Castle Ashby

Summary

A very pleasant walk on easy paths that takes in woodland, riverside, open fields and, unusually for Northamptonshire, a little bit of gradient.

Statistics

Start: Castle Ashby Rural Shopping Yard

Maps: OS Explorer OL207: Newport Pagnell and Northampton South

Parking: At the shopping yard

Distance: 9.9km (about 6.2 miles)

Refreshments: The Falcon Hotel at Castle Ashby or coffee at the shopping yard.

The Walk

If you've parked at the shopping yard, walk down the track you drove in on and turn left when you reach the road. There's about a kilometre of road walking now although there is a pavement on the right hand side of the road. Pass the left hand junction and when you get to the next junction, take the road to the right and follow the track. You'll pass some houses on your left and the track veers to the right and past some farm buildings on your right. The footpath turns left here and descends before going back uphill through fields towards a small clump of trees. Walk through these and into a field where you continue on the path downwards, through a metal gate and onto a minor road. The path continues almost directly opposite and again you head down the slope towards more trees. Follow the path through these and over a small stream and then along the field boundary down towards another road. This is Whiston Road and the village of Cogenhoe is to your left.

Cross this road and the path should be obvious in the field opposite, heading slightly uphill and then bearing right before it joins Mill Lane. You'll eventually reach the River Nene but take the path to your right before crossing the river. You now need to keep the river to your left. There are a number of caravans on the opposite bank but these eventually give way to trees. Carry on along the riverside path until you get to Whiston Lock. You need to make a right here and walk along the track with the quarries on either side. The track leads to Whiston Road (which you crossed earlier) and you walk along the road directly opposite, into the small village of Whiston itself. The main road heads right but you need to bear left past some stone cottages and farm buildings until you see a footpath straight in front of you with a sign indicating the way to St Mary the Virgin Church. Head up this path and through the church yard and back onto the footpath. This brings you out to a road where you need to turn left. You can either walk down the road of along the fields either side of the roads where the stiles indicate there is a public right of way. Heading slightly uphill brings you to Castle Ashby and the Falcon Hotel on your left. Take the road to the right and after about 200 metres you will find the entrance to the shopping yard on your left.

Notes and musings

Castle Ashby House is one of the two seats of the Marquess of Northampton, the other being Compton Wynyates in Warwickshire. A Grade 1 listed building, the present house was started in 1574 but has had numerous extensions and refits since then. Much of the garden area was designed by Capability Brown in 1760. It is believed that Jane Austen's Northamptonshire set novel, Mansfield Park, was based on Castle Ashby house.

Cogenhoe has the reputation of being one of the most mis-pronounced places in the country. The general agreement is that it is pronounced either Kuk-no or Kuk-na - but certainly not Kog-an-hoe! The village's other claim to fame is once being the home of former Blue Peter presenter, Peter Purvis, who lived for a number of years at the Old Rectory.

Raunds and Stanwick Lakes

Summary

This is one of our "go to" walks when we just want some fresh air and goods views. A full loop around Stanwick Lakes will add a couple of kilometres to the walk if you fancy a bit more of an exercise.

Statistics

Start: Car park at Warth Park Country Park

Maps: OL224: Corby, Kettering and Wellingborough

Parking: Car Park

Distance: 6.6km (about 4.1 miles)

Refreshments: Stanwick Lakes Visitor Centre

The Walk

Head down the path leading from the car park. Pretty soon this splits into two; it doesn't matter which one you take as they both lead to the same track and you can take the other one on your journey back. It's all downhill on the paved path, passing the drainage run-offs from the nearby trading estate. When you get to the track (Meadow Lane) turn right and head through the underpass taking you under the A45. Straight in front of you is a gate which you go through and along the path to another gate. You are now in Stanwick Lakes and the path takes you to a fork. If you fancy a longer walk around the lakes take the left path otherwise go right. It won't be long before you reach another path, actually a disused railway track, and if you took the walk around the lakes this is where you would be walking down. Turn right and head down this track, crossing a bridge with good views of the River Nene either side. After about 1.5km you'll come to a gate. To your left is a marina and straight ahead the footpath makes its way to Thrapston and beyond. You need to and bear right, though, onto the road that leads to Ringstead and there is a footpath signed on your right after about 20 metres. 

Follow this and head up the path between the fields. Stay on this path that gradually climbs uphill and runs straight for just over a kilometre. The path then goes right diagonally across the field, descending with good views of the lakes and river in front of you. At the opposite corner of the field you go through a metal gate and bear left. The ground is uneven and there are generally a lot of sheep grazing in this field. Continue downhill, passing through another gate on the way. There are a couple of old footbridges that you may or may not need, depending on the mud and water levels in the streams that trickle down to the river. One more gate brings you onto a track that runs parallel to the A45. Turn right and head down this track and across a small bridge over a stream where we have spotted kingfishers in the past. Turn left at the track you came in on (Meadow Lane) and back through the underpass. You then need to make a left turn, either on the path you walked down or the second path, where it's about a kilometre uphill back to the car park.

Notes and musings

Stanwick Lakes Country Park opened in 2006 and covers about 3 square kilometres of former gravel pits. Archeological excavations on the site have discovered artifacts dating back to the neolithic and bronze ages as well as remnants of a Roman mosaic that is now on display in the Visitor Centre. Quarrying started in 1985 and continued until 2004 when the site was purchased by East Northamptonshire District Council.

Although its inhabitants won't thank me for saying it, Raunds is not a particularly interesting town, however it does possess a number of noteworthy facts. Firstly, the late TV presenter, Sir David Frost, once lived there. Secondly, it once held the record for the highest temperature recorded in Britain: 36.7 °C, set on 10 August 1911, which stood until 1990.  And finally, the town claims to have the shortest zebra crossing in England. Money well spent, I am sure!