Gretton, Rockingham, Caldecott, and Gretton

ŃWith Eddie, on a misty drizzly morning, with limited views. But we didn't get wet, and the couple of ploughed fields weren't too sticky. All the same it was the first time in a while that I had to clean my boots!

We walked along the road to the recreation ground and followed the path to the end of Huntsfield Drive, then continued through the ginnel, jitty, alley way and picked up the path alongside the hedge. When we reached the track at the end we turned right. This took us to Corby Road. We turned right to walk a short distance along the road verge, before taking the track on the left hand side. 
When we reached a gate and some woodland we turned right, with a hedge on our left and followed the path. The scenery here is almost like a mini-Derbyshire, with the view of the Welland valley opening out ahead of us.

We walked on a mini escarpment and then downhill to cross the railway line. The path continues in this direction. Look out for a gate over on the right as you come through a hedge. At this crossing of paths, we turned left   in the direction of Rockingham, along the route of the Jurassic Way. There are one or two places where the path is not clear. 
The markers are there, but it is easy to find yourself on the wrong side of the hedge. 
eventually the path emerges at Rockingham.

A flock of goats near Rockingham

We turn right at the road (Rockingham hill) and make our way down to the tea-shop, just after the pub, for a welcome coffee and snack, at about 4 miles into the walk.

We decide to go for the longer walk via Caldecott, rather than simply return to Gretton. The weather is still a bit damp. 
We continue along the Jurassic Way, which goes over a field and crosses the Rockingham_ Cottingham Road, heading on northwest towards the Welland. The Jurassic Way path continues as far as the road from Great Easton to Caldecott. At the road, it turns left, but we went right away from the village nad towards Caldecott. There's a bit of road walking here, where we had to keep hopping up on to the grass verge.
At the A6003 we turn left and walk into Caldecott, turning right when the road bends round to the left. A couple of hundred yards past the houses our footpath is signed, and we head northeast, eventually arriving at the river, after a few fields. 
the path brings us out on Mill Road, where we turned right and followed the road back to Gretton.

Empingham, Normanton, Rutland Water circular

A very fine crisp morning.  Around 7.5 miles. With Harry, Eddie and Kate.

We parked in Empingham and walked down Crocket Lane beside the church, and through the village, past the green with the large willow trees, and over a stile at the end of Willoughby Drive. We crossed a field, and a footbridge over the stream.
We turned right on to Mill Lane. The path is marked as the Hereward Way. After the first house the path turns right diagonally across a field, over a footbridge and then uphill along the edge of two large fields before reaching the A606. 
 We crossed this and continued along the path, still following field edges until we reached Ketton Road, where we turned sharply right and walked along the quiet road to the next junction. 
Here we turned left along Empingham Road past Normanton Cottages, which look as though they could once have been almshouses. There are lovely views of Rutland Water from this road.

The road leads to Whare Koa (Happy Home in Maori) and Normanton Lodge farm, but our path continues south through fields with a wall on our right.
a fine specimen of fungus was growing on a log behind the gate.

At the next road we join the Rutland Round route and follow it to the Normanton car park on Rutland Water. The cafe was open, so it was time for coffee. 
From here we followed the reservoir track towards the dam,and over it.  

Lots of people out taking advantage of the weather today.

Once across the dam, we took the footpath to the right (still Rutland Round) down the fields and through the wood back to Empingham. 

Harry's photograph of the glorious sky.

Lunch at Wellies coffee shop rounded off the walk.

Pitsford Water, anticlockwise from cafe.

Almost 7 miles. With Marta.  Cloudy, but we missed any rain.
Lunched at the cafe.
On the way round, we saw the usual water fowl, including tufted ducks and great crested grebe. No lapwings today.

Tansor, Ashton and Cotterstock

Friday 19 October 2018. With Marta. Just over 6 miles, and once again,glorious weather after a chilly start.  Mostly the same route as yesterday's walk with an additional extra mile or so to include Cotterstock church.

Will the clouds win?

Maybe the sun will win..

We parked at Tansor, and walked along the road through the village opposite the church. This took us past the village hall, and Linden Hall. we walked through the large gate at the end, heading towards the A605 Oundle to Peterborough road. It is possible to cross this road with care as there is an island central reservation. 

Time to try a spider's web photo

Once again  we took the minor road directly opposite and walked along it for about half a mile, until we came to a small crossroads, where a bridleway turned right, heading southwest towards Ashton.

After about half a mile we passed another bridleway turning right (ignore this path). Next we passed a rifle range, and the grassy surface changed to a road. Before long we arrived at Ashton. 

Selfie time

Brilliant sunshine once more and tables on the village green - smell the coffee! 

The Chequered Skipper - pub sign made of nails.

 We left the village along the  small road with a "No through road" sign. We went into the grounds of the Chapel of St Mary Magdalene, dedicated to Charles Rothschild, who rebuilt the village in 1900. He also built Ashton Wold Hall, which is tucked away along a long drive. He committed suicide in 1923.

We followed the road where the wall has been built to accomodate some of the large old trees, and then took the Nene Way path which leads down to the road near the derelict Ashton Mill, with its pond.

Soon we reached the footbridge over the Nene.

There were a few people fishing along the bank. We turned right and followed the river round and under the A605 coming out at Oundle North Bridge.

Sunlit sheep quick march

We crossed the road at the bridge and took the Nene Way path past the boathouses, walking with the river on our left. Plenty of large bird life today - herons, swans with teenage offspring, cormorants perching on a tree.

One boat, today.

At Cotterstock Lock, we crossed the river and walked with it on our right, through fields to the converted corn mill.

From there we turned left, and walked up to the turning for the church. We paused on a bench in the sun before walking back to the corn mill and following the road to the junction for Tansor. We turned left, and walked along the road until we came to the footpath sign, which took us over a ploughed field, over a stile, then a pasture with a few cows and some sheep. Another stile, another ploughed field. Another stile and a narrow passageway between two gardens and we were back at our starting point.

Tansor to Ashton circular via the edge of Oundle

With Maureen and Eddie. Just over 5 miles on a fine autumn day. We parked at Tansor, and walked along the road through the village opposite the church. This took us past the village hall, and Linden Hall. we walked through the large gate at the end, heading towards the A605 Oundle to Peterborough road. It is possible to cross this road with care as there is an island central reservation.

St Mary's church, Tansor

 We took the minor road directly opposite and walked along it for about half a mile, until we came to a small crossroads, where a bridleway turned right, heading southwest towards Ashton. After about half a mile we passed a bridleway turning right (ignore this path). Next we passed a rifle range, and the grassy surface changed to a road. Before long we arrived at Ashton. This village was rebuilt in 1900 by the Rothschild family for estate workers. For many years from the 1960s to the early 21st century the village hosted the World Conker Championship. This event is now held at nearby Southwick.

The village is the birthplace of Dame Miriam Rothschild a noted natural scientist and author. The local pub is called the Chequered Skipper, after a butterfly which has recently been reintroduced locally.

After around two and a half miles we were unable to resist the sunlit tables on the village green, and had a break.

 We left the village along the  small road with a "No through road" sign. 

The wall was shaped to accommodate the tree, though Eddie is hiding the bulge.

In spite of the cows lying down, we had no rain today

This is the route of the Nene Way, and soon we reached a footbridge over the river. We turned right and followed the river round and under the A605 coming out at Oundle North Bridge.

Footbridge over the Nene

We crossed the road at the North Bridge,  and took the second footpath, not the Nene Way. The footpath goes between a fence and the boundaries of houses.  At first it was fine, but as we walked further along it was overgrown with nettles brambles and other shrubby plants. We eventually took to walking inside a tree nursery, where there is a clear path.
(Note to self, write to NCC about this one!)

Some footpath!

 Next there was half a mile or so of road walking,  passing a bridleway sign on the right, and the road to Cotterstock on the left, before we took a footpath leading diagonally across a field on our right. At the stile this path turned slightly to the left, to head directly for the houses in Tansor. There were a couple of slightly awkward stiles but we were soon back at the start point. We had noticed that the church was open, so we had a look round.

A large pond and the river Nene behind the church

Cotterstock again, in reverse

With Eddie and Maureen. Thursday 11 October. 7 miles.

Always slightly more tricky following instructions in reverse, so we spent more time walking through the plantation near the river than we should have done. Interesting, if a little tricky underfoot on occasions!

This time we began the walk near the converted corn mill, with the church in view as we left the village. The sky was noticeably cloudier than the previous day.

The path leaves to the left of the mill grounds

Close to Oundle

A heron which was not bothered by us as we walked fairly close by.

A walk from Cotterstock

Wednesday 10 October 2018.  With Marta. Just over 7 miles.

I found this route in the magazine Market Harborough Living, Autumn 2018, p 40-41.  It follows the Nene as it loops round close to Oundle.  We began the walk at Cotterstock, rather than in Oundle, at point 5/6 in the article, taking a footpath labelled Riverside Walk which leaves the main street between a hedge and a fence about 50 yards or so east of the village hall and the red phone box, on the opposite side of the road.

Leaving Cotterstock

Early coffee stop.

A heron flying away

Coming in to Oundle

a fine weathervane

One of several boats we saw on the river

Converted corn mill as we return to Cotterstock

Cotterstock church

Cotterstock Green