Nene Way 10 - Ferry Meadows - Peterborough - Whittlesey

With Marta. 11 miles. Brilliant sunshine. Very warm.


We set off from Ferry Meadows, and I couldn't resist one more mirror-lake-shot to start the day.

We were diverted from the river, as the path was closed, and walked around Thorpe Golf Course. Part of the route followed this 'covered walkway'

The shade was already welcome at 11 am.

We rejoined the original Nene Way at Orton Lock.

This is a sculpture "Festival Boat, 1988, Sculptor: Sokari Douglas Camp".

As we walked into Peterborough, we saw several bridges

I'm surprised Peterborough doesn't make more of its waterfront, though it does have the Green Wheel network.  When we found our way blocked we turned into the Rivergate shopping centre and sought out coffee in the town centre. Pavement cafes in this weather - it could almost have been Sevilla. 

Children were running and splashing in the fountains.

A colourful flower display

an odd view of the cathedral.

A pleasant tree-lined path by the Nene on the way out of Peterborough. The river has become noticeably straight by this point.

The bridge carries the cycle-path over the Nene to Whittlesey. We used the map, which showed the Nene Way following the road.

A friendly (hopeful?) pig in an enclosure near the path. Pity about the barbed wire shadows!

The erstwhile Dog-in-a-Doublet pub, fondly remembered from days ice-skating on Whittlesey Mere.

Dog-in-a-Doublet Lock.


At the road junction we turned right across the bridge towards Whittlesey, where we had lunch in an Italian cafe, then explored a while.

old town hall and museum

market place and butter cross

St Mary's church

Distinctive street lamps

The statue of the Whittlesey Straw Bear - donated, improbably, by Councillor Ursula Cuffe. 


I think we'll give the Nene Way a rest for the moment. It's a long way to drive for a day's walk; the Nene has several courses - the old course is covered in parts by the Hereward Way out towards March; the new Nene is very straight and confined as it heads through the Fens to the sea.


Map and details

Nene Way 9 - Wansford - Ferry Meadows

10 miles. With Marta. Sunny, warm, delightful weather.

From Wansford we took the road opposite the church which leads towards the A1.  Just before the road the path turns right and goes downhill towards the river underneath two huge bridges before making its way up towards the A47, past a lorry park, then turning right behind the petrol station along a path through fields. For a while we walked parallel to the road, then following the curve of the river turned south-east. We joined a wider track (a dismantled railway) but followed it a bit too far into some stables.  Quick question and we were set right - we'd missed the signs on a kissing gate next to a field gate! The path led us into the village of Sutton - (Sutton Only as the signposts from the road tell us), past playing fields, houses and the church with its open bell tower.  Then we turned briefly west, and south across more fields towards Wansford Station, the headquarters of the Nene Valley Railway.

A quick coffee stop and nose around, and we were ready for off.

The station and railway have been used in lots of documentaries and other films and there are plenty of events.

The Nene Way runs alongside the railway for half a mile or so, then moves further south towards the river, crossing fields full of Roman remains, which are not visible as anything other than humps and bumps.

Water Newton

Roman remains?

The path follows the river but turns sharply left to negotiate a meander just before Mill Hill - a noticeably higher piece of ground.  We crossed a footbridge, where we saw this orderly family of swans.

 After the bridge we followed the higher ground round to the road down to Castor Old Mill. There's a water mill and remains of a windmill. 

There is a ford and a footbridge over the mill arm of the river (Back Dike). The Nene Way crosses the bridge and turns left following Back Dike, crossing another footbridge and then walking with the main Nene on the right.  A clear path leads us under a railway bridge (Nene Valley Railway) and into Ferry Meadows. The Cycle hire and Canoe centre is across Gunwade Lake.

We continued past Ferry Bridge and along Ferry Walk Path to finish at Green Cafe near the Ferry Meadows Visitor Centre. 


Wildlife - herons, grebes, geese, green woodpeckers (we heard more than we saw). Fish - no idea what sort.




Map and details

Nene Way 8 - Barnwell to Wansford

With Marta.  Weather fine, not sunny but warm.  14.44 miles, including short detour to Fotheringhay Church and shop in Nassington.


We started from Barnwell Country Park, crossed the old road opposite Oundle Mill and followed the Nene Way, which is pretty well marked, along past the marina, and locks, through some wide meadows, and over a footbridge into Ashton. The first part of the walk overlaps with this walk from Thursday, Aug 18, 2011

Through the village and after a while we turned left at the 'Entrance Lodge' to follow the road which turned into a track, past a Rifle Range, past Tansor Lodge on an old Roman road and into Warmington.  Coffee break (from a flask), part way along here. 
When we reached Warmington village we turned right, then left coming out at the church, which is a big one. 

and on to Eaglethorpe with its 17th century limestone dovecote

After this we made our way under the A605, through a decorated underpass

and over the fields to Fotheringhay. We climbed up the castle mound

Two boats below Fotheringhay Castle mound

The pub does a good lunch, then we wandered around the church - there's an impressive historical exhibition in there, and it's much lighter than many churches.

The prospect of another six miles was a little concerning, but we've done over 12 recently.  We left Fotheringhay on the Apethorpe road.  The turning to the right is just before the speed limit sign, but easily missed. A track leads to Walcot Lodge, where we turned right again.  About two thirds of a mile later, we were almost tempted to keep following the wider track which veers to the left, instead of going straight ahead. There is a Nene Way sign, but it's not immediately obvious.  There's a short turn to the left, then right a little later, but once all this has been negotiated, the route leads down towards Nassington. We needed something to drink, so detoured to the local shop.

Back to the route proper, and onward to Yarwell Mill, with its boats and caravan site. These millstones are on the road leading out of the Mill.

We should have taken a path across a field at this point. Instead we continued to the road, and turned right towards Yarwell. Not much difference in the distance. From here it's about a mile across fields - lots of horses grazing,

 and Wansford Bridge soon comes into view.

Phew, Wansford Bridge - that's the Northants Nene Way done and dusted.






Map and details

Nene Way 7 from Thrapston to Barnwell Country Park

 ( Garmin timer got switched off for a while, hence 'mile 6 to 7'  is at least two and a half miles long, and doesn't track the route at all between Achurch and just above Wigsthorpe.  After checking the route on the OS map the missing section is almost three miles. Total has to be about 12 miles.)


12 miles approx. Sunny, and very warm. As far as Lilford Bridge the walk is superb – after that there is too much road and flat open track, though Barnwell village itself is well worth a walk.

We set off from near the Woolpack Inn, walking through the village of Islip, which is very attractive, especially in the bright sunshine.  We went past Islip House and after a gentle walk uphill turned right to the road through the village with the church on our left.

A little past the church on the right-hand side of the High Street, at the Rose and Crown the path goes through the pub yard and through two fields which are beautifully maintained with a pond and trees.  

Then we arrived close to Islip Mill, where we crossed the lane into a meadow where cows were grazing.  Close to the path in some trees was a cow with a very young calf.











Further on the path goes through a spinney and by the edge of a small lake, and continues into Titchmarsh Local Nature Reserve.

We stopped for a few minutes in the bird hide, to watch a few grebe and swans. And later, to look at some black and brown sheep with wonderful horns.

The Nene Way, clearly marked, leads between two lakes. 
To the left of the path there is a trout fishery - very popular when we walked past.




The Nene Way leaves the Nature reserve after another notice board to make its way across a couple of fields and to the main street of Aldwincle.

Village sign erected in 2000

I’d heard of the Tea Shop at Pear Tree Farm, and we spent a pleasant half hour sitting outside at the back. Decking that felt right, since it was over a yard, colourful flowers in pots.

We sat at a table with a parasol, in glorious sunshine, watching a horse-rider leaving the stables, and lots of swallows flying in and out of the barn, and sitting on the tiled roofs . . . almost Mediterranean.

 Oh, the coffee was good too.

Still, this was a walk!  So we set off again, past the village school, and the church until we found the Nene Way footpath sign off to the right.

The path leads downhill slightly and turns left following the edge of two or three fields, behind the recreation ground. We went downhill slightly at the edge of a small wood and continued, not far from the river, but mostly hidden from it by trees – we could hear and catch the odd glimpse of people, boating and paddling in the river.

We made a small (deliberate) diversion to the church which sits on a hill above the village of Wadenhoe .

13th Century font

We looked inside, and found plenty of information about Wadenhoe past and present, including the true story about Thomas Welch Hunt, at the time the owner of Wadenhoe Manor,  and Charlotte Isham.  They had been married for ten months and were touring Italy when they were shot by brigands at Paestum. They are buried in the English cemetery in Naples, but there is a large remembrance plaque just inside the church door.  The church also displays copies of paintings of the couple, and the story behind the paintings, which are in Peterborough Art Gallery

We walked through the village, down the hill past the millennium sundial, past the village hall, the Kings Head pub, and followed the signs over a bridge near the mill. The weather was hot and the water very clear and almost tempting. 

After the footbridge we walked beside the river for a short distance, and in the next field had to walk diagonally across to another footbridge. Wow, people sunbathing!  Once we were over the Nene we turned left and slightly uphill making directly for Achurch church.  The path goes through the churchyard and a shady spot next to a wall with lots of crab apple trees looked ideal for a banana stop.

Marta recreates a pose found in some old photographs of her mother and aunts – from the 1940s?

We turned right past the church and briefly along a small road, until we saw the Nene Way sign pointing to the left into some woodland called the Linches.  The path is clear and comes out on the road near Lilford Bridge.  We followed the road past a junction opposite Lilford Hall gatehouses, which are small but quite ornate.

 There is a mile or so of road walking here, over the roundabout with the busy A605, past wide arable fields.

We had the field on our left and could see Titchmarsh church in the distance on our right.

Just before a dismantled railway we turned left along a small road to Wigsthorpe Hall Farm.  Recently planted trees provided welcome shade.

The path was clearly signed here and leads over the fields to Barnwell.  It emerges at the remaining part of All Saints Church with its graveyard, and a spectacular spooky tree.

The village is very attractive with the brook running through.

This bridge was built for the former Duke of Gloucester to walk from the Manor to St Andrews church.

We walked through the village and turned right along the Nene Way at a road junction, then left through a scrubby spinney to the Oundle bypass, which we crossed, then continued to the old road.  We followed this – about a mile again - past Oundle Mill and lock and back to the country park. 
I couldn't believe the colours in this tree - we are barely in September.

Oundle (or Barnwell) Mill

Map and details

Pictures from a walk covering some of the same ground: