Ramblers Routes Ramblers Routes Britain’s best walks from the experts Britain’s best walks from the experts Central England Central England 1/05/2016 15:2 07 Cogenhoe and Castle Ashby, Northamptonshire 08 Walkern, Hertfordshire l Distance 10.5km/6½ miles l Time 3½hrs l Type Field and river l Distance 16km/10 miles l Time 5hrs l Type Country NAVIGATION LEVEL FITNESS LEVEL NAVIGATION LEVEL FITNESS LEVEL walk magazine summer 2016 summer magazine walk walk magazine summer 2016 summer magazine walk Plan your walk Plan your walk Lincoln l Cambridge l King’s HERTFORDSHIRE Stamford Lynn WALKERN l l Peterborough l NORTHAMPTONSHIRE Watford l COGENHOE London l WHERE Circular walk through WHERE Circular walk from Castle Ashby, Cogenhoe and Walkern, Hertfordshire, via PHOTOGRAPHY: ALAMY PHOTOGRAPHY: Whiston Village. Cromer and Weston. SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTOGRAPHY: START/END Castle Ashby START/END Walkern, free (SP859635). Known as the ‘county of squires the route. The walk starts and car park opposite St Mary’s Walkern’s main claim to fame is robbed rich travellers and gave TERRAIN Footpaths and and spires’, Northamptonshire ends at Castle Ashby, the majestic Church (TL293266). probably that it was the home of to the poor. Tales abound about roads. Some stiles and steps. is a much underrated jewel in seat of the Marquess of TERRAIN Good tracks, Jane Wenham who, in 1712, was Jack. It was said, for instance, Ground can get boggy the countryside crown of the Northampton. The 35 acres of quiet lanes and field edges, found guilty of witchcraft. Jane’s that he could down a bird with following heavy rain. Midlands. This is an area where manicured gardens at Castle three stiles. death sentence was set aside and an arrow at half a mile and had MAPS OS Explorer 207; spelling and pronunciation are two Ashby are at their most splendid MAPS OS Explorer 193; she went to live on the estate of to talk to his neighbours through Landranger 152. opposing forces; for example during the summer months. For a Landranger 166. Earl Cowper. The tale spawned their upstairs windows. GETTING THERE Bus 43 Cogenhoe is pronounced ‘Cook-no’ spot of luxury, treat yourself to GETTING THERE The 384 many pamphlets at the time and 1. START Go R alongside the from North Gate bus station, and here the River Nene has a high tea in the tearooms. Centrebus service runs has recently inspired a play – Jane churchyard and L at the end. Northampton (not Sundays or silent ‘E’ to become Nen as in ‘hen’ between Stevenage and Wenham: the Witch of Walkern After two gates, cross a field. public holidays). Car parking (and never Neen as in ‘scene’!). 1. START Head south from the Hertford (not Sundays, – by Rebecca Lenkiewicz. This walk, In the next, follow the R edge, for patrons of the Rural This gentle to moderate walk Rural Shopping Yard (SP859635), ✆ 0116 246 0030). rich in meadows, superb country veering L at the end. Continue on Shopping Yard and Castle takes you along hedgerows following a road past red brick EATING & DRINKING houses, and three beautiful L field edges to a lane. Ashby House. Alternatively, bursting with life, through open cottages towards Chadstone. The White Lion, Walkern villages, starts near a duck- you will find a small public car fields and along the towpath of Ignore the footpath going off to (✆ 01438 861251); the Red patrolled ford over a chalk stream, 2. Cross diagonally R to follow a park between the two (to the the meandering River Nene. The the L and turn R past the post box Lion, Weston (✆ 01462 the River Bean. Opposite is a L field edge; go L at stables and south of the shopping yard) Royal Oak pub in Cogenhoe serves into Chadstone (SP852955). There 294321); the Rising Sun at church containing the remains of a immediately R at the corral. and roadside parking as a useful halfway point on this are brief views across hills before Hall’s Green (closed most rare chalk Saxon rood (cross) and Reach a road, go L then follow it throughout the village. circular walk. The staff are you drop into a valley. Continue Mondays, ✆ 01462 790487). a Purbeck marble effigy believed L through the village of Cromer. EATING & DRINKING The welcoming to walkers, especially over the river and along a SLEEPING Abbington Hotel, to be that of William de Lanvalei, Turn R at the junction. At the Royal Oak, Cogenhoe those who shed their muddy boots bridleway as it veers R. At the 23 Hitchin Road, Stevenage one of the 25 barons elected at next junction, go straight on – (closed most Mondays, on the way in. The food is both farm, turn L to follow a footpath Old Town (✆ 01438 315241). Runnymede in 1215 to ensure that signed ‘Luffenhall’. Reach ✆ 01604 890922, www. reasonably priced and extremely across hedgerows, continuing VISITOR INFORMATION King John adhered to the law of ‘Fir Trees’. theroyaloaknorthampton. tasty. The tower of the 16th- through the trees and across Stevenage Visitor the land as set out in Magna Carta. co.uk). Walking parties can century church at Whiston the road. Information Point, Central In another churchyard, at Weston, 3. Turn L alongside it. Go straight phone ahead to book meals. (pictured above) rises from the Library, Southgate you will pass the 4m long supposed surrounding landscape and serves 2. Once across the road, head grave of Jack O’Legs, a giant on to a field corner; go L ✆ ▲ SLEEPING Various Airbnb ▲ ( 0300 123 4049). as a useful landmark throughout through the field to the line of to a cross track. Go R. After version of Robin Hood, who P5_54_WALK51_RR_CNTRALR1.indd 1 P5_54_WALK51_RR_CNTRALR1.indd 2 Ordnance Surveymap Ordnance Surveymap Continued... options, www.airbnb.co.uk (search Grendon or ping ©Crowncopyright2016OrdnanceSurveyMedia037/16 Cogenhoe), including ping ©Crowncopyright2016OrdnanceSurveyMedia037/16 4 5 the Annexe at Pastures Farm, Grendon. 4 VISITOR INFORMATION Tourist Information, Sessions 5 House County Hall, George Row, Northampton 3 (✆ 01604 367997). 3 6 GUIDEBOOKS Pocket Pub Walks in Northamptonshire by Judith and Ron Smith (£5.99, Countryside Books, 2 ISBN 978 1846740848); Walks for all Ages: 19 Circular Walks in Northamptonshire by Cheryl 2 Joyce (£4.99, Bradwell Books, ISBN 978 1902674537). START LOCAL RAMBLERS GROUPS FINISH 1 Northants 20s-40s Ramblers (www.lgrtr.org.uk), 1 Northampton Ramblers (www. START FINISH northamptonramblers.co.uk). To download this route and hundreds of others, trees; here veer R before heading L Continued... over a bridge. Head through the visit www.ramblers.org.uk/routes field, then take the L fork up the GUIDEBOOK Ten Walks in North steps into the wood. Follow this To download this route and hundreds of others, Hertfordshire by North Herts 5. Turn L, going to the R of Manor 6. Go R. Fork L at the junction and footpath and take R fork down the visit www.ramblers.org.uk/routes Ramblers – contact details Farm. Once through the gate, keep R on the bend. After the bridge, steps, then head towards the road. below – £5. R of the recreation grounds. After go diagonally L. Go through a gap Turn L on the road, heading for church at SP832356, heading the early 16th century and is a fine LOCAL RAMBLERS GROUP a gate, turn R through another in the hedge to a gate, then L the Royal Oak pub (SP832206). diagonally to the river. Continue example of the oak timberwork of North Herts Ramblers (✆ 07778 and go across a field. Keep along the field edge. After a metal The Royal Oak would be a good until you get to the disused railway the period. At the back of the 877814, http://northherts forward through a woodland strip, kissing gate, go to the wood’s alternative starting point on this line and follow this to the long, church, dogleg L then take R over ramblers.webs.com). continue through a gate L of a edge and turn R. Descend steps to circular route. straight footpath.) At the lock, the hill. Turn L at the gate onto the house and across a lane. Continue a straight path across a large field. turn R and follow the long, road. Castle Ashby House should to a gate. Go diagonally R across At the boundary, go L on a track. 3. From the pub, take Church Road straight footpath to the road. now be visible. Continue on the 2km/1¼ miles, go L opposite a a drive, turning L alongside the Go R of the farm to the road. Turn in front of you, heading north. This road to Castle Ashby. Take a R at waymarker post. Cross bridge on wood, following a line of posts L (passing a dovecote, built around will become Mill Lane. Follow the 5. Cross the road and continue the war memorial to end up back the R and go diagonally L across a and then go through two gates to 1700 to house pigeons, which were footpath signs and head to the L south towards Whiston. Take the where you started. field, continuing on the track to a lane. Go L. At the corner, take kept for meat, eggs, feathers and of the red house, where you will first L towards the church, Route devised by Dave Hamilton join a lane. Reach a road. the first L along a wide track. Keep fertilizer), then go R to St Mary’s see a sign on a wall that reads: following the narrow footpath forward, ignoring a L turn. Swing L Church and the car park. ‘Yes the footpath is tucked in the uphill to the church.