The ‘Needs to Know’
Distance: 7.15 miles (11.15km)
Time to walk: Around 3.5 hours at a steady pace
Difficulty: Some very steep hills…what in Northamptonshire?
Dog Friendly?: Should be good to go 🙂
Parking: Carefully & considerately on the street in Barrowden
Public toilets: Public houses in Barrowden
Map of the route:
For the start of this walk we head right to the north of Northamptonshire that some might call the mystical Kingdom of Rutland
Barrowden sits just over the County border, formed by the River Welland but, as a large proportion of this walk sits within Northamptonshire, we’ll claim it in the ‘Walks in Northamptonshire’ section
The village name is thought to mean ‘a hill with barrows or tumuli’, referring to the slope of the Welland Valley on which it lies. The barrows were probably prehistoric burial sites & a line of them continues to the west in the neighbouring parishes of Seaton & Thorpe by Water, & with Bee Hill & Prestley Hill
Barrowden appears in Domesday Book as a relatively substantial village with 66 households. By the fourteenth century it was important enough to have both a market & a fair, although in the 15th & 16th centuries the village declined
In 1549 the manor of Barrowden was granted to Princess Elizabeth in the will of Henry VIII. In 1551, she surrendered the patent & the manor was granted to Edward VI’s Secretary of State, Sir William Cecil. He was created Baron of Burghley by Elizabeth I in 1571
Since then the village & the surrounding lands have been part of the Burghley estate although in modern times much of the property in the village has been sold to private owners
Thank you to 003.5 Richard Parkes for doing the legwork for me on this one
Let’s Walk!
1. Our walk starts outside the stunning Exeter Arms…
Facing the Exeter arms turn left towards Morcott & Seaton…
2. There’s some beautiful properties along here. Follow the road as it bends left & out of the village…
At the junction turn left towards Seaton, & you’ll see a finger post sign to follow the Jurassic Way which runs through the village
3. Follow the driveway for about 30 metres…
…looking for a stile on the right. Cross it & follow the distinctive yellow posts as you cross the fields heading diagonally left
4. The way ahead is marked out for you by a very helpful farmer. Keeping in the same direction head to the tree line opposite…
At the finger post below turn right & follow the field edge up the hill…
5. Turn left at the track & then immediately right through the gate to keep the hedge on your right…
Pass over a couple of stiles as you head to towards the wonderful Harringworth Viaduct
6. Cross over the stile…
…& head up a small hill to reach the track. Turn left down the track & head over a small bridge
7. To arrive at wonderful Turtle Bridge, which crosses the River Welland, well-known from our Harringworth Walk No.21
Continue over it & you’ve now just left Rutland & are now in Northamptonshire
Walk up the grass hill ahead. This is incredibly steep &, at the gate at the top, you feel a sense of achievement as look behind you at the climb you’ve just done…
8. At the top head over the lane & through the gate to keep heading up a further hill with the hedge on your right…
Go through another gate & continue in the same direction…
9. At the end pass through the gate & carry on up the track ahead…
Eventually you’ll come to another gate. Go through & up the hill
10. At the post follow the left field edge to the left until you reach a hard track…
At the hard track cross straight over & head to a metal gate slightly on the right at the fork through a small woodland area
11. The path ahead is clearly marked so head over to the metal gate opposite…
Go through the gate & enter the woods through the small gap in front of you
12. Just keep to the path & enjoy a lovely walk through the middle of the wood…
As the main path bends left, take the smaller right fork which takes you through the woods
13. At the next junction bear right & head out through the gate…
Once out of the woods head over to the left side of Laxton hall
14. Continue past the front door and down the drive…
The name ‘Laxton’ in Northamptonshire has a slightly different meaning to other Laxtons around the country…it’s thought to derive from ‘Leaxa’s estate’
The 17th Century Grade II-listed Hall is quite unique & has been converted into a residential care home whilst keeping the integrity of the original architecture intact. It’s set in 85 acres of land. It’s staffed by the Polish Sisters of Mary Immaculate, an order long recognised for their humanity, compassion & specialised care for Polish community groups, the vulnerable & dispossessed. The Polish-speaking Sisters are sent from the Mother House in Poland, & are already experienced in care for the elderly, particularly those who have been affected by events of World War II
15. At the crossroads turn left with the wooden hut on your right…
As the road ends keep to the track which gives you a lovely view of the hall…
16. On reaching the gate, head right to a further gate in the hedgerow…
Pass through it & continue on the grass path ahead
17. Eventually you’ll come to a gate on the left to pass through…
…& continue right down towards the impressive lodge gates
18. Don’t go through the gap. Instead turn left & follow the sign back towards Wakerley Woods keeping the hedge on your right where you’ll cross a further stile as you head up the hill…
Cross another stile & join the woodland path through Wakerley Great Wood, which is an ancient woodland managed by Forestry England
19. At the fork continue straight ahead ignoring all of the paths going off to the left & right...
At the bottom turn right & then almost immediately left, passing a green waymarker
20. Head up the hill & follow the path ignoring all the paths going off to the left or right...
At the end turn left & then, once joining the nearby main path, turn right
21. Turn left along the road & continue ahead, keeping the car park on your left…
…&, at the end of the road, pass through the gap & go back into the woodland paths
22. As the path bends left head right & follow this little path to edge of the woods…
…passing the gate to arrive at the road
23. Turn left along the road & please be careful along here as cars move fast so please keep to the verge…
At the crossroads head straight over & continue down the hill as you head towards Wakerley
24. At the finger post turn left & go up the steps & follow the field edge towards the church…
Wakerley, whose name derives from “Woodland clearing of the watchful ones, or where osters grow”, is built along the side of a hill & commands great views of the surrounding countryside
The village is also know for its lime kilns. By 1900 there were 12. These kilns were built in 1915 by prisoners of war for the roasting of iron ore from the adjacent opencast mine. This was then used to make iron, which was to be shipped away on the adjacent Peterborough to Market Harborough line (now abandoned.)
The opencast mine was closed in 1921 as the seam was not as profitable as originally thought
It seems that the kilns were never used, in fact two of the four were never completed. Evidence of the loading ramps & wagon way also survive close to the kilns
They are Grade II listed
25. Passing the church, which is mainly late Norman, on your right, head into the village…
Pass a paddock looking for, hidden in the hedge, on the right is a stile
26. Cross over the stile & walk down to the road passing a couple more paddocks &, at the road turn left & head towards the red telephone box in the distance…
Pass the telephone box & continue through the village
27. Bear right to keep on the Jurassic Way…
Go through the gate & follow the track to the opposite side of the field
28. Cross over the bridge & follow the path to the road…
Turn left at the road & then left again at the island…
29. Follow the road as it winds through the village & passes the pub where this excellent walk began…
But before you finish don’t forget to visit the beautiful duck pond to which in the summer must be glorious,…
So that’s it…a Walk that technically just starts over the border in Rutland, but one we’re going to claim as one of our own
And it’s a seriously a great one so….
Go Walk!