Barrowden, Wakerley Woods, Turtle Bridge

 

Barrowden - Wakerley - Woods -Laxton Hall - Turtle Bridge - Barrowden

Mon, 2014 Oct 27 9:31 AM GMT

Led by Tommy. With Gordon, Barrie E, Terry, Kate, Marion, Chris, Phil, Eddie and me. Map trace incomplete due to human error - I forgot to restart track after a switch-off and on! In all just over 7 miles. Fine, warm, sunny morning.

This is the route we walked in August 2012, but in reverse.  The map may be more useful than today's!

We met at Barrowden, and headed east along Main Street, then turned right and south along Mill Lane. 

Our path takes us past the Mill Pond, and downhill to the footbridge over the Welland.

 We cross a large field of grazing sheep, and come out on Main Street Wakerley. We turn left, and walk for a short distance along the road.

We take the footpath to our right soon after the road junction, beside a large house which used to be a pub.  This passes behind the church and emerges on to the narrow road just before Wakerley Woods. A good way after the bend we turn into the woods. It is possible to continue to the main entrance, and take that route. We make our way past the (closed) toilets and parking areas to the track, where we turn right, heading south. We follow the Jurassic Way, though signs are not very obvious, turning left from the main track and along muddier paths.

We leave the Jurassic Way paths and make for Laxton Hall, now a nursing home.

 From here we head pretty well due west along a long track through the woods again. We turn northwest and meet the dip that used to be a quarry - now with a new surfaced road/footpath.  We disturb a couple of red kites who have found some delicious carrion.

Nice new footpath.

 The footpath meets the Harringworth to Wakerley Road just opposite the wide bridleway.

A fine view of the viaduct

Going down the bridleway

Shaggy inkcaps

The Welland at Turtle Bridge

The bridleway takes us gently down to Turtle Bridge, where we rejoin the Jurassic Way, and follow it uphill slightly, then turn right and walk with a hedge on our left.  We go through a gate, following the waymarkers, and make our way gradually into Barrowden.

This is the correct route for the footpath

We enter Barrowden from the Morcott Road, deboot ourselves and grab a lunch in the Community shop. 

Barrowden duckpond.

Once again, thank you, Tommy for a fine walk