Belton in Rutland circular, via Launde Abbey

Thu, 2014 May 15 9:40 AM  BST With Harry. Quite a trek, lots of up and down, (900+ feet of climbing) great views. Coffee at Launde Abbey. Very fine day - got hot in the pm. Around 12 miles. 

Ready to go

We park in the village and walk past the church. We are hailed by a friendly local, who recommends Launde Abbey for a coffee, and says there'll be a fine view from the ridge.We divert slightly towards the Loddington Lane, to admire the view and the houses, before returning to our route along the road signposted to College Farm. This heads nornorwest past Bluestones Farm, where a farrier is shoeing a horse, and a small yappy dog makes itself known.

As the road bends left we take the bridleway slightly right,  heading slightly east of north, then slightly west as we climb up to Ridlington Ridge. I go in search of the trig point at 191 meters, but don't find it - again. Two women on horseback overtake us while I wander. i hear a lapwing, but don't see it. We see them turn right later towards Leigh Lodge.

a mighty river

We walk down to the mighty River Chater, and soon afterwards our route follows the Leicestershire Round along a bridleway to our left. Back to the river, and some muddy walking, before we go through a gate and diagonally uphill through a field of young wheat, where our path is just about clear, though I end up with wet trouser legs.

A meter wide?

At the top we follow the marker posts down towards Launde Abbey, and, since it's well past 11 we treat ourselves to a coffee, and let the waitress persuade us to buy teacake and Danish as well. Swallows are nesting under the eaves.

 Then, refreshed, we set off to tackle another crossing of the river, and climb a small hill with great views all round, before descending to Withcote Hall.

Views all round from this hill

We intend to take the first footpath on our right, but it's not well signed. We take the second and then make our way over. More careful map reading required now, since we've left the Leicestershire Round and I haven't walked this section before.

The path goes through fields, and is marked. I think we should have turned just before the outbuildings, rather than taking the path between two fences. It makes its way eastwards and crosses a very minor road, where we turn right and then left almost immediately. Again we head east and arrive at a slightly busier road, just on a bend. We take the bridleway heading south and follow this as it crosses a footpath, turning south east, then east.  This section takes us along a slight ridge then past some woodland called Top Windmill. At the end of the wood we turn left and follow a path then a track slightly downhill and north east towards wood Lane, Braunston.

Recent hedge-laying

We make a very sharp right turn just before we meet the road to the village, and we join the Rutland Round, heading roughly west of south.  We cross a field of sheep, then head uphill along the edge of Priors Coppice.

At the top of the hill, by the road to Leigh Lodge, we pause  for lunch, and more liquid. A cuckoo is calling close by. The first I’ve heard this year, though Harry heard them earlier.

We  cross the private road and head down past more sheep, until we reach yet another small road.  The path goes into a field and downhill diagonally to the left, coming back to the road just at Leigh Lodge.

Forget-me-nots and pink campion

Now we follow the road for a good mile as it climbs up to the ridge.

At the gates we turn left, and soon take a footpath on the right which takes us down towards Belton.

We join the road from Lambley Lodge and have one final short climb back into the village.

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Leics Round 11 - Launde to Hallaton via Belton in Rutland and Allexton

Wed, 2013 Jul 10 9:36 AM  British Summer Time

With Marta. Fine, cloudy, pleasant. Dry underfoot. A couple of dry ploughed fields - hard work. Rolling. 663 ft of climbing. just over 8 miles.

We walk briefly along the Withcote Road from Launde Abbey, before taking the signposted footpath off to the right, behind the chapel and the gardens.  It leads uphill, through fields with sheep, to the corner of Launde Park Wood.  Here the path should cut downhill diagonally across a field, but the way is impassable, so we stick to the field edges.

Some rapeseed or similar is still blooming here - at least it brightens the grey day

 When we reach the far corner we find a gate whose fastening is impossible to open, and have to climb over it. Grid ref - SK 809045 (I think).

The path continues east,  crossing the river Chater, and turning into a wider track, and heads south to a ridge with a fine view.

 We are overtaken by a horse-rider up here. The map shows a trig point just off to our right (west), but we can't find it. Instead we take an early break and admire the view over to Eyebrook reservoir in the distance.

We follow the hedge for a while then the path goes towards the bottom left corner of the field. We keep the hedge on our left until we reach the road near Brickle Farm.  A lot of free range hens are in a field nearby.  The road takes us into Belton.

We walk through the village and down to the A47, which we cross to reach the Allexton Road.  We cross the bridge over the Eye Brook, and follow the Main Street, past the church, which is now redundant and looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust.  

It's open and worth looking inside.

We carry on along the No Through Road, to the footpath past Manor Farm. This leads behind Allexton Hall, which lies to our right.  we can't easily follow the line of the path here, and again walk up beside a hedge until we meet the waymarker. The fields here have been ploughed, and are very dry. It's almost like walking on concrete chunks. 

Not my favourite walking surface.

Then it's alongside a small wood, and turn left to go past Alexton Lodge.  Here we turn right once more and along a field edge.  We're at the edge of the ridge here, and there's a memorial seat looking southwest towards Fearn Farm.  Beautifully placed.
We walk down then up to Fearn Farm with its Zollgrenze sign - Leics-Rutland border??

We turn left to pass the farm, and then right on to the footpath

 - it's marked clearly from here to the dismantled railway - we cross by the overgown bridge and then follow the good clear path through the fields. We come out at the junction of Allexton Road and East Norton Road and walk into Hallaton past the Fox pub and duck pond.

Map and details

Leics Round 10 - Burrough Hill to Launde Abbey via Owston and Withcote

Wed, 2013 Jul 3 9:36 AM British Summer Time

With Marta. Fine day, cloudy and warm - muggy even. Muddy in little Dalby Wood, muddier in Owston Wood. Quite up and down - 528 ft of climbing. 8 miles and a bit. 

Marta picks me up at Launde Abbey, and drives to the Burrough Hill Car Park - the pay machine is working again now!  After a couple of hundred yards along the farm road we take the first path signed to the right, heading north  across a couple of fields where a farmer on a quad bike was herding sheep - with the help of a dog as well.  
I'm familiar with the route from a previous walk, so we walk along the edge of the second field, then downhill to the Dalby Woods Path, which goes east - fairly muddy as usual, and I realise I've left my trekking pole in the car.  

We avoid turning right or south at the gap ion the trees, and continue successfully along the Leicestershire Round path, uphill and climbing the two sets of steps to the ridge.

Looking back from the top of the steps

The route ahead has been made good, and it's probably the first time I've followed its line according to the map - a couple of times it's been much easier to use the edge of the field.

A clear path ahead

The route is clearly marked and clear on the ground all the way into Somerby. 

Guard dog in Somerby

 We walk through a narrow ginnel into the village, and just opposite is Manor Lane - no LR sign, but this is the way.  The first sign is when we arrive at the end of the road. 

The view towards Owston

We walk up a narrow track between two fields, all clear and easy walking - but it's time for our break as we top the next small ridge. 

We carry on down hill through three fields, keeping the hedge on our left.  We cross the stream using a footbridge. We turn right along the stream to the corner of the field, then walk uphill. We follow the waymarkers - there's a memorial bench in the corner of one field. Our path is clearly marked until we reach the road, at a bend.  We turn left here to walk into Owston.  
I'm rather taken with some curved brick walls and a kitchen garden.

 

We glimpse the church through the houses.

We ignore the road to Lowesby, and then the Knossington Road,  and carry on along Main Street as far as the Tilton Road. We pass an old pump and then a well in a field.

We turn right along the road to Tilton, then left along a path to Withcote after about 100 yards.  This is well marked, though you could be confused by other marked paths.  We follow flattened grass paths which take us through fields and eventually to the way into Owston Woods.  The path through the woods is straight and clear, but, as usual, very muddy.

Walking in the footsteps of giants?

We try leaving the path, but it is not much of an idea!  Still, my feet stay dry, though the boots are muddier than for some time.  Last time I walked this was after snow.

When we come out of the wood we think of having another break, but in this muggy weather there are too many flies around - we give that idea up and head downhill towards Withcote.  Last time I was here there were horses everywhere - no longer.  We decide to go and investigate the chapel, which is looked after by the Churches Conservation Trust. 

Withcote Chapel

As we pass the Hall, we ask the owner, who's outside gardening,  if it's ok to go and have a look.  She assures us that it is "But be careful - you could get roped in to help".
Two volunteers are giving the place a bit of a spring-clean, as there will be a service there in the near future - something that happens no more than once a year or so. They're very helpful and informative, ply us with leaflets, and even offer us a cup of tea, though we need to get moving by then.


We go back to the LR footpath, through the farmyard, then divert briefly to have a peep at the lake, where there is a swan family and other water birds.

Then it's through the gate, aim for the top of the hill, down the other side, over the footbridge, up slightly and down towards Launde Abbey.  Once again, I recommend their baguettes with salad and coleslaw, and the coffee or tea - £1.50 for a pot - three cups at least.




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Knossington and Launde Abbey

Thu, 2013 Mar 14 9:44 AM Western European Time 

Led by me, with Barry and Maureen. Beautiful morning, grand views. Afternoon cloudy but fine. Hilly and muddy. lunch at Launde Abbey, Distance: 9.67 miles.  732 feet of climbing. Superb views from the high points.

Barry finishes the first ascent, with Knossington in the distance

Another beautiful blue-skied day, and we mean to enjoy it.   We leave Knossington on the Owston Road.  When we reach the first right hand bend we carry straight on  down a track past the Manor House, and down to a stream. There are no footpath signs at first, but before long we find one. From the stream we climb up for some fine views, then down to a footbridge, and up again to meet Owston Wood Road.   Most of this section of the walk feels very remote, and there is no sound of traffic apart from the occasional plane.

We turn right and walk  along the road for a quarter of a mile.   Our footpath goes off to the left, just where the road bends to the right.  We walk with the stream on our right, across a couple of fields, and in the third field we cross the stream at a gap in the hedge.  We keep the hedge on our right, following it left then right and up hill slightly to another gap.

We wander slightly from my original plan – there are two paths which converge just before Owston,  but we meet the second one (the Leics Round path) a little earlier than intended.  Not a big problem, so we turn sharply to our left and follow the Leics Round.  It’s clearly marked, and takes us southeast over fields, passing the corner of the woods, then uphill a bit until we come to the path into the woods.  Very straight, very wet, very muddy, downhill, then up.

We look back at the muddy path in Owston Wood

onward and upward

By now we’re more than ready for a break. The sun’s shining, the trees outside the wood shelter us from the wind and make good backrests. Irresistible.

the view from the southern end of the Owston Wood path

Picnic spot 

Withcote Hall - listed and has seen better days

The muddiest part of the walk - part of the Stud Farm

Nevertheless, we can’t hang around all day, so we follow the path,  down the avenue of chestnut trees as far as the Tilton – Oakham Road, then across, and along the farm road to Withcote Hall.  The path goes through a farm yard, where there are lots of horses – there is a stud, but they are “destocking” according to the men we spoke to.  The next few yards must count among the muddiest paths we have ever walked, though this record is being broken all the time.

We wander again, round the end of the lake, and catch a glimpse of the chapel.

Could be idyllic

There's a church or chapel as well. According to the link it's open every day and worth visiting.

Clouding over

We return to the path, and head for the top of the next rounded hill, 172 metres (about 560 feet) high.  We go down the southern side to a footbridge over the River Chater, then climb up a gully and down towards a cattle grid near Launde Abbey. 

Launde Abbey - excellent coffee/tea shop.

In the interests of research we decide to try the coffee shop here.  Ever wary of spending a penny too much, I ask the waiter, Neil, whether we can get "just a coffee". No problem. We start to remove our boots, and instantly Neil passes us boot covers. 

Alison models this year's footwear

We order coffee, and look at the menu - the baguettes look tempting. We decide to  go for it. The coffee arrives - a very large pot for two with milk separate. Barry gets a pot of tea. The baguettes come complete with salad and coleslaw. Highly recommended.

We wonder if we'll finish this walk!  By the time we're ready to move the sky is lowering a little.

William Blake sky

We follow the Leics Round path. From the cattle grid you walk a short distance along the road then turn off to the right going east, over fields to the edge of Launde Park Wood, then diagonally over the next field through a gate, and over the river Chater again.  We keep the river on our right and join a wider track. Very soon we leave the Leics Round path and head left, north east along a footpath, this takes us through the edge of a small wood, and we turn left along a ridge, heading west, then north west.

We should have followed the clear path waymarked, but instead carried on and arrived at a very minor road, just at its highest point.  We turned right and at the junction our path lay directly ahead,  wending its way past Windmill Lodge and back to Knossington, via the Braunston Road.

I do hope you're going to wipe your feet!

A fine house in Knossington

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