Thursday 02 August: Islip to Aldwincle circular via fishing lake and nature reserve.

Thursday 02 August. With Maureen. About 6 miles. Hot again.

In Islip walk down Mill Lane as far as the mill, then cross the footbridge.

Turn left and follow the path with the river on your left.
When a path branches off to the right, keep left and cross another footbridge.  The path (part of the Nene Way) continues between two lakes, and eventually along a wooden walkway to the gate below. Dry as anything today, but I have seen it more than muddy.

You reach a place where a track goes off to the left. Lots of dog walkers around here. The track leads past a car parking area and on to the road into Aldwincle. 

We turned right and followed the roadto the junction, turned left, and walked through the village to the local shop, where I  bought a disposable cup since I had forgotten the one I use with my flask!

We had a short break, the retraced our steps through the village, almost as far as Pear Tree Farm. We took the footpath to our right which leads through a couple of fields to the minor road and then a farm track leading to holiday cottages and a view of the fishing  lake.
After the cottages the footpath continues southwest and we reached a parking area for anglers. Our route lies along the road through a wooded section, then it comes on to Ridge Road, which becomes Mill Road and takes us back to Islip.

Himalayan balsam

Titchmarsh Lake, Thrapston

Tue, 2016 Jan 19 10:07 AM GMT

With Marta, fine and dry. very cold but no wind. Decent underfoot though some mud where the ground had thawed. We did an extra three miles at the start, before I switched the machine on to track the walk. Starting time is accurate.

Total around 7 miles.

Remarkable sky even around midday

Two of the many swans on the lakes

Can this be right?

This heron was still for so long that I was convinced it was not real . . .

. . . then it moved

Map and details of the second part of the walk. The first three miles were round the lake immediately to the right of our starting point!