Northants/Cambs Elton & Fotheringhay
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NORTHANTS/CAMBS DERBYSHIRE 11 ELTON & FOTHERINGHAY 12 GRATTON DALE & LONG DALE MIDLANDS uDistance: 7 miles/11.1km uTime: 3 hours uGrade: Moderate MIDLANDS uDistance: 5¾ miles/8.2km uTime: 3 hours uGrade: Moderate PLAN YOUR WALK The impressive ‘gouge’ PLAN YOUR WALK of Long Dale. PHOTO: PHOTO: STEVE GOODIER STEVE PHILIPTHOMAS ROUTE ROUTE Start/parking Park Start/parking Roadside Heading back towards considerately in Elton parking by village hall or Elton at the walk’s end. around Stock’s Green/ All Saints church in Elton. Duck Street, PE8 6RF, Grid ref SK221609, grid ref TL085939 postcode DE4 2DA CHOSEN BY… this now sleepy village, from Is it for me? Follows CHOSEN BY… at a crossroads. Descend Is it for me? Valley walking PHILIP THOMAS grand medieval farmsteads mostly well-signed field STEVE GOODIER the lane continuing to reach followed by a steep climb Bidding to the row of thatched paths, farm tracks and Twisting their way a bench where lane bends R. then higher ground. Cambridgeshire a cottages (the old inn) which lanes over easy gradients. through the southern Mostly good paths/tracks. Livestock in some fields. Gratton Dale gets wet hasty farewell, this walk darts accommodated the royal Peak District, the river-gouged ¾ mile/1.28km Can get overgrown and after rain and some of the across the River Nene into entourage. But little except muddy in places Derbyshire Dales are a treasure 2Go L through gap or gate paths used to avoid mud Northamptonshire. Away from earthworks and one hefty Stiles 7 trove for walkers. This walk taking footpath signposted for require care. Gaiters the willow-fringed riverbank, lump of masonry survive of heads down into two of the ‘Gratton Dale’. Take the track recommended. Some lane gently ruffled farmland is the castle where Richard III PLANNING lesser-trodden dry valleys: ahead and when it bends L to walking on the route. broken by hedgerows and was born and Mary Queen Nearest town Gratton Dale and Long Dale. cross a bridge continue ahead Stiles 1 spinneys, where red kites trawl of Scots was later beheaded. Peterborough Home to limestone loving by the brook. Follow the path Refreshments The Crown PLANNING initially by the brook and head the skies overhead. The Nene The return brings you through (01832 280232), and Black plants and insects, the latter Nearest town Matlock Way leads to Fotheringhay, landscaped parkland and Horse (01832 280591) in forms part of the Derbyshire down Gratton Dale to pass Refreshments On route where the octagonal lantern down Elton’s charming Elton, The Falcon in Dales National Nature Reserve. through a gate. Soon the brook Public toilets None tower of St Mary and All Saints main street, where if you Fotheringhay (01832 Climbing out of Long Dale, the disappears – continue down Public transport Bus 172 looms across the fields. haven’t already stopped 226254) & Red Lion route crosses higher ground the dale with old wall/fence L. Bakewell-Matlock Endowed by the Yorkist for refreshment in one of (01832 280362) in to pick up a quiet lane which Pass through gate/opening and Maps OS Explorer OL24; Warmington Landranger 119 branch of the Plantagenet several great pubs en route, Public toilets None is followed back into the continue to cut L through dynasty, this 15th century another waits at the end. Public transport X4 from pretty village of Elton. broken wall and go R to gothic landmark was once P’borough/Corby to Elton continue down the other side 2¼ miles/3.55km a collegiate church, twice Start Maps OS Explorer 227, Start of the wall. Continue to pass 3Go R through a gate and its present size. The House 1At lower end of village/ Landranger 142 1Take the lane (Gratton Lane) through gate by a stile and continue down Long Dale. of York left its mark all over Middle St, turn L through ➥ west out of Elton to stay ahead enter Long Dale. Follow the Path down the dale ➥ GRADIENT PROFILE GRADIENT PROFILE 600 600 400 400 200 200 metres metres 0 0 km 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 km 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 ✁ MIDLANDS MIDLANDS DERBYSHIRE SEPTEMBER 2018 NORTHANTS/CAMBS SEPTEMBER 2018 12 GRATTON DALE & LONG DALE 11 ELTON & FOTHERINGHAY uOS Explorer map OL24 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop uOS Explorer map 227 uBuy maps at: ordnancesurvey.co.uk/shop gate (signposted ‘footpath’) next to ‘1 Stocks Green’ and follow track R around old mill 5 to lock. Cross river, turn R to 3 2 cross next footbridge, then turn START L and follow footpath across 1 field. Cross stile and follow 2 farm track ahead through hedgerow (crossing dismantled Northampton & Peterborough 4 START DATE WALKED DATE Railway). Follow track straight WALKED DATE 1 on to minor road. 1¼ miles/2km ©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2018 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 007/18 ORDNANCE SURVEY. 2018 COPYRIGHT ©CROWN ©CROWN COPYRIGHT 2018 ORDNANCE SURVEY. MEDIA 007/18 ORDNANCE SURVEY. 2018 COPYRIGHT ©CROWN 2Cross stile, and cross road to stile in hedgerow opposite. Cross field, aiming to cross stile 4 in far LH corner. Turn R along farm track to ‘Park Lodge’ farm. 5 Cross stile into farmyard and TIME TAKEN follow signed right of way TIME TAKEN between old and new barn Fotheringhay Castle. Rejoin and follow bridleway into dip ahead, picking up path beyond track and continue to gates, and over stile/footbridge that cuts diagonally L across following signposted footpath across brook. Follow bridleway 3 field. Follow path through gap forking R away from farm track. twisting through clump of trees in hedge around pond/trees Follow path along field edges, then along RH fenceline to and across next field into line re-cross dismantled railway and track/lane into village. Turn of trees. Cross stile to track (a join farm track straight ahead R through gate before first to reach a gate L at a wall. Continue on descending track House’. Go R for ‘Elton’. byway) – the Nene Way (NW). to gate. Cross next field to lock house on R and follow field to reach gate L in wall corner Continue past Dale End House on far side. Cross river and path uphill through gates 3 miles/4.82km near marker post and large and pick up your outbound 2 miles/3.2km follow field path over two towards church. Turn R through Pass through the gate to tree. Leave the track to pass route by the bench and Turn L and follow track more footbridges to marina. gate into churchyard and follow YOUR RATING YOUR 4 RATING YOUR 3 go R to follow the rising path through the gate and take the entrance to Gratton Dale, over stone bridge to gate/lane. it through gate on far side. out of Long Dale. Continue enclosed footpath beyond. following the lane Turn L and follow lane to 4½ miles/7.2km Turn L along pavement, then to pass through a gate by a Descend to a lane by a back to Elton. junction. Turn L on pavement 5Follow path L around after bus shelter, L down signpost. Go ahead by a wall/ bridleway sign and farmhouse. into Fortheringhay, passing pub Warmington Mill and across Middle Street to start. fence R. Gradually descend to and church. Stay ahead at road mill race, then turn L on NW. Turn L at signpost before © Country Walking September 2018 September Walking © Country pass through a gate. Follow 4 miles/6.5km VIEW THE WALK ON 2018 September Walking © Country junction and where road bends VIEW THE WALK ON marker arrow to curve R and 5Go R to ascend the lane. OS MAPS ONLINE: R over river, stay ahead on farm subway (leaving NW) and OS MAPS ONLINE: L between walls. Pass through Follow the lane and after lfto.com/cwroutes track, waymarked NW (the follow bridleway parallel with lfto.com/cwroutes a gate to continue down L access track and cattle grid R signpost is well-hidden). A605. After gate into gravel side next field to go ahead start to descend on the lane. IN ASSOCIATION WITH pits, follow signed bridleway L IN ASSOCIATION WITH at marker post and pick up Continue down to reach a 3¼ miles/5.2km through gate, away from road a track. Descend by wall L road junction by ‘The Cheese 4Detour R through a and along edge of fruit farm. passing through gate opening. Factory’ and ‘The Managers OS MAPS kissing gate ahead to explore Reach gate into Elton Estate OS MAPS ✁.