Irchester-Wollaston-Doddington crossing-Irchester

9 miles approx. Barry, Gordon, Maureen. Misty, fine weather. 


We started from Irchester (Woodlands Road) and took a footpath between two houses, which led us over fields, across the B569 and to Wollaston.  We emerged into Wollaston near the Scott Bader factory, and some houses, including one with several chickens in the garden.

We walked through Wollaston, past the church which was slightly to the right of our route, and spotted an attractive walled park, once part of the manor house. The seats were tempting, but it was far too early for a break, so we carried on and crossed the A509.  We followed the road towards Great Doddington, turning right after a third of a mile or so.  Our path turned slightly to the left (north-west), and we took a path between two lakes, and along a track towards Doddington Crossing and the Mill where several narrowboats were moored.

At this point we joined the Nene Way, and followed it along the river into Wellingborough. This was part of my route on August 5th, on a fine hot day!  

Wellingborough Embankment - just right for a stop. Thank you for the scones, Maureen!

After a break we carried on along the riverside.(I did a bit of this accidentally on August 16th)  Loads of swans, ducks and gulls hang out there.  There were a lot of horses grazing.  Most of them had manes and tails covered in burrs, like this poor fellow.  

When the mainline viaduct came into view we started to make  our way towards Chester house.

At this point we joined the Nene Way again (see my walk on Tuesday 16 August).

We walked around to the right of the house to investigate the site of a walled Roman town. We saw part of it, but there may have been more.  
Behind Chester House, which is being restored, repaired or rebuilt, is the remains of a walled kitchen garden with conservatory and fruit trees - just out of our reach!

We had to cross the A45.  It has a central reservation and path, so is possible with care. Then we took Chester Road, past Townend Farm into Irchester, passing Lower Farm, and a cottage called Cwmnene.  We made a small detour to look at the info board in St Katharine's Walk, and to seek out the (very small) Catherine Wheel which is part of the weathervane. Ha ha - wrong lens again ;-)

I like the banded stone effect.  The spire is the tallest in the county.

A short walk took us back to the start of the walk.

I was pleased to have walked along part of the Nene I hadn't covered before.

October 2012: Update about Chester Farm site - they may open a heritage centre for the Roman site.


Map and details

Nene Way 5 Wellingborough Embankment to Irthlingborough

With Marta. About 11 miles in all. Weather variable - some showers, but mostly warm and dry. A test of map-reading today! 


We followed the original Nene Way route, which meanders into and up to various places of interest along and above the valley. 


A shaky sort of start - the map and the signs on the ground were at odds, and the directions in Mia Butler's book left us confused!  Near the car park at Wellingborough Embankment, across the river from the Victoria Mill the Nene Way signs indicated following the river, either up stream towards Northampton, or downstream towards Irthlingborough.  On the map the Nene Way crosses the A45 towards Little Irchester.  But how? 

Victoria Mill from the Embankment

Quarter of an hour's wandering - back to Upper Wellingborough Lock, then downstream for a while, and we were not a lot wiser. Though we had met the biggest collection of swans I've seen in one place:

Swan lake has nothing on the Nene

Eventually, after much thought, consulting the map and the guide, we went back to the London Road, and took the road to Little Irchester, which crosses the Nene.   When we reached the bridge we could see a path coming up from the river - the spot where the signs directed us along the river bank.  Maybe an alternative route has been developed, along the river, rather than with the diversions.  The meandering path marked on the OS map is more varied.

The path leaves the riverside just before the bridge on this pic. Then you walk over it! 

So, over the bridge and under the A45 into Little Irchester.

At this point we knew we were going the right way, as the instructions and the map now made sense!  We walked down Daniels road, to the end, just after Newtown Road, where we turned right along the path which follows the railway cutting into Irchester Country Park.  After a few minutes we passed the Irchester Narrow Gauge Railway Museum (open only on Sundays).

When we got to the Cafe we decided a coffee was in order - 

BIG coffee cups

According to our book the path is clearly signposted, but, alas,  not clearly enough for us!  More map study, and we made it to the next reference point - where the path almost touches the layby on the A45, before making further fools of ourselves - this time because we'd failed to check instructions. Navigating by nose, we headed off on a very clear path, too far south, and failing to notice we should have crossed an open field!   All the same, our native intelligence (hmm),  judicious use of map, instructions and even a compass, put us right, and we found the track with steps leading out of the quarry at the northern end. 
As we emerged from the quarry the view of St Katherine's church spire was impressive.

Pathway to heaven?

The weather vane is a catherine wheel - the way St Katherine was tortured to death, so not too jolly.
We followed the path as far as the cemetery, then went down St Katherine's Lane as far as the main street, where we turned left.


The path runs alongside this road, Chester Road,  right up to the A45.
We had  to cross the busy road on foot - there is a central reservation, but it's not ideal.
























Obstacle overcome,  we crossed a field next to Chester House, which is dilapidated, but clearly being renovated - maybe this will be the latest health spa and hotel? 
  The field is full of the bumpy remains of the old Roman settlement of Chester-on-the-Water, a village which existed in the fourteenth Century, but was deserted by the eighteenth. Chester House was the manor house.

(Update October 2012 - there are plans to open this as a heritage site)

Deserted village of  Chester on the water

The bridge was built when the Nene Way was opened.

We crossed the two wooden footbridges, then walked through two large grassy areas where horses were grazing, in spite of what looks like vast amounts of ragwort, which, it appears is not normally a great danger unless incorporated in silage, and under the viaduct which carries the mainline railway to London.

We followed the Nene downstream to Ditchford Weir,  and crossed the bridge over the weir, but soon realised that the path was too overgrown to be much use.  The path we wanted ignored the bridge and continued to Ditchford Mill, which is labelled simply Works on the OS map.  We crossed Ditchford Road, to a somewhat overgrown area. The blackberries were good!  It looked like a rather odd smallholding, with a few sheep and some chickens, some out-buildings and notices about fishing in  Isabelle's Lake.  One of the fairly rare signs for the Nene Way was stuck to the side of a shed.


The path took us past sewage works, and an abandoned caravan, where someone had clearly spent a bit of time.  Skew Bridge Water Ski Club and lake was hidden by trees.  The path was easy to follow through Higham Ferrers Pits Nature Reserve , eventually taking us over the river and the A45 via a striking footbridge, with views over the noisy road and the tranquil fishing lake beyond. 

It's clearly too tempting for the local motorcycling youth, in spite of barriers!  Now, in my day . . .


On the other side of the bridge we soon came to a road leading up-hill, and letting us know that Higham lives up to its name.  We left the Nene Way itself in search of food, and explored the main street, ending up in a small cafe and deli - 'Savour the Flavour'. Great £4 meal deal - sandwich, drink and a 'treat'.  

Not sure about our morals, but food improved our morale

The town itself is very attractive, with its church, market place and further down the hill the remains of Chichele college.

The Nene Way follows Saffron Road, parallel to the main street, passing the cemetery, and Vine Hill Road. 

We continued behind the Kings Meadow estate on a rough track which took us to another footbridge over the A45.

Straight ahead across the valley, then climbing up towards the odd-looking church tower of St Peters.

We went past the church to have a quick look at Irthlingborough market cross in the High Street, before returning to walk through the churchyard and along Nene View.  Then it was downhill across fields to the A6, and we finished the walk outside Kettering Town Football Club's new ground.

Total so far - 50 miles - 5 separate days - average 10 miles per walk. I think we have three walks left to make it to Wansford, though the whole Nene Way in Northants is 70 miles.  We did cover 5 and a half miles twice on the second leg.

Map and details, including our deviations from the route: You can work out where our coffee stop was, and our lunch stop, by the criss-crossing lines, like scribble!

Nene Way 4 - from Billing to Wellingborough Embankment

With Marta. 11.1 miles, including our wander round Earls Barton. Hot, sunny, dry underfoot in spite of yesterday's rain.A lot of up and down, to visit the villages above the flood plains.


From the info board at Billing Lock:

The River Nene is a particularly important navigation as it

links the Grand Union Canal to the sea and, via the 'Middle 

Level' to the Great Ouse.  Rising at Badby, Naseby and 

Yelvertoft, the Nene becomes navigable at Northampton

where the three tributaries combine.  The navigation, which

was opened on 7th August 1761 when "7 coal laden barges

reached Northampton with the customary band of music, 

flags and streamers" begins at the junction with 

the Northampton Arm of the Grand Union Canal near Cotton End

Lock, Northampton  and extends 91 miles (147 km) to the sea.

There are 37 locks between Northampton and Peterborough.

We set off from Billing, via the lock with its two different styles of gate - the 'pointing door' and the 'guillotine'. The Nene Way marker showed the way across a bridge, and a couple of fields towards the Brafield Road. We took the road and turned left into Cogenhoe, now an attractive village on a hill above the Nene valley.

In a central position is a village sign erected by Cogenhoe and Whiston Parish Council . . . in commemoration of the millennium July 2000.


On four sides are pictures representing the history of the village, and  in the base there is a time capsule compiled by local children.

The pictures show local scenes, transport and the past industries of brick-making and shoe and boot manufacture.










There is an active local heritage society - Cogenhoe and Whiston Heritage Society .  
I also happened upon a blog entry about Cogenhoe Football Club  .

Cogenhoe church clock stands just after half past five, though it was late morning.

From Station Road turn left into Church Street, and follow the Nene Way signs through a small lane and gate into an open field.


When we left Cogenhoe I was surprised how high we had climbed above the river. It's only about 300 feet above sea-level and 100 feet above the valley, but there are lovely views over sloping fields of cows, and trees, and the path descends quite steeply to the Nene.  Over to the South East Whiston Church is prominent on the hillside.


By the river we found a great stash of ripe blackberries, the best so far this year, and pretty early.


Follow the river as it winds its way to Whiston Lock. At this point a man was sitting next to a boat  - la Sabatera. 
'You've found a nice quiet spot', I commented
'Not by choice,' he replied.  'Have you seen a boat making its way along here?'
He was stuck at the lock for the moment - but was 'rescued' as we saw him two or three times later. 


We crossed the river here and made our way towards Earls Barton.  The route includes a slightly hair-raising crossing of the A45 using a flimsy-feeling footbridge. Then along a track parallel to the road (B573) past a farm shop/garden centre and uphill towards Earls Barton.  Turn right and walk the length of the village. 


As you walk in the church tower is very striking.  The centre of the village is attractive, though it was impossible to get a view of the church again without going into the churchyard itself - there are huge trees in full leaf, and I think we'd have missed it if we'd arrived from the other direction.

We had lunch in Jeyes Apothocoffee shop's Walled Garden . Some interesting history on their website.

Lunch over, time to move. Just about the half-way point, we reckoned.  Loins girded, and packs backed we walked to the end of the village to Mill Lane.  We turned right and follwed the Nene Way down to Mill Farm and over the river, following the path between the river on our left and the lakes on our right.  

We didn't cross the bridge over the weir but continued on the right of the river to Hardwater Mill, where, according to Mia Butler in her book Exploring the Nene Way  a miller fell in the water and was drowned in 1309, and Thomas à Beckett called in on his way to France, after he escaped from Northampton Castle.

Hardwater Mill

The bridge takes the Nene Way  over the mill pond, which was teeming with fish

We followed the path over the bridges and to the right. At this point we went slightly off course by following a concrete track tot he right of the sewage farm. We were able to cut back and find the path with gates leading up hill to Great Doddington. The village has a  shop - handy for a cold drink, and a public area with a seat just across the road too.


On through Great Doddington, with a short diversion when we saw a sign for the Nene Way, followed it for a while, then decided it was leading us in the wrong direction - back to Cogenhoe.  The path we wanted is to the right shortly before the Stag's Head. 


It leads downhill through fields, and another mill where several boats were moored. 

The path stays on the left hand side of the river,  all the way to the Embankment.  We were overtaken by La Sabatera only to catch it up at Wellingborough Upper Lock.  
We refused to resist the temptation of an ice-cream before making for the car, and seeing another section of the walk completed.






Billing - Cogenhoe - Earls Barton - Great Doddington - Wellingborough