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

Belton in Rutland circular, via Launde Abbey

Thu, 2014 May 15 9:40 AM  BST With Harry. Quite a trek, lots of up and down, (900+ feet of climbing) great views. Coffee at Launde Abbey. Very fine day - got hot in the pm. Around 12 miles. 

Ready to go

We park in the village and walk past the church. We are hailed by a friendly local, who recommends Launde Abbey for a coffee, and says there'll be a fine view from the ridge.We divert slightly towards the Loddington Lane, to admire the view and the houses, before returning to our route along the road signposted to College Farm. This heads nornorwest past Bluestones Farm, where a farrier is shoeing a horse, and a small yappy dog makes itself known.

As the road bends left we take the bridleway slightly right,  heading slightly east of north, then slightly west as we climb up to Ridlington Ridge. I go in search of the trig point at 191 meters, but don't find it - again. Two women on horseback overtake us while I wander. i hear a lapwing, but don't see it. We see them turn right later towards Leigh Lodge.

a mighty river

We walk down to the mighty River Chater, and soon afterwards our route follows the Leicestershire Round along a bridleway to our left. Back to the river, and some muddy walking, before we go through a gate and diagonally uphill through a field of young wheat, where our path is just about clear, though I end up with wet trouser legs.

A meter wide?

At the top we follow the marker posts down towards Launde Abbey, and, since it's well past 11 we treat ourselves to a coffee, and let the waitress persuade us to buy teacake and Danish as well. Swallows are nesting under the eaves.

 Then, refreshed, we set off to tackle another crossing of the river, and climb a small hill with great views all round, before descending to Withcote Hall.

Views all round from this hill

We intend to take the first footpath on our right, but it's not well signed. We take the second and then make our way over. More careful map reading required now, since we've left the Leicestershire Round and I haven't walked this section before.

The path goes through fields, and is marked. I think we should have turned just before the outbuildings, rather than taking the path between two fences. It makes its way eastwards and crosses a very minor road, where we turn right and then left almost immediately. Again we head east and arrive at a slightly busier road, just on a bend. We take the bridleway heading south and follow this as it crosses a footpath, turning south east, then east.  This section takes us along a slight ridge then past some woodland called Top Windmill. At the end of the wood we turn left and follow a path then a track slightly downhill and north east towards wood Lane, Braunston.

Recent hedge-laying

We make a very sharp right turn just before we meet the road to the village, and we join the Rutland Round, heading roughly west of south.  We cross a field of sheep, then head uphill along the edge of Priors Coppice.

At the top of the hill, by the road to Leigh Lodge, we pause  for lunch, and more liquid. A cuckoo is calling close by. The first I’ve heard this year, though Harry heard them earlier.

We  cross the private road and head down past more sheep, until we reach yet another small road.  The path goes into a field and downhill diagonally to the left, coming back to the road just at Leigh Lodge.

Forget-me-nots and pink campion

Now we follow the road for a good mile as it climbs up to the ridge.

At the gates we turn left, and soon take a footpath on the right which takes us down towards Belton.

We join the road from Lambley Lodge and have one final short climb back into the village.

Map and details

Hallaton and Cranoe circular

Mon, 2014 May 12 9.36AM  BST

Led by Mel. Norma, Steph, Terry, Barrie, Vera, Gordon, Maureen, Phil, Andy, Tim, Jackie, Tommy, Marion, Chris and me. Rolling countryside, wide views, fine weather with short showers. Around 7.5 miles.

We park near Hallaton Church - a big group today, sixteen of us. When we're all booted up we set off to walk past the church, along Churchgate, past the primary school, and take the footpath to our left. We walk though a kissing gate, then uphill alongside a hedge.

We follow the Leicestershire Round uphill, past a farm, then down through the edge of Horse Close spinney and uphill past Othorpe House and on almost to the road into Cranoe. 

Here we leave the LR and turn right and follow the path north and up Church Hill.

The path continues north for a mile or so along this ridge - protected from the wind by a hedge.

We cross the Goadby Road track from Hallaton, and continue more or less north for another good mile, past Keythorpe Lodge Farm. We carry on to Keythorpe Hall Farm, and turn sharply right.

We walk south east to Hallaton Spinneys, and follow this direction all the way to Hallaton, coming out opposite the Fox Inn and the duckpond.  

It's a short walk back to the cars, and we call in to the recently reopened Bewicke Arms Tearoom for lunch.

Map and details

Burghley Ho, Pilsgate, Wothorpe circular

Thu, 2014 May 8 9:19am BST

With Gordon on a rather soggy morning, in spite of garmin's weather report! This device says 7 miles, the other 6.5! An easy walk, ending with coffee and scone in the café.

Part of this walk was yesterday's in reverse, but it's much shorter, and sticks fairly well to the route from 'Rutland and Market Harborough Living', apart from start and finish, and missing out most of Stamford.

We left Burghley House Car Park and followed the drive down to the road. To our right on the same side of the road is the new footpath, built recently with the help of Community Payback, who were weeding sections as we walked along. The path takes us almost into Pilsgate. If you cross the road when the path ends there's a footway alongside the road.

Wet weather in Pilsgate

We didn't go into the village, but walked along the road until we came to a right turn signposted to Wittering. This goes past Barnack Windmill, which is on the left

Windmill Farm

We walked along the road, and at the junction we turned right along a footpath, through a crop, then along the edge of a field.

Somewhere on the grass by the hedge is a hare, legging it.

Then we crossed the woodland strip, and another huge field, and an area where trees have been felled. The path is clearly marked and so are places you're not allowed. 

Redundant stiles - for now?

We walked along the edge of a field, past an avenue of trees, following the markers all the way.  Before long we reached the golf course, and took advantage of a convenient, if slightly damp, seat for a coffee break. Surprisingly there were several golfers braving the elements.
I put the camera away in my rucksack at this point.  We walked through the golf course as far as the Old Great North Road, and continued to the Wothorpe turn at First Drift. 

A short way along we turned right and over a stile along the public footpath which leads downhill, then turns right and finally comes out on the Kettering Road. We turned left and went to the junction with London Road, turned right and took the first street on the left, Burghley Lane. The camera came out for the sign on the wall.

We know our place!

This leads to a gate and a public footpath into Burghley Park. 

We followed the path until it joined one of the tarmac driveways, past preparations for this weekend's Rat Race event.

 At last Burghley House itself came into view - it was well hidden from our angle of approach.

And finally - to the Garden Café for a well-earned cuppa and a chat with the friendly woman who was serving there.

Map and details