East Haddon and Holdenby - clockwise

Monday 11 July 2017.  With Maureen and Norma. This is almost the same walk as last Thursday, but in reverse, and without the wander off track. 7.6 miles, in dry warm weather, with about 300 feet of climbing.

We took the footpath which leads north not far after the Red Lion pub, past the sewage farm and Rye Hill, then along the lane and across a field - the hay has been collected since we were last here, and the way is very clear. When we reach the hedge we turn left, and follow it. In the next field we go through a gap in the hedge and through a field of oats - not yet harvested, but surely ready!

We cross the footbridge and the corner of another field, then follow the hedge uphill to the road between Ravensthorpe and Teeton. Norma identifies our mystery fruit from Thursday as damsons. We turn right a walk for a few yards along the road, then take the bridleway to our right, just where the road bends to the left.  The bridleway goes downhill , with the hedge on the right, and we recross the stream via another footbridge.

Then it's across a field of ripening rapeseed ( quite hard work, but it's dry and the varieties are not as tall as they used to be), along another hedge, through some rapeseed, untill we reach the footpath above Holdenby North Lodge, home of some fine-looking horses. We turn left and follow the path alongside the farm, and the road to North Lodge cottages. The footpath turns right and heads across several fields, slightly uphill towards Holdenby. There are stiles and it's pretty well marked.

Approaching Holdenby

A posing sheep

 We cross the road and walk through Holdenby village - no teddy bears picnic this time. It's about time we had a break, so we head to the church once more, and its well-placed bench.

 We have another brief look inside the church - this screen was once in Holdenby Hall, and the cross was added later. 

 From here it's pretty straightforward. From the lane to the church we turn right and follow the Macmillan Way downhill, turning right and following the track to the junction, marked by a fingerpost to East Haddon, where we turn right again. We have come past the hill with trees on top, which lies on our right.  The path continues until the building marked on the map as Rowell Leyes is in sight, and then goes gently uphill and to the right of the building.

At the field edge just beyond this we turn right then left then left again (three sides of a small rectangle). Ignore the larger track leading past the building marked as The Conduit. There is a sign saying that the land is private, but it's half hidden in the hedge.

Then follow this path beside the fields and the village cricket ground, before turning right and reaching Main Street once more.
We headed over to Brixworth for a sandwich and coffee. 
Once again, lots of butterflies and damselflies, and also skylarks and a coupe of buzzards.

East Haddon and Holdenby

This was a recce walk, and there is part in the middle which didn't quite go to plan.
With Maureen, on a hot day. Around eight and a half miles in all. Butterflies and damselflies in evidence along the way.

Village pump

Men at work

We began the walk from Main St in East Haddon, and walked along the footpath to Mill Street, just opposite the Red Lion, heading south, then turning east alongside the cricket field, and then for half a mile or so following field boundaries.

Then the path turns right, south,  at the end of a field, and right again,west, making three sides of a rectangle, before heading south once more, then slightly to the west, uphill. A right angle turn to the left takes you south west and goes gently down to join a surfaced track with Macmillan Way signposts, to Althorp and Holdenby. We take the left turn to Holdenby.  

On our left is a small hill, topped with a tree.

We joined the Macmillan Way and turned left at a junction of paths, and climb quite steeply north east towards Holdenby. There are views of the church among the trees on the left. Almost at the top of the slope we turned left along the small road to the church, noting bear hunt posters along the way.

There are some interesting monuments in the church, including this memorial stone on the floor.

Even more interesting for us at this point was a bench with a lovely view.

We've walked just over three miles in some pretty serious heat.

When we decide to set off again we hear children chattering - it's a local primary school hunting for the treasure before having a teddy bears' picnic.

We call in at the old school house to see what's going on.

We walk along the road to the junction with the East Haddon-Chapel Brampton road, and cross over to the footpath, and meet the first stile of the day. Following the path north through several fields we emerge at North Lodge Cottages, and turn sharply left,or west, towards Holdenby North Lodge. The path runs to the south of the farm buildings and through a paddock with a couple of horses. The hedge is on our left as we climb up to a bridleway, where we turn right and follow the hedges north then north west.

At this point we missed a turning or two and managed to end up slightly off track, but we found the route we intended to take back to East Haddon from the Ravensthorpe-Teeton Road. As we stopped for an essential drink of water, we noticed these fruits across the road.

They appear to have one stone, but neither of us were sure what they were.  We headed back along the path which goes south as far as Rye Hill farm and cottages, uses the surfaced track for a hundred meters or so, then goes off the right. We pass the sewage works, on our left, resist the temptation to cross the footbridge over the stream, and walk towards the village. When we reach the corner of the field we turn left and the path is a few yards ahead, between the houses. It reaches East Haddon at Holdenby Road, slightly to the west of the Red Lion pub, where we had a very welcome cold drink.

I may well try this walk in reverse soon, so that I can recce the bit I messed up.