The ‘Needs to Know’
Distance: 6 miles (9.65km). The instructions contain an option to do a shorter loop missing out Ashley
Time to walk: Roughly 2.5 hours at a steady pace
Difficulty: A mixture of surfaces with a couple of hills. There are no stiles on this walk so it’s ideal for dogs with plenty of “off lead” opportunities
Parking: Carefully on the street in Sutton Bassett
Public toilets: The George in Ashley
Map of the route:
This is a walk right in the north of the County on the edge of the Welland Valley close to the border with Leicestershire. It takes in two small villages we’ve never visited on our walks, Sutton Bassett & Ashley, although there’s an option to do a shorter walk by missing out the loop to Ashley
Sutton Bassett is a small village that was formerly in the Corby Hundred, but is now part of the Stoke Hundred, named after Stoke Albany village
The village’s name means ‘southern farm/settlement’ &, in the 12th century, was held by Richard Basset, a royal judge & sheriff during the reign of Henry I
003.5 was given the route & licence to walk
Shall we go & have a look?
Let’s Walk!
1. This walk starts facing the lovely, small Church of All Saints…
The original church that stood here dated back to the Norman period & was built as an annexe to St. Mary’s Church in the nearby village of Weston by Welland. What we see today is a result of the rebuilding in 1856
Unlike the majority of typical English countryside village churches, it has no graveyard
2. Facing the church bear right towards the Queen’s Head, which closed in January 2015 & has clearly seen better days…
This walk’s all about loops & it’s time to begin the first one so follow the footpath sign, beside the pub, through the kissing gate & continue ahead. Go through the gate opposite & head diagonally right towards the bottom corner of the field
3. This is a really long field, but just keep heading in the same direction to arrive at the gate in the picture below…
Go through this one & now head directly opposite to the left of the pylon (you can see it in the picture)
4. On reaching the edge of the field, you’ll find another gate…
Pass through the gate & bear immediately left, following the hedge. See the OS map below…you’re kind of turning back on yourself onto the thicker green line
And this path is one we’ve covered on many previous walks…The Midshires Way, which runs for 230 miles from the Chiltern Hills near Bledlow in Buckinghamshire, through Northamptonshire, Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire, to Stockport, Greater Manchester. It also links several other long-distance walking routes.
5. Go through the gap & carry on…
This is easy walking along a well-defined track. In the picture below, you’ll see you’ve had the hedge on your left, but now it’ll be on your right
6. Eventually the track arrives at a road…
Exit through the gate & bear left, carefully along the road for a short while. At the sign cross the road & head up the lane beside it
7. This track is still part of the Midshires Way. On reaching The Lodge Farm continue straight through it to arrive at the field…
Did you meet the family pet?
8. It’s time for a bit of cardio exercise so best foot forward & we’ll see you at the top of the hill! Ignore all the gaps on the right
Finally at the top, pass through the metal gate…
9. Have you ever seen a junction with so many footpaths going off it?
Now have a look at the OS map picture below.
This is the point where you have a choice. If you want to cut the walk short & return to Sutton Bassett turn immediately left & follow that path
To continue on our longer route to the village of Ashley take the diagonally left track, as indicated by the arrow on the map above, to the opposite side of the field
10. On reaching the hedge, cross over the little bridge through the gap…
The village of Ashley now comes into view…& what a view it is, one that puts a spring in your step to go & explore it. Walk down the hill in the direction of the church
11. At the hedge pass through the gap into the next field…
Continue towards the village, keeping the church as your reference point
12. Just keep going straight, through the next wide gap…
…& past the telegraph poles to the gate. Walk through this & continue to the road. Cross over & follow the direction of the signpost, passing a rather large house & garden on your left
13. Walk over the little bridge & through the gate, carrying on in the same direction & then through a second gate
At the end of these little paddocks, take the gate on the right, swiftly followed by a metal gate on the left
14. Now follow the left-hand fence line which leads to a further gate. Pass through it…
…& follow the track to the farm
15. Bear left along the gravel track & through a further gate…
On reaching the road turn left & walk into the beautiful hamlet of Ashley…
16. Ashley derives from ‘Ascele’, meaning “a clearing in the woods” as, at the time of the Domesday Book, it was a hamlet within the large hunting grounds of Rockingham Forest. The appearance of the original village was transformed in the mid 19th century by Richard Pulteney, the rector. He built model cottages & commissioned Sir GG Scott to plan the (now closed) school & virtually rebuild the church
Ahead of you now’s the welcome site of The George, a beautiful building which dates back to the 18th century…
In the words of 003.5…”And what a pub it is – well worth planning your trip around the times below if only for a coffee”
17. Suitably refreshed, head down Hall Lane, next to the pub, passing the magnificent Church of St Mary the Virgin…
St Mary’s dates back to the 13th century before the remodelling was done. If you can get inside, it’s well worth a look…
There’s rather wonderful coffin bier
18. Come back out of the Church. As Hall Lane ends continue in the same direction out of the village…
As the road bends to the right, look directly opposite to see a gate leading into the fields once more
19. Once through the gate, continue ahead, keeping the hedge on your left…
On reaching the gap in the picture below, go between it & now walk up the hill, this time with the hedge on your right
20. The track now arrives at a metal gate. Go through this…
…& walk straight ahead to the hedges in front of you. On reaching the hedge, turn left & carry on keeping it on your right. Finally you’ll arrive at the gap (below)
21. Do you recognise where you are? Head diagonally left to arrive back at the signpost with all the different paths you saw earlier. Facing the finger post, turn right along the path indicated by the arrow in the picture below…
Keep the hedge on your left & follow it to the corner. Go through the gate & continue to follow the left hedge
22. This whole walk is full of amazing views so make sure you pause to take them in…
Pass through the next metal gate & continue past the farm buildings to the next gate
23. Go through this next one & then turn immediately left through the kissing gate
The path now heads straight down through three fields towards Sutton Bassett once more…
24. The exit out of the last field is to the left of the big tree in the picture below…
Walk down the alleyway to the road
25. The alley arrives at a road. Turn right & continue along the road back to the start of this walk
So that’s the end of this ‘away from it all’ walk in some beautiful countryside. It has everything…beautiful villages, amazing views & a great pub
What’s not to like!
Go Walk!