Northamptonshire Round 4 (Salcey-Ashton) + Ashton-Blisworth (shortened)

Wed, 2014 Mar 5 11:28 AM GMT

With Marta. Around 9 miles in all. We shortened the route from Ashton because time was a little short. Next leg will start from Ashton and do it properly!

Not an auspicious start, when we both got caught up in traffic jams this morning. So what should have been a 10.15 ish start, ended up, after a coffee and teacakes for me, as an 11.30 start for the walk. 

From Salcey Forest Café we walked on to the road, turned left, then right at the junction towards the M1. We'd just decided that the path in the forest looked far too muddy, and were looking at the map when a helpful man appeared.  Funny how person looking at map = lost.  Still he did tell us about another path, which turned out to be the one we wanted.

It's very close to the M1, and quite noisy, but is open countryside and otherwise pleasant, then a section of woodland which takes us to a road under the M1. We turn right under the motorway, then left into more woodland which gradually leaves the noise and traffic behind us.

The path is marked pretty well and we walk along the path coming out at Hartwell End Farm and House. We walk past a large pond, and through a gate - at this point I switched my garmin off by taking my coat off, so the mileage recorded isn't accurate.How many times have I done this?

We follow the path, diverting slightly round a field edge and come out, as we intended at Stonepit Farm.  Here we turn left along Hartwell Road, and after a couple of hundred yards we take the footpath to our right, soon turning right again with the hedge.  We follow it to Chapel Farm, where we see our first outdoor lambs of the season.

We turn right along the farm road and at the next bend take the footpath to our left.  We ignore the first footpath coming in on our right, and carry on until we cross another path. Here we turn left, and follow this path just north of west, across a minor road, then as far as the Hartwell Road coming out of Ashton.  We turn left and walk a short distance along the road, then take a bridleway heading northwest at a left-hand bend in the road. This makes a right-angled turn left and brings us under a railway bridge and into Ashton near the school and church.

We turn right at the Old Crown and walk through the rest of the village.

Spring is springing!

At this point we have a rethink of the original plans for the walk and decide to take the shorter route to Stoke Bruerne by minor road.

 A good move - it's already well past two when we stop for lunch at The Navigation, right by the canal. It's warm enough to sit outside in a sheltered and sunny spot, the sandwiches arrive very quickly and taste good - ideal!

We take a short route to Blisworth, leaving out Shutlanger (until next time, anyway) and taking the Grand Union Canal walk, along the canal and the road.

When we reach Blisworth Tunnel entrance we have to climb up to the road, which is a little busier than I like, but nothing too bad.

We pass several farms and just before we go downhill towards Blisworth we pass this air shaft for the tunnel.

At Blisworth Tunnel car park we go back down to the canal. At this end of the 2821 meter long tunnel the tunnel hut has been restored and decorated inside.

We walk along the towpath until we reach Blisworth Mill (once a spice mill), and the road to the car.

Approaching Blisworth

The church stands on a rise and there's an overspill cemetery with fine gates just across the road.

We reach the car, and have plenty of time to pick up the other one from Salcey Forest well before they shut their gates at 5pm.

So, not entirely Northamptonshire Round, but a fine walk in beautiful weather. 

Map and details

Skeffington - Rolleston - Noseley - Skeffington

Mon, 2014 Mar 3 9:26 AM GMT

Led by Barry, with me and Gordon. Mostly road walking as ground is still wet, and bridleways are hoof-battered in places. About 8 miles in fine sunny weather. Warm in places too! 642 feet of climbing.

We walk through Skeffington and past the church to the village green with the circular seat. Here we turn left along the Gated road to Rolleston.  The road heads south downhill past Vale Cottages, further down and across a bridge over a stream.  The second gate we meet takes us into the Rolleston Estate, with its posts along the road verges, and recently planted trees to form an avenue.  Lots of horses and horse jumps - we see a four horse carriage practising on a nearby field.

We carry on towards the hall, taking the road signed to New Inn. Just before we meet the bigger public road our route turns sharply to the left, still within the Estate.  We follow this to Top Lodge, where we turn left along the Avenue, past the entrance to Noseley Hall to our right, past Nether Cottages (with the date 1937) on our left, and then past the turning to Goadby on our right.  

Soon after this our path leaves the road and makes its way uphill between two hedges on our left. As the bridleway has been very much used by horses we walk up on the other side of the hedge and manage to regain our correct route nearer the top. Through a muddy gate and we're in open country - not bad underfoot, and a good view.

Sunny and sheltered - time for coffee and cake? 

We head downhill to the yellow marker post, then cross a bridge and follow the bridleway which turns into farm track and takes us without much trouble back to Rolleston. This time we pass the lake.

There's a path to Tugby off to the right. Not ours. We stick with the Estate road until it bends round to the left. Our original plan is to take the footpath off to the right - but we turn back after a short distance, put off by yet more muddy fields. 

Instead we follow the gated road back to Skeffington, retracing the beginning of the walk. Although inevitably this goes uphill,  the ending is less strenuous than Thursday's walk.

Map and details

A walk from 2009 

Skeffington and Tilton Circular mainly on minor roads

Thu, 2014 Feb 27 9:30 AM GMT

Led by Barry, with me, Maureen and Gordon, along minor roads and tracks. Quite hilly. Fine, sunny, some wind. 9 miles give or take a whisker.713 feet of climbing.

We leave Skeffington at its west end, joining a track which turns north towards the A47.

Once over the main road we continue on Skeffington Glebe Road, past some phone masts and Glebe Farm buildings, heading north towards Tilton, to the accompaniment of some birdsong, and some distant barking dogs. The way ahead is not flat.

When we reach Tilton, we have a look round the church, light and bright, with plain windows.

An intriguing inscription here - wonder what the "embarrassment" was.

Think I'll have to get hold of the history society's booklet

Not quite a permanent inscription here

We are tempted by the thought of a coffee in Tilton, but it's too early, so onward we go taking the road north from the pub towards Halstead. We follow this past Marefield Spinney, and keep on the road past Valley View Farm and Red Lodge Farm. After this the road becomes a farm track and we meet the first mud of the day.

The track goes downhill, over a disused railway bridge and then a ford - which is just passable.

We head up a fairly steep hill and join Hyde Lodge Road at a field gate close to a junction of three roads.  

We turn right and walk along the road looking for somewhere to sit down for a break. We find a splendid stile with a view by the gate to Owston Lodge.

The stile

The view

We're invited to help out with some maintenance work if we've got a couple of hours to spare, but we decide we're much too busy and carry on past a disused quarry, now used for horse jumps.

Ahead of us is Whatborough Hill with its phone mast. In the garden of White Lodge Farm we see a bridge over no troubled water - no water at all.

We follow the disused railway through Tilton cutting, expecting it to be a better option than the footpath past Colborough Hill. It's actually quite wet and also blocked at one point, but with a scramble up and down the sides we find the way through.

When we reach the road we turn right - uphill, surprise, surprise - towards Tilton. At the first junction at Wood Cottage we turn left and follow a narrow road downhill for some time, through Skeffington Wood, and since what goes down must come up, we have to regain the height.  We reach a large stack of straw on the brow of what we hoped was the last hill, and realise that although we are level with Skeffington, the land dips and rises again.

Long distance pole vault required?

A last effort takes us back to the A47, and the car is not far beyond that.

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An excellent walk, along quiet roads, and with enough mud to let us know we've been out. Just over 700 feet of climbing in all. Quite a workout.

Map and details

Pitsford Water anti-clockwise

6.8 miles. With Marta on a fine sunny day, with a cold wind.

Empingham circular

Mon, 2014 Feb 24 9:41 AM GMT

 Large group - 14 of us. Led by Mel in spirit, me on the ground!  A little drizzle, but mostly fine - conditions underfoot drying out. Lunch in Ashwell.

 We set off from Empingham, near the White Horse pub.  Then it's across the busy road to Nook Lane and pick up the footpath between two houses.  

Sensible people keep eyes opened for yellow posts - those who let themselves get distracted by talking follow a sheep trail and have to retrace their steps.
The path goes through some fairly muddy woodland and emerges into grassland below the Rutland Water dam. For the sake of mileage we join the dam at the far end and turn sharp left to walk along the track.

 We follow this round, past Normanton Church, and then a spectacular display of snowdrops and then aconites, eventually reaching Normanton Car Park.  

The cafe isn't open, but the tables and benches are much appreciated.

Did I miss anyone?

We leave the car park and turn left along the main road for a short distance, then turn right along the minor road leading to Ketton.  We pass Oak farm on our left, and take a footpath to our left just before Top Cottages, and about a hundred yards before a road junction.  The path takes us more or less north, and we pass Normanton Lodge Farm and Whare Koa on our right before we join the minor road - there are views of the reservoir and the dam on our left.  When the road bends to the right, at Normanton Cottages,  a path continues ahead. We stay on the road, and turn right at the T junction.

After about 400 yards we take a path turning sharply left and heading North. This is part of the Hereward Way. It take us over the A606 and continues north, crossing another path, and meeting a track.

We turn left from the track and make our way over a footbridge and into Empingham.

 You can either follow the Hereward Way as far as the church, and then turn right, or you can turn right and hit Main Street a little earlier.

Great to be able to walk on footpaths without sinking ankle deep in mud!



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The great outdoors . . .

After a couple of weeks of doing very little - blame cold and cough - I have managed to get outside this week. A gentle bike ride of seven miles or so, and then a wander round Fineshade of around five miles.

Not many photographs either day, but the weather was more spring-like than it has been.

A stroll to the Welland

A very gentle stroll of about two miles to have a look at the Welland - full, but not quite as full as a few days ago.