June 12th - Rushton to the Bull Pen

 

Thursday 12th June

A warm morning with some sun. I walked with Marta from Rushton to Bull Pen cafe. No diversion into Barford Meadows Reserve this time. We passed a field with a large bull, cows and calves. (All behind fences).  Another field contained shorn alpacas from Homefield Spa.

We had coffee and teacake at the Bull Pen cafe, then walked back a slightly more direct route.Just over 4 miles of pretty flat terrain. 

2024 - 27th May Rushton to Kettering - Starbucks.

 Monday 27th May

With Norma, Kate and Maureen. Today’s walk went  from Rushton to Starbucks, as the Fox and Peony was closed for the bank holiday.

We walked along the track close to the railway, turning left at Glendon Road to cross the bridge and then walk into Prologis Park. 

Over the busy road to Starbucks drive-thru, which also has a normal style cafe.

We returned via the slightly longer path past the football pitches. We gave Barford Meadow a miss today. There were cows and alpacas out at Holmefield Wellness centre.

 Along the railway line we saw several trains in both directions . Just under 5.5 miles today.

Rushton to Prologis Park, and back via Barford Meadow.

 Monday 28th November

With Norma and Maureen. A grey and misty start, with the sun making a feeble attempt to shine later.

We parked in Rushton and followed the bridleway past Holme Field Farm, with lamas on our right, then the railway line on our left. At the five bar gate we continued straight on and walked alongside, slightly above the railway to the point where it crosses Glendon Road. We crossed the road bridge and turned right to the path through Prologis Park.  Keeping right we walked the perimeter of the park, past various warehouses until we reached an exit to the big roundabout.  We followed the path and the road round to the Fox and Peony.

The cafe was displaying a closed sign, and we were about to tuck into Maureen’s scones outside, when someone arrived, tired the door and found that it was open. Quick change of plan, particularly welcome since I had forgotten my wee jar of instant coffee and hot water just doesn’t cut it.

Our return to the car was along the footpath from Glendon Road (the road with Iron Mountain on it). A short detour via Barford Meadows and through the woodland.

Then it was across the railway bridge and a field path to rejoin the track into Rushton . 5.3 miles.

Rushton and Pipewell circular

 Monday 13th June

From Dave Askew’s website - thank you.

https://northamptonshirewalks.co.uk/about/walk-133-rushton-pipewell-circular/ 

Be careful at point 4 - don’t turn left parallel to the railway, just keep straight on the wider path.

At point 13   the footpath sign is almost hidden in the hedge, but the path through the crops is clear.

At point 14, just check the instructions carefully as we went the wrong way briefly! 

 

Over to Maureen’s for 9.30, drove to Rushton, and did walk to Pipewell, 

where we sat on a (different) bench and had a short break before returning via road and a field path. Passed Triangular

Lodge,

and walked through churchyard into Rushton. Just under 6 miles from where we parked.

Home for lunch.

Warm but cloudy - slightly humid.

Prologis Park, Kettering to Rushton via Barford Meadow (variation)

 Friday 11th February 2022, with Marta. Almost 7 miles. Brilliant sunshine, but quite cold later.

A late start today, after early morning dental check-up and then coffee and teacake at the Fox and Peony.

Catkins a-plenty

We took the path round the edge of the park, parallel with the new A43,

The underpass to/from the houses over the A43

The view over to Kettering town centre

Slade Brook

then had a wander through the grassed area with picnic tables, before continuing uphill to the car park. Changed out of ‘town shoes’ into walking boots before taking the path towards Barford Meadows Nature Reserve. 

We walked the perimeter of the reserve more or less, with a brief glance at the A6003. 

Then into Rushton village,

and a pause for lunch - a very decent sandwich - at the Thornhill Arms. 

The view from the pub garden.

A quick look at the churchyard, then a coffee on a bench nearby, close to banks of snowdrops.

We returned to Kettering along the bridleway close to the railway line.

Prologis Park, to Rushton via Barford Meadow

 Monday 7th February 2022, with Norma, Maureen and Kate. 5.75 miles. Fine early on, then clouded over.  Cold.

We set off from the car park near Entrance 6 on the plan below.

The linear paths we walked last Thursday join up with the housing estates on the southeast of the A43 via an underpass, close to Entrance 4 on the map.

For some reason the map here is oriented with south upwards…

Returning to our start point at Entrance 6 we crossed the road and headed toward Rushton and Barford Meadow Nature reserve.

Not a lot of wildlife in evidence, though we saw a couple of red kites later.

We took the main path then turned left at the gate to walk back along the edge of the woodland.

Over the railway bridge, and along the path crossing the River Ise, which was looking muddier today

past Holmefield Health Spa, the llamas…

and the horse 

and through Rushton village 

to the church

 a short pause for a snack (thank you, Maureen!).

We returned taking the direct route.

Another llama, just because.