Harleston, the Bringtons, Nobottle circular

Thu, 2014 Jul 3 9:55 AM BST.

with Maureen. Very warm, quite undulating. Just under 9 miles.

This walk covers much of the same ground as one I did in April 2013 with Barry, plus some of this one from Harlestone in May 2014.

We set off from SP 700 638 , at the parking spot at the start of the bridleway through woodland to Lower Harlestone. We followed this northeast until we reached the open ground, full of earthwork humps and hollows. We turned left and followed a side track near the school. This took us to the golf course with its lake and balustrade. 

Then we took the path to the right, before the "private" notice, crossed the car park and took the path to our left, past the church.

We continued past the war memorial and village hall, and continued straight on, following the path to the road. There is a choice of paths, and we took the right hand one, but the left hand one would have been fine too.

  We walked through this part of the village and took the quiet road signposted to Little Brington. This took us past the Dovecote and Laundry. After about half a mile we turned right at a junction, taking the road past Althorp House, and then the public footpath to Great Brington, through woods and fields.

At Great Brington we treated ourselves to a coffee in the pub - the Fox and Hounds, which has a lovely shaded courtyard.

We diverted from our route to have a look at the church - see previous post for more detail.  

Then we walked along the road to Little Brington, past the school and up to the crossroads. We walked along Carriage Road. Although it's a private road, there is a footpath, and before long we turned right across fields heading towards Nobottle. We crossed a minor road and two more fields, then walked along the busier road through Nobottle. Luckily this is a short section  and we soon turned left after Grove House, into fields, then alongside Nobottle Wood.  Once away from the road we thought we deserved another break. Today was a sticky day for walking! 

After a short section of woodland, and the only slightly muddy section of the walk, we reached the end of Nobottle Wood, and followed clearly laid out paths through fields, beside hedges and slightly uphill.

We emerged in Harlestone again, and turned right, taking the footpath just after the stream. This led us up, across a road and on again, coming out at the spot where we had parked earlier.



Map and details

NR 8 - Nobottle to Church Brampton via Harlestone

Tue, 20 May 2014 10:09  BST

With Marta. Parked at Harlestone.

Walked NR to Nobottle and returned via different path. Then Harlestone to Ch Brampton, there and back on NR. Fine, warm, not much sun. My other device tells me 10.3 miles!

With Marta. We parked at Harlestone - a spread out village consisting of Harlestone, Lower Harlestone and Upper Harlestone. The section near the church has a dead end access road with no parking unless you're visiting the school or church.

We should have  turned left, south into the village - there's a pub called The Fox and Hounds, implausibly sporting a sign showing a fox as Master of the Hunt, surrounded by hounds.  

We found a spot to park near a footpath and a bridleway, clearly much used by local dog-walkers, and indeed dogless walkers.

This walk followed a  slightly different pattern from usual, as we decided to leave coffee and the like at the car, to pick up for a break part way through the walk. Gives us flexibility if we're not up to finishing too!  And a lighter pack to carry.

We take the bridleway through a gate with a wooden latch. Soon we're in woodland and the scent of wild garlic takes me back to childhood!  Damp woodland earth and wild garlic - close rivals to freshly cut grass and honeysuckle!  This part is rather like a magical fairy realm as we walk a large house with a lovely garden, and another house hidden away. It feels as though we've slipped back a century or two, apart from seeing the parked cars.

When the trees stop we turn left following a narrow track towards the area with the church.

A well?

Lots of wild garlic

Then we take a footpath left again into the wood emerging on a track through Northampton Golf Course with its lake and balustrade.

We follow a path to the church, and on past the village hall, and further to Yew Tree Farm.

The NR signs are clear, and we have no real problem staying on track. It's also part of the Midshires Way.

The grass is greener

On the ground paths are clear, either alongside hedges, or through fields of crops.

We walk southwest towards Nobottle. We take a  quick break for water and an orange before four hundred or so yards of road walking. It's not too busy, and there is a bit of a grass verge, but we're pleased to see the bridleway sign on our left, shortly after we pass Nobottle House on our right.

We go alongside a field and reach a small spinney, where we turn to the right, then left along side hedges and back towards Upper Harlestone. We follow the road to the right, then turn left and walk back to the car - and coffee. 5 miles done so far.

The next section is two and half miles or so out to Church Brampton. We come back the same (shortest) way.

We walk the bridleway through the garlic woods for the second time, of three today.  Instead of turning left we carry on after the woods, by some mounds and hollows, and across the road near the pub. It's quite busy for a minor road.

We turn right and walk uphill until we se the bridleway sign, with tiny NR stickers on.

We turn left, slightly north of east, along a track, then right through a fields of green barley.

The path goes downhill to the railway, and we follow it under a bridge, and the  uphill into woodland - classic England in spring with sunlight through the trees, bluebells and pink campion, and a damp earth path. It's the edge of Fox Covert.

We come out of the woods to be met by warning signs about flying golf balls and the need to keep to the path. Northamptonshire County Golf Club.  

We follow the path over a couple of fairways, then it turns left. This track goes past the clubhouse and then along Golf Lane, land of huge houses and customized car plates. We find a handy seat by a bus stop - have a short foray in search of a shop, find none, and resort to emergency cereal bars before retracing the route back to the car - all in all between 10 and 11 miles.

Map and details

Northants Round 7 Bugbrooke to Nobottle , return via Nether Heyford.

Fri, 2014 May 16 10:34 AM   BST  

With Marta. 5 miles or so of NR , about a mile wandering round Harpole, and then return trip via Midshires way and other paths, and a short section of Nene Way. Very warm, rather humid after lunch.  Around 12 miles. 400 feet of climbing.

All locked up and ready to walk

We start from the green in Bugbrooke and walk along the road to Kislingbury for a short distance before taking the bridleway marked to the left.  We promise ourselves an early coffee . . .

walk this way

The path is enclosed by hedges and trees and we hear the call of a green woodpecker, but don't see it.

Tree trunk and ivy

After a mile or so we emerge into fields and make our way through two fields and down to join the Nene Way - a section we walked in 2011. We turn right and follow the path east to Bugbrooke Mill, with its flour lorries and silos.

a mouse fishing?

The path is easy to follow, leading across the road to the mill, and then alongside a hedge. As the tall bushes end, the path turns left into the mill grounds and crosses a couple of fields before going under the M1. We decide coffee can wait until the noise is behind us.

to the M1 and beyond

After the motorway we stop near the weirs and Harpole mill - there are large blocks on concrete on a footbridge here - tables and chairs ideal for a break.

near the weirs and old mill

the mill pond?

Our next obstacle/landmark is the A 45 - quite busy here, but with a central reservation, and not difficult to cross. On the opposite side our footpath is marked with a sign, but on the ground the rape plants are vigorous and we see no way through. We make a detour of getting on for half a mile roune the edges of the huge field, then make our way back to the route.

we found the path again after a long detour round rampant rape

Harpole is a village of friendly people, but of the two pubs The Bull is closed - ok, it's not 12.30 yet - and the Live and Let Live doesn't serve food. We buy sandwiches and liquid at the village shop, and find a churchyard bench to sit on for lunch.  We must have added almost an extra mile as we wandered up and down the High Street.

Harpole church

is this thrift?

From the church we take School Lane and pick up our footpath, which is enclosed by fences for a while, then heads north west uphill to Harpole Hill. There's a bench in front of the wood on top, but we don't need another rest just yet, we tell ourselves, sternly.

view from Harpole Hill

The path dips down slightly, then up across a planted field, and some steep steps take us to the edge of Harpole Covert and on to a track, continuing our northwesterly line along a low ridge then down into the hamlet of Nobottle.

steep steps to the ridge

and little else either

A short road walk takes us to the Nobottle sign. Just before this our path turns left - a bridleway, and part of the Midshires Way.  It is very clearly marked, though there are one or two meetings of ways which need care.

New Covert from the Midshires Way

There are a couple of fields of cows with calves, and in one in particular the cows show some interest in us - luckily from a fair distance!

Hebridean sheep?

what fine horns you have

The track becomes a minor road and crosses the motorway via a bridge.  We head on towards the A 45 again. It is single carriageway here, but not too busy.  We walk along the  minor road through Upper Heyford, then take a path to our left which joins the Nene Way at a footbridge, just after crossing some lovely restored meadows.

Ragged robin in the restored Heyford Meadow

The Nene near Nether Heyford, from the footbridge

Now it's just another mile or so - we think we deserve a coffee and cereal bar break in Nether Heyford before continuing along the Nene Way towards Bugbrooke, and rejoiinng the path we took at the start of the walk. A minor hiccup occurs with map-reading or memory, but we are soon back with 12 miles under the boots.

Map and details

Great Brington circular

Thu, 2013 Apr 18 10:05 AM Western European Time 

Led by Barry. Sun and showers - gentle rolling countryside - mostly dry underfoot. About 8 and a half miles. 466 feet of ascent.

Great Brington Church - on top of a hill, dominates the skyline as you approach by road

One of the churchwardens claims this could be the prototype for the US stars and stripes . . .

. . . after all George Washington's great-great-great-grandfather had this on his shield. 

We saw plenty of the curiosities in the church - including a seating plan from the seventeenth century  - not easy to escape attending church in those days, and this fine window by William Morris, a Libyan marble floor,  some 13th century stained glass.

The tombs of early Spencers from Althorp are in the church, in full decorative finery.

We walked through the village and on to Little Brington, over fields and quiet roads.

There's a shower on its way

The old Forge on Blacksmith's Lane.

There's a bench in memory of a woman who lived in the cottage all her life, until she died aged 79, in 2005.

Lo, we have blue skies

We managed to avoid this muddy water for once

Nobottle, and not a lot else either

Wood anenomes on the way to Harlestone - windflowers indeed, today.

Dovecot and Dovecot Laundry in Harlestone - it used to serve the local grand houses.

Althorp House from the road

Great Brington Old Rectory and church on the skyline

Woodland ride between Althorp and the church

Not cursed by interesting times

Spring brings aubrieta

Seven chimneys

Old Rectory

Looking across the countryside from the hill where G. Brington stands. 

Great Brington is well worth a google.


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