Walk 01/2008 – A Northants Round

Sunday 1st January 2008

This New Years ‘stroll’ was a circular 10 miles, taking in the very pretty villages of Aldwincle, Wadenhoe, Sudborough and Lowick. We had a 300% increase in attendance compared New Years day 2007, which was a great start to this year’s walking. Our start was greying mist and fog but gradually the weather cleared to unveil more of the undulating Northamptonshire countryside for us to enjoy. The most memorable aspect will probably be the challenge of walking over and through copious amounts of tenacious mud! At times the exercise had been synonymous to attending a gym session with heavy leg weights! And you have never seen such muddy boots on our completing the walk.

We enjoyed a welcome coffee break at Lyveden where we were able to admire a half built grandiose house, whereby the tale was that the builders ran out of money and so the building unfortunately remains incomplete.

After coffee, we passed through a picturesque avenue of trees – ‘Lilford wood’ – and a highlight was to spot a second woodpecker vividly coloured with a moss green back and scarlet head crest.

We enjoyed our lunch break looking across the attractive green fields and spinneys, home to a herd of deer who chose to quietly stare at us from a great distance – how graceful they were as they left their spot for pastures new.

We concluded our day with a drink and a most warm welcome from the landlord of the Fox Inn at Thorpe Waterville. One of us described the walk as beautiful, as in addition to the peaceful countryside we were able to also appreciate the many elegant stone dwellings and quaint pubs in the villages, a bonus was they were still with festive Christmas decorations and pretty lighted Christmas trees.

Report – Cathy

Pictures – Nigel M

Walk rating – Good

This mud is really tenacious!	We approach Lyveden New Bield. Most people failed the initiative test of passing between the white posts.
Lyveden New Bield and it’s Ha Ha.	We settle on a pile of logs and fence posts for coffee.
A little less muddy path.