Irthlingborough, Rushden Lakes, Higham Ferrers

Monday 18 March 2019, with Norma, Kate and Eddie. A pleasant day with less wind than of late. 7.8 miles in all.  The day we went to Higham by way of Ebbw Vale! (Apologies to GK Chesterton.)

More urban than our usual walks, but using the Greenway, a path and cycle track currently running between Rushden and Irthlingborough, but planned to run all the way to Peterbrough.

We parked in Irthlingborough near St Peter's Church, and walked through the churchyard, where the view down to the Nene valley was clear today, through the bare trees.

We turned left along St Peter's Way to join the Greenway path near the junction with Meadow Way. We followed the path downhill until we reached a signpost to Ebbw Vale (!) - the name of part of the town. Here we turned right along a grassy path. After almost a mile we reached a junction with the disused railway track, and decided to turn right again towards the new shopping development at Rushden Lakes, where there is also a WT Centre (Wildlife Trusts). 
We weren't tempted into the shops, but there are public toilets and coffee shops. We almost went for the coffee, then decided to leave that for Higham Ferrers.
The next section hadn't been preplanned... we crossed the huge white pedestrian bridge then walked through a newish business estate area. As we were unsure whether there was a pedestrian route, we asked people. They showed us the Greenway route, which took us which took us to the south of Higham for almost two miles, along a pleasant mostly traffic free route. We had a little road walking, past the Transport Museum.

Almost sunny!

When we reached the Ferrers School, we turned left and into the High Street. By now coffee was definitely needed, and as it was close to lunchtime we had sandwiches as well. The Griffin Inn was a congenial spot for a break.

From the pub we took Hind Stile and the High Street again as far as Cemetery Lane. We turned left then right along Saffron Road, which eventually becomes the Greenway once more. This took us over the A45 on a footbridge, and we followed this path directly back to Irthlingborough, rejoining our original route at the Ebbw Vale signpost.

Round the woods in Corby

Thursday 14 March 2019. With Maureen. just over 2 miles.

A sudden vicious shower, wind, rain and hail, the likes of which I have rarely seen, made me change my mind about driving any distance before walking.  OK, it lasted about five minutes, but with strong wind and clouds building up, the prospects were not good.

So ... a quick visit to the Lakeside Cafe at Corby Boating Lake, then a brisk (ish) wander round Corby's woodland blew a few cobwebs awau before we returned for - yet another coffee.

Brampton Valley Way and Arthingworth (2)

Monday 11th March 2019. With Maureen, Norma and Kate. A bit more than 8 miles.

We started from the same point as last week, the car park between Arthingworth and Kelmarsh. This time we began by walking south, and Before entering the Kelmarsh tunnel we took a path to our right, which took us through a pleasantly wooded picnic area, went to our right (west) for a short distance before turning south, parallel to the railway track.
We walked uphill and came out of the woodland at the minor road between Kelmarsh and Harrington.

At the road we turned left, and left again towards Arthingworth at the junction. We followed this small road for about a mile and a half into the village, turning left just before the church, and walking past this elaborate piece of hedging.

At the end of the village there are two footpath signs. We took the one on the right, and headed north, retracing our steps of last week, up the slope and along the fields, back to the trig point.

Another mini-work-out completed.

The trig point at the huge height of 146 meters above sea level! Nearly 500 feet.

Along the muddy track, turn left, head downhill and up to Waterloo Lodge, (the tearoom that wasn't).
Here we found our path, behind a farm building. We knew we had to turn right and  head north, but we could easily have missed the signs. The path continued, passing caravans on our right and soon joining the Brampton Valley Way. We turned left to find the path to the tearoom. Mission accomplished. Time for coffee and an early lunch, before walking the final two miles and a bit, south and back to the car park.

A slightly sinister figure preparing to face the elements.

Today's route.

Brampton Valley Way and Arthingworth (1)

Monday 04 March 2019
Walk 1. With Eddie, Maureen, Norma and Kate.  Just over 8 miles. We started from the car park between Arthingworth and Kelmarsh, and headed north towards Market Harborough. We followed the dismantled railway track for about two miles, walking through the Great Oxenden tunnel, helped by my head torch, and phone torches. 

Just after the tunnel we found a path heading steeply upwards to join the Jurassic Way/Macmillan Way footpath above the tunnel. A bit muddy and slippery... but conquered with elegance and good grace.

We turned left, heading east, then north east, following footpath markers mostly, though there was a short section which was not clear. We passed Waterloo Lodge Farm - I had mistakenly thought this was a place with a tearoom, but it clearly was nothing of the sort, so we continued, unrefreshed. The path headed downhill and then up, heading east again.
When it came out there was a choice of left or right. Our route led south, to the right, between hedges, and muddy in places.
We crossed a minor road, close to a trig point (146 m above sea level), and continued south, with a turn to the left at the top of a slope, leaving a small spinney, Coldmeadow Spinney to our right. At the bottom of the slop we should have stayed on this side of the hedge, keeping it on our left. It looked more sheltered on the other side, but this was not a good choice - at one point we would have had to cross a very wet ditch. 
A local dog-walker let us know that we were on private property, and the combination of obstacles decided us to turn back. and follow the correct route.
When we arrived in Arthingworth the pub was closed, but its outside tables were tempting. Scone break! The landlord arrived soon afterwards, and was happy to serve us coffees. Luckily there was a loo, too!

We followed the road signposted Harrington - a very quiet road, with a few ups and downs. At the road junction we turned right and immediately left through a nature reserve, and then briefly alongside the A14.

Not the most scenic footpath

We rejoined the Brampton Valley Way, and soon reached the entrance to Kelmarsh Tunnel. At this point we split up.  Two of us looked for the detour,which we eventually found, via an unorthodox route.

The other three braved the darkness.

We all met up at the car park, and headed for the real Waterloo Farm Tearoom for lunch.

Wing, Pilton, South Luffenham, Morcott, Glaston and back to Wing

Thursday 28 February 2019. With Maureen and Eddie.  Seven and a half miles.

We set off from the maze in Wing, taking the footpath just to the right of the bridle way, and taking the four stiles in our stride.  

Catkins

The path crosses the road between Wing and Lyndon and continues across a fairly recently ploughed field - nice and dry today - before joining the Road into Pilton on the outskirts of this small village.

Two-L llamas...

We walked through he village past St Nicholas church surrounded by its cedars.

Three sketches done in August 2016:

After the church we turned right and at the crossroads ahead we turned left and walked until a bridleway left the road on the right hand side, as the road bent left. The bridleway continued in a roughly easterly direction, crossed anothe minor road and brought us to South Luffenham, just before a bridge over the route of a dismantled railway. We detoured briefly for a look.

The dismantled railway track

We went back to where our path turned sharply to the right, heading southwest towards Morcott, through fields with some already sizeable lambs.

The path turned left ( south) and took us over a stream and into the village.

Best friends forever...

An eccentric garden - there were also chickens with feathery legs.

The church provided us with organ music and a couple of benches for a break.

Church of St Mary the Virgin -a Grade 1 Listed architectural gem featuring probably the finest original Norman arches in Rutland, according to its website.

From here we continued, turning right along the road after the church, and taking a footpath to our left. This led olong field edges up towards the A 47, going over the Glaston Tunnel. We walked briefly alongside the A47, and took the first road to the right, then went along Church Lane, and walked through the churchyard.

On the other side of this we turned right and followed the road down into the valley and back up to Wing via the Maze and a short pause for a swing at the children's playground!

Maureen and I had lunch at Wellies - beetroot and horseradish soup.

Cycling round Rutland Water

Wednesday 27 February 2019.
A fifteen mile trip with Harry,  around the outer edge of the reservoir, with a bit of road cycling at the end. 
Wonderful views of the lake, swans and ducks in evidence and plenty of sheep, including some black Hebridean ones. 

We paused to look inside the little church at Egleton, where the snowdrops are almost over, being replaced by daffodils. Cyclamen inside caught the light streaming through the coloured glass windows.

A royal coat of arms - possibly of George III

One of the old pew ends saved when the pews were renewed.

I took the road back from Manton, while Harry took the longer lakeside route.

Wing, Rutland Water, Edith Weston, Lyndon

Monday 25 February 2019, with Kate, Maureen, Norma and Eddie. About 8.5 miles.
Unseasonably warm weather, in spite of an early shimmer of frost. 

We set out from Wing, near the maze. We walked down to the road junction and opposite us, slightly to the right was a bridleway which we followed downhill and over the railway line, then uphill until we reached the main road. We crossed over and took the small road downhill towards Lyndon Visitor Centre, where a lot of scrub-clearing work was being done. The views from the road were beautiful.

At the bottom of the hill we turn right along the track round the reservoir. We follow this for two and a helf miles or so, through woodland and open paths, as far as Normanton car park. We were hoping the café would be open, but it wasn't.  Toilets are always welcome though!  We made use of the tables for a break in the sun and Maureen's scones.  We'd walked at a fairly brisk pace of around 3 miles per hour and felt we'd earned a few minutes rest.

From the car park we went out to the main road, and walked past the village shop. For future reference, it's not far away, and does serve coffee.
There were a couple of miles of road walking, but the main road has a good wide pavement, and after less than amile we turned right, along the road to Lyndon. This is a pretty quiet road, with space at the side. Almost another mile, and a right turn took us into the village of Lyndon.

Past a field with horses and chickens and on to another bench!

We turned left at the bench and after a short distance took a footpath to our right,behind some large houses, one with a haha. You can glimpse the church tucked away behind the hall. 
The path turned left, and gradually worked its way south west to join the bridleway we walked earlier. 

 After the railway line it's a longish drag uphill - it certainly feels that way after eight miles!

Looking back towards Lyndon

Today's lunch was at the Orchard café at Welland Vale Garden Centre.

The route.