around Middlemore around sustainably managed forest. PEFC accredited. PEFC forest. managed sustainably Dog (above) by Harry Dimmock, Age 9. Age Dimmock, Harry by (above) Dog et is printed on paper produced from from produced paper on printed is et fl lea This Short walks for you to enjoy enjoy to you for walks Short Front cover by Ben Harris, Age 9. 9. Age Harris, Ben by cover Front in large print on request on print large in Artwork by pupils from Ashby Fields Primary School Primary Fields Ashby from pupils by Artwork et is available is et fl lea This Daventry District Council. District Daventry et designed by Karen Britton & Lindsay Walters, Walters, Lindsay & Britton Karen by designed et fl Lea www.waterscape.com www.daventrydc.gov.uk www.daventrydc.gov.uk The Pub car park is for patrons only. patrons for is park car Pub The off Hidcote Way. Hidcote off All walks start from the Middlemore Farm Pub, Pub, Farm Middlemore the from start walks All Hotel ad sb Ro Ashby ryo Reservoir Drayton onCentre Town • Consider other people. other Consider • Daventry • Keep dogs under close control. close under dogs Keep • litter home. litter A361 Protect plants and animals and take your your take and animals and plants Protect • nd them. nd fi you as property and gates Leave • Hidcote Drive Way Farnborough • Be safe, plan ahead and follow any signs. any follow and ahead plan safe, Be • Farm Middlemore Follow the Countryside Code: Countryside the Follow Middlemore Kilsby Walks c). fi traf oncoming facing (walk DAVENTRY Take care when crossing or walking on roads roads on walking or crossing when care Take • Middlemore heading out towards Kilsby. Kilsby. towards out heading Middlemore dge. E the rom F way A tay S next to Drayton Reservoir. The A361 runs past past runs A361 The Reservoir. Drayton to next Middlemore Middlemore Middlemore is situated to the north of Daventry Daventry of north the to situated is Middlemore - water near SAFE stay to remember Always • nd Middlemore nd fi to How Walking Safe Middlemore Disused Railway Line (County Wildlife Site*) Grand Union Canal (Conservation Area*) The Middlemore Farmhouse and adjoining A disused railway line lies to the west of The Grand Union Canal is the main canal between buildings have been converted into a public Middlemore. The cutting reaches a depth of about London and Birmingham. Originally called the house. They are listed buildings and date from the 12 metres. The disused railway line was once the Grand Junction Canal, it was renamed the Grand 18th Century. LNWR Weedon to Leamington Spa branch line, via Union Canal in 1929 when the majority of its Daventry, which closed on 13 September 1958. branches had been linked. A bridge crosses the cutting. Prior to housing development taking place Look out for the blue bricks stamped “Joseph at Middlemore, archaeological investigation Hamblet, West Bromwich 1893”. revealed a series of Roman features, including pits containing late 1st to early 2nd century pottery. The Braunston tunnel runs just over 1 mile long (1.86km) from the edge of Daventry right through to Braunston Village. The Braunston tunnel was Drayton Reservoir (County Wildlife Site*) designed by engineers William Jessop and James Drayton Reservoir lies adjacent to Middlemore, Barnes. It is possible to walk along the top of it is home to a large carp population, which the tunnel, observing the air shafts essential for makes it very popular for fi shing. There is no allowing the smoke from the boat engines out of public access on to the reservoir edge, however the tunnel. private access is available via a fi shing permit. Contact British Waterways Fisheries Department In 1851, Joseph Hamblet co-founded the Piercy Bridge Spinney (County Wildlife Site*) for more details. Brickworks in West Bromwich. Blue bricks were the fi rm’s speciality. The business produced between The Bridge Spinney has a wide variety of 01908 302 556 400,000 and 500,000 bricks every week during the hedgerows, tree species and good cover for 1880s and 1890s. The brick is made of Staffordshire birds. A rare Damselfl y and Kingfi shers have been red clay, which turns dark blue when the clay is spotted here. fi red. It is very strong and highly resistant to water. * County Wildlife Sites are nature conservation areas of countywide interest that are designated by the The Hamblet Blue Brick Co. Ltd closed in 1915. * Conservation Areas are designated by Daventry District Northamptonshire Wildlife Trust. Council for their historic importance. Walk 1: The Water Walk Walk Information Kilsby G A 1 Middlemore Farm Entrance to Braunston Tunnel START Farnborough Drive Hidcote Way F E Northern Valley Park Bridge D A361 Spinney B B 2 Places of Interest Daventry B A. Middlemore Farm Pub Town Centre Welton Lane B. Ponds Daventry Town Centre C. Drayton Reservoir C Lang Farm D. Grand Union Canal Drayton Reservoir l Hote E. Braunston Tunnel F. Bridge Spinney G. Canal Airshaft 1. Turn left from the Middlemore Farm Pub. Pass the small will pass ponds on your right. (As well as providing attractive bridge. Take this path, which leads down to the Grand play area and Clevedon Court on your left and follow the features, these ponds control the water running off from the Union Canal towpath. road *(Hidcote Way) until you get to the 2nd roundabout. adjacent housing area, at times of heavy rainfall. In dry weather 7. Go left along the towpath and just before the tunnel, 2. Here, turn left on to Farnborough Drive and follow it to the these ponds may be empty). turn left up a steep wide concrete track. Continue on this A361. At the A361 (Daventry to Kilsby Road) follow the path 5. Keep following the gravel path, on your left you will pass a track as it bears sharply left and goes in to the wood. bearing left and cross the A361 (be careful of traffi c). wood (Bridge Spinney) and a pond. Continue until you reach the 8. A few steps on in the wood, you will see a dirt track to 3. Enter the Northern Valley Park through the metal gateway road (Welton Lane). Here, turn left onto a narrow path next to the right. Leave the wood here and you will fi nd yourself opposite the roundabout. the road. back in the Northern Valley Park. 4. Follow the hard path through the park, turning left onto a 6. Go past the concrete track and continue for a few more steps 9. Re-trace your steps back to the Middlemore Farm Pub. gravel path after you cross the bridge over the stream. You until you see a stepped dirt path on your left before the road * Roads are unsigned at these points, you will need to refer to the map Walk 2: The Wildfl ower Walk Walk Information Bridleway A Middlemore ole Way Farm Kn arnborough START F e Driv y Views to Braunston Wa Hidcote A361 Hidcote W ay Places of Interest Daventry Claydo Town Centre A. Middlemore Farm Pub B nR oa d Railway B. Disused Railway Line Bridge Wi C. Drayton Reservoir ldflower 3 Walk Route Disuse Area dR C ailway Proposed Path 2008 Drayton Reservoir Farnborough Drive Public House Wildflower Area Braunston Church Heartlands Business Park Tree on Knole Way Gateway 1. Turn left from the Middlemore Farm Pub. Go past the bridleway behind the houses. You will soon be able to see long (The Wildfl ower Area). Follow the path to the left of this small play area and Clevedon Court on your left and keep views to Braunston on your right. grassland and you will reach Farnborough Drive*. following the road *(Hidcote Way) until you see Knole 3. Eventually you will reach a wooden gateway across the 5. Turn left and go along Farnborough Drive, then turn left Way on your left. Turn left here and keep left of the big bridleway. Go through this and follow the gravel path round into Claydon Road*. Sycamore tree. to the left. 6. Turn right in to Hidcote Way* and follow the road back to 2. When you are just past the end house on your left, the 4. After a short distance you will see the old railway bridge to the Middlemore Farm Pub. path joins a wide grass bridleway. Turn left and follow the your right. You will also see an area of fenced grassland ahead * Roads are unsigned at these points, you will need to refer to the map.