Marston Trussell and Clipston - footpaths and some roads.

Mon, 2014 Mar 17 9:33 AM GMT

Led by me, with Barry, Gordon and Maureen. Not cold, dry, some sun. Most paths drying up, though we also did some road walking. Just over 8 miles, including about a mile walking around Clipston.

They (the hours) pass by and are put to our account.

We go through the churchyard and follow the path over a field full of lumps and bumps - there was once a moat and it may be the place mentioned in the paragraph on the photo below, where bodies were buried after the Battle of Naseby.

We head for the footbridge, then instead of crossing the next field we walk round the edge, as the path is unclear.  We find our way out over a footbridge, with the footpath sign. Looking back we see the church.

We cross the road and decide to try the footpath opposite. It is not always entirely clear where we should go, but we make our way with the help of the signs, the map and Barry's magic grid reference machine.  We cross the Jurassic Way path and head uphill towards Twantry Farm. 

There's a tricky bit where the path goes through a hole in the hedge, but is unmarked, so we take the alternative route through a gate a hundred yards or so to the left. A bit muddy but we battle through. Then it's a matter of following the farm drive until a footpath leaves to the left and cuts across the field, cutting off a bend in the road.  A few yards of road walking take us to the Royal Observer Corps lookout. We make the short detour to explore this and are repaid with wide 360 degree views.

 Onwards - we take the footpath which leaves the road on our left, just opposite the ROC viewpoint. This leads us across a field which a fine example of ridge and furrow.  One more field and we are on the road just outside Clipston.

We walk along Chapel Lane, and make use of the steps for our break. I take a snap of Thomas Jarman's gravestone. Time to direct you to my own silly verses. 

 Time for a wander round the village, which has some magnificent old buildings

Free Grammar school and hospital, now the primary school

Another one-handed clock

Prince Rupert's Cottage 

Clipston church

My first intention is to use the footpath near Peg's Lane, but one route is across a very muddy field with a bull, and I can't see the other route, so we revert to the road out of the village, turning left along the Sibbertoft road. When we reach the turning to Marston Trussell (2 1/2 miles), we decide to take the shorter route along Dick Hill, past the woods, turning right just after Marston Lodge.

We go straight ahead when the road goes to the right to East Farndon, past the Lake.

We turn right at the T-junction and back to the church.  

Map and details

Lutton and Great Gidding (mainly on minor roads)

Thu, 2014 Mar 13 9:48 AM GMT

Led by Barry, with Gordon, Maureen and me. Flattish, mainly roads, though fields are drying now. Mist gave way to sunny, warm  weather - (down to teeshirts for a while). Wide views. 9.5 miles approx.

We set off west from Lutton,  and when the main road bends to the left we carry on straight ahead, pretty well northwest by now.  Near the road to Papley Farm we turn left, and walk southeast along a road next to a large estate with a drive protected by security gates,  and woodlands. We cross the Lutton to Polebrook Road, and shortly afterwards come to the USAF memorial to the 351st Bombardment Group which was stationed here 1943-1945.

Our road continues southeast, and just past Hemington House, with its high double hedge, our route becomes a track, rutted by farm traffic and still muddy, but passable. On the map it's called Stamford Lane!  We come out at Rectory Farm, where we are greeted by dogs, loud, but luckily friendly. From here a road takes us into Great Gidding. We find time for a coffee break before the village.

 The first landmark we see is Townsend Pond. At the T-junction we turn right.

 Lots of information about the pond and the village on this board.  We carry on and turn left into Mill Road, which climbs gently out of the village.

It would be a brave person . . .

 At the top of the hill is Great Gidding Mill, which is being renovated. A fine dwelling with a view all round from the top!

A slightly ravilious view, I thought.

We walk along Milking Slade Road, and follow it round to our left after we've gone downhill and up again. At the corner the road becomes Bullock Road (on the map) and there's a sign to the track of the same name. The road goes gently downhill for a couple of miles.  We are getting a little footsore, so a second break tempts us.  

Eventually we reach a T-junction, and turn right, then follow the road round to our left and back into Lutton. We call in at the church, which has a small memorial to the 19 aircrew lost returning from a bombing mission, who crashed with another plane near Polebrook Airfield.

After visiting the church we stroll back to the car. Spring is in the air and on the trees . . .

 . . .and by the water.

Click on pictures to enlarge.

Map and details

Great Easton - Nevill Holt - Drayton - Bringhurst - Gt Easton

Mon, 2014 Mar 10 9:43 AM GMT

Led by Mel. Barrie E, Terry, Thomas, Norma, Sue, Chris, Marion, Phil, Gordon, Barry O, Maureen, me. Footpaths not too muddy, apart from a few gateways and stiles. Some slightly awkward stiles. Just under 6 miles.

We set off from the central green in Great Easton, walking up the High Street, and turning along Broadgate and Deepdale to pick up the footpath. This takes us alongside a stream, and we should keep it on our right. That way we won't need to cross the narrow bridge - twice.

We follow the bridleway up the hill to Nevill Holt, then turn left along,the road to Drayton. Part way down we stop for a break at a convenient bench, with a view.

wise monkeys?

Though there's no space for thirteen of us on the bench!  We walk down into Drayton, cross the main road and carry on to meet the path leading uphill through a field towards Bringhurst. The conditions underfoot here are the best I've seen, surprisingly.

Climbing up towards the tiny village.

Bringhurst church

1630

We follow the road turning right and walking for a short distance downhill. There is a path off the the left, which we take.

It's part of the Jurassic Way, and we take the path into Great Easton, and back to the cars.

Map and details

Marston Trussell, Sibbertoft, Clipston and back - minor roads.

Thu, 2014 Mar 6 9:31 AM GMT

Led by me with Gordon and Maureen. Almost 9 miles on minor roads - a little hard on the feet and legs! 483 ft of climbing. it was raining when we set off by car, but not a drop fell on us once we were walking.

Just to prove that the sun almost shone

From the church in Marston Trussell, we take the road through the village. When it bends to the right, we carry straight on past Marston Trussell Hall. We follow this road for a good mile to a T-junction.
We turn left almost opposite Hothorpe Hall, towards Sibbertoft. We follow this road for about a mile and a half, up a steep hill to a T-junction.  Here we turn right into the village of Sibbertoft, walking past the church and the war memorial and straight on until we reach a sign to Clipston (single track road).

Sibbertoft church

We walk along the road to Clipston. Part way along, there is a Battle of Naseby information board at the Moot Hill viewpoint .
The battle, on 14th June 1645, was a decisive moment in the English Civil War, when Charles I's army was defeated by Cromwell's New Model Army.  

After about a mile and a half a road to the left shows a signpost to Marston Trussell( 2 1/2 miles). We went on a little further into Clipston to find a place to sit for a break.

There's a rather fine chapel.

Near the chapel is a gravestone to Thomas Jarman, composer of hymns. There's some interesting information about him, in particular his quarrel with the local Church of England vicar here. After coffee and a scone, we retraced our steps to the signpost to Marston Trussell.

The road climbs up,and we can see the Royal Observer Corps look out with its flagpole. From here you have a great view of the site of the Battle of Naseby, though we're saving it for next time.

Later, we pass the entrance to the oddly named Twantry Farm. Our road goes downhill past some woodland, and at the bottom is crossed by the Jurassic Way. On the map this part of the road is labelled Dick's Hill. It must refer to the bit we've passed already, since it's flat from now on. The whole length of the road is about two miles. We reach a junction, and the drive to Marston Lodge Farm, with a pond.

Dick's Hill

At the junction we turn right towards Marston Trussell.  Walk about half a mile.This is the only part of the walk where we meet more than a couple of cars.

At the next junction, we take the left-hand fork. There is a fine view of Marston Trussell Hall from the Lake to our left.

At the T-junction, we turn right and back to the church.

Map and details