride round the valley

This is my standard short ride - done on the 17th and the 19th October. 

Egg boxes dropped off in Harringworth.

Another ride around the Welland Valley

Gretton - Lyddington - Seaton - Barrowden - Wakerley- Harringworth - Gretton.

the elderflowers have gone. Plenty of meadow cranesbioll and some mallow. Wild roses, another umbellifer (ie not cow parsley), knapweed, honeysuckle. The river looked peaceful at Wakerley Bridge.  Looked as though the pub was open in Barrowden - people picknicking on the green, near the duckpond.

Three hills - up from  Lyddington, up to Barrowden turn on Morcott Road, and finally Harringworth Hill.
oh yes,  the road between Wakerley and Harringworth is bad, but not as bad as the one past Kirby Hall!

No photos today. About 14 miles I think.

Bike ride round the valley about 10 miles

With Harry. Around ten miles in all.

From Gretton, via Lyddington, Thorpe by Water, under the viaduct and through Harringworth, up the hill towards Laxton, turning off towards Deene, and returning along the boneshaking. road past Kirby Hall.

A short ride round the valley

Sunday 5 January 2020

This used to be my standard de-stressing route. It's only six and a half miles, but there's a fairly long hill on the way back.

I decided I need to do more cycling to regain fitness. So the intention is to get out and do this short ride once every few days.

Going hi-vis!

It took almost 39 minutes, but the hill was ok, with one brief pause.

Ending December...

Sunday 29 December.

A 17 miles bike ride to Fineshade, returning via Laxton and Harringworth.

Gretton to Fineshade

Sunday 02 June 2019, with Harry.  From Gretton, we cycled down the hill to Harringworth, along to Wakerley, then turned right and went past the woods. Across the A43, and along to the road up to Fineshade. 

Quick stop to buy a drink, then we cycled through the woods and down to Kings Cliffe,  returning along the road to Blatherwycke.  We passed the lake with its two black swans, and a little further on the alpacas.  
The next village was Bulwick. Instead of turning into the village, we turned left towards the A43, which we crossed to reach Deene, and then came back via the road past Kirby Hall. The bone shaking surface could do with smoothing over for cycling. From there we turned right and cycled back to Gretton.
Around 18 miles in all.

Harringworth - Barrowden - Morcott - Seaton round

Thursday 28th March, with Maureen and Eddie. The same walk as last Thursday, but in reverse. About 8.5 miles. Fine and warm once more.

From Harringworth village centre we walked a short distance along the road to Wakerley, then turned left to the path through the field near the stables. We followed it to the Welland, and walked with the river on our left as far as Turtle Bridge.

Here we crossed the river and continued our walk along the field edges before heading diagonally to the left, and slightly uphill into Barrowden, through a field of sheep and lambs.

We followed Back Lane and eventually reached King Street and the Commnity Shop and cafe. Almost 3 miles, so it was an early break for coffee.

Out of Barrowden via the village green and duckpond.

Vantage point for a photograph

There was an uphill stretch along the road towards the windmill, just before the A47, which is easier to cross from this side of the road!

Through a short woodland section with plenty of violets underfoot, then across a recently ploughed but smooth and dry field.
Down a flight of steps, and across the A6121 and through part of Morcott village, until we met the waymarker indicating our footpath, along Mount Pleasant Road. This soon leads into a field. It goes slightly uphill and before too long back to the A47, close to the petrol station complex. We crossed and took the path directly in front us. Another ploughed field, but again dry and smooth, and going downhill, with good views around. 
At the bottom of this slope we turned right and followed the yellow posts as far as the railway bridge. Under this and we turned left then right for a short steep climb up to the road to Seaton.
In Seaton we paused for a rapid drink, sitting in the sun outside the George and Dragon.

Seaton Church

Our route took us down church Lane and past a few houses, then downhill with views of the viaduct, across a disused railway line and across the minor road. Through a small gate and along the drive of the very impressive farmhouse. The path goes round the house, and over a wooden footbridge, before heading across fields towards the Welland, and over the river, then left under the viaduct and back into Harringworth, via the churchyard.

Harringworth church.

Lots of daffodilas and spring flowers in the villages. Celandines, violets, primroses and blackthorn in abundance.
Tortoiseshell and brimstone butterflies.
Lunch at Lydia's cafe, Gretton.