The ‘Needs to Know’
Distance: 8 miles (12.9km)
Time to walk: This is a strolling type of walk with a stop at the Cafe so maybe allow 3.5 – 4 hours
Difficulty: Flat &, apart from a couple of times off the main paths, all on hard surfaces. There are no stiles & your dogs will be off-lead most of the time
Parking: Park on the street in Piddington near the Spread Eagle pub. Note: please don’t park on any pavements or grass verges
Public toilets: The Visitor Centre, Salcey Forest
Map of the route:
I love this walk.
Salcey forest is such a wonderful place, but most people simply stick to the well-marked paths. What this walk does is to try & highlight some of the old oak trees, two of which are still standing, but not many people know are there
Salcey is the largest ancient wood in the Northamptonshire & the SSSI has most of the mature oak trees. There are many nationally notable moth species. However it’s a fragment of a former medieval hunting forest east of the village of Hartwell, between Northampton & Newport Pagnell & is managed by Forestry England
In 2005, a tree-top forest walk was constructed which was one of Northamptonshire’s best attractions & rose through the forest to a height of about 49 ft. The project was placed first in the Environmental category of the British Construction Industry Awards 2006, however in May 2018 the raised walkway was closed to the public following health & safety concerns due to lack of maintenance by the Commission. It was subsequently demolished & is a great loss to Northamptonshire
Just simply put…it was built but never maintained….what a shame
However..this wonderful walk is all about Oak Trees so shall we get going?
Let’s Walk!
1. This walk starts in the lovely village of Piddington, whose church I adore with its spire standing proud across the countryside. Go inside…it’s lovely & its bells were casted by the same Whitechapel Bell Foundry that cast ‘Big Ben’
I go into much more detail about the village & its Roman villa on the Piddington Walk – see this link. It also has the best finish of any of my Northamptonshire Walks
So we are outside the Spread Eagle pub which, at the time of writing this walk in January 2024 is sadly closed…
2. Facing the pub turn left & walk up Forest Road. Eventually the path runs out as you approach a farm which used to have a real armoured tank outside!!
Pass through the gate & now it’s dogs off leads time…note the warnings about low flying aircraft
3. I have to say a special mention of someone from the farm. Lily decided to do what dogs do just through that gate & we bagged it. He came over & very kindly came over & said “thank you for picking that up…give it to me & I’ll pop it in my bin for you
Pass over the old railway line…
…& have a look to the right where you’ll see the runway of Piddington International Airport
4. Now it’s a case of simply following the narrow track down into Salcey Forest – note the remains of the large trees on the right as you go
Keep looking left & right & it will give you an idea of exactly how large Salcey is
5. Eventually you arrive at the forest & you’ve just saved yourself £8 in parking fees…
Continue straight ahead to arrive at a crossroads of paths
6. Go straight ahead…this is really easy walking along a hard surface. Continue for quite a while until you meet the left bend in the picture below…
Just after this look for a concrete area & a metal gate on the right
7. Now this is where I take you to see what isn’t signposted but should be…let’s go & see our first Oak. Walk along the track & there’s the stunning Queen Hive Oak…the photo doesn’t do justice to her size
There’s an information board in front of it, but why isn’t this with a signpost near the gate? No-one knows this stunning 500+ year old tree is here! So the story goes…this is where Edward IV met & wooed his wife & consort Elizabeth Woodville (from Grafton Regis). It’s been hollow for many years…but it’s still very much alive so go & touch it…it’s very special
8. Come back out of the gate & turn right along the track again. After a few yards you’ll see another signpost indicating a small path on the right…I recognised it as part of the Northampton Round…
It’ll be boggy…but it’s worth the walk down it
9. As the track bears left (in Jan 2024 at the fallen branch) turn right….
And there in front of you is the magnificent Milking Oak. Just look at the sheer size of this beautiful think that 500 years ago grew out of an acorn beside the people next to it
I love this tree & the history that goes with it. Many years ago cattle roamed Salcey Forest & on hot summer days the Milking Maids used to sit under this Oak milking them in the shade. What a wonderful vision & how any of you can hold hands around her?
10. Return to the main path & turn right to continue in the same direction to eventually meet the road that divides the forest. Carefully cross over & continue along the path on the other side…
Again there are several small paths going off in all directions to explore, but this walk sticks to the main tracks
11. The track eventually bends sharp right & then winds its way past a picnic table before reaching a junction…
Keep on the main one & bear right along the wide one
Shortly you’ll arrive at the first of the fallen oaks…’The Rangers Oak’. A sign tells you that this is home to great crested newts, slow worms, grass snakes & lizards
Slightly further on you’ll see a marker post on the right…
Near this is one of the smallest & newest oaks…the ‘Centenary Oak’ which was planted to commemorate 100 years of the Forestry Commission
12. Continue to reach a t-junction & bear left at the sign that says ‘Main Carpark via Cycle Trail’
This is a much smaller path & after a hundred or so yards it bears sharp right. There’s a lot of clearing out of the forest going on in this area
13. Eventually the path arrives at the road again…
Cross over into the other side of the forest again & continue along the small path…
14. After a couple of hundred yards the track bends left…
…& then continues to reach another junction. Bear right here & walk into the main carpark where you’ll find the toilets & cafe. It’s good to have a stop before finishing the walk
15. Suitably refreshed continue along past the playground & signs about the Gruffalo…
Pass over the first crossroads & then turn left at the second one
16. On the left here (Jan 2024) is a new aerial playground being constructed…
At the junction bear right & ahead of you are the remains of another huge oak…
This is called ‘Fallen Oak’ & you’re encouraged to touch it. I prefer to call it the ‘Dinosaur Oak’. The right end is the head & you can see the eye
17. Facing the oak turn right & continue up the wide track…
On reaching the crossroads in the picture below turn right
18. In a few yards you’ll arrive at the ‘Elephant Pond’. The area has recently been renovated…
Elephant Pond has a lovely story attached to it. During World War II elephants from a travelling circus were used to moved felled trees as there was a lack of fuel for machinery. At the end of the day the elephants were bathed in this pool
19. Walk over the new bridge…
…& carry on along the new hard path past the shelter. This open area was where the tree top walk once stood. Today it’s inhabited by…the Gruffalo
20. Rejoin the track you left to visit the Pond & bear right (East)…
…continuing in the direction when you left it
Presently you’ll arrive at another crossroads. The route is straight ahead but on the left’s our final oak…’the Church Path Oak’
The information board tells you that this oak “was thought to be 400 years old when it fell in 1995. The Church Path Walk is named after the route taken to Piddington Church. Particularly favoured by William Henry, 6th Duke of Grafton, he liked to stop & rest at this oak. Look out for the other large sapling growing here which came from the original tree
21. Continue in the same direction (east) to arrive at another large crossroads…
Turn left & you’re now back on the small path that we came down from Piddington on. Continue along this track to arrive back in the village to end this walk
Now that’s a corking Northamptonshire Walk & suitable for all times of the year
It’s fab so…
Go Walk!