The ‘Needs to Know’
Distance: 4.25 miles (6.84km)
Time to walk: Roughly 1.5 hours, although some of the scenery is so good you might want to pause & take it all in a few times
Difficulty: Mainly off road & may be muddy in places in winter. This is a hilly walk in places. There are a couple of small stile & it’s pretty much dogs off lead the whole way
Parking: Carefully & considerately on the street near St Catherine’s Church
Public toilets: None
Map of the route:
Draughton lies in the north of the County, not too far from Maidwell. The name means ‘farmstead on a slope used for dragging down timber & the like’
There is evidence that there have been settlements here since the Iron Age, with several barrows been found in the area. The Romans were also in the area
One of my old Northamptonshire reference books states that Draughton is “a small, dim, muddy but pleasant village with stone & thatch, & three identical stiff & starched red brick houses looking like three Victorian maiden aunts”
As we hadn’t visited Draughton before we drew out a route & sent 003.5 on his mission to walk & report back
Shall we go & explore?
Let’s Walk!
1. Our walk starts at St Catherine’s Church in the middle of Draughton. The main structure of the present building was erected in the 12th & 13th centuries. The chancel was remodelled around 1885…
2. With your back to the church, turn right & head past the old phone box, carrying straight on at the T-Junction
On reaching the gate at the end of the road in the picture above, climb over the wonderful step stile & carry on along the lane…
3. As the lane bends towards the 17th century Old Rectory, cross the little stile in the picture below…
Walk over the paddock & exit over the stile opposite. Now walk slightly diagonally right towards the tree line at the very bottom as per the green dotted line in the map below
4. On reaching the bottom head towards a gap in the bottom right & pass through it. Now turn right under the bridge…
You’re now walking on the Brampton Valley Way
5. Pass under the famous ornate, but now redundant, cast iron pedestrian footbridge that crosses over the former Market Harborough to Northampton railway line…
Continue ahead & cross the road through the car park on the Brampton Valley Way – this is Draughton Crossing. The former station wasn’t here, but a mile away at the next crossing
6. Carry on over the bridge…
What’s always lovely about walking on the Brampton Valley Way is there’s always lots of places to sit & ponder life for a while…
7. Eventually you’ll arrive at a crossroads. It’s now time to leave the old railway track & bear right…
It was slightly muddy here in January but keep straight on up the path
8. The path emerges into the open as in the picture below…
Continue along the field edge in front of you &, on reaching the hedge below, keep in the same direction keeping the hedge on your left
9. The path now begins to climb & soon turns into a harder track…
When you reach the top pass through the gate
10. Now follow the byway to the right…
The area you’re now walking in is part of the old Harrington airfield which has some stories to tell. The airfield was opened in September 1943 & was originally planned as a satellite for No. 84 Operational Training Unit RAF at RAF Desborough. The airfield was built by the US Army & intended for heavy bomber use
In World War II it was known as the home of the Carpetbaggers whose task was to fly Special Operations missions, which entailed delivering supplies to resistance groups in enemy occupied countries
The squadrons flew agents & supplies into southern France & also leaflets over Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, France, Germany, Poland, Greece, & the Balkans. Some leaflets informed the citizens in occupied Europe of war news & Axis losses. Others urged German troops to surrender & offered safe passage through Allied lines. Seventy seven percent of the German troops captured in France either had one of these leaflets or had seen one
The leaflets were a trusted source of news for the oppressed citizens of occupied Europe. They were widely read & sometimes carried for months & hidden in false pockets, hats, & shoes. Possession of one of the leaflets meant an automatic death sentence if caught by the Nazis
There is a small museum which you’ll pass, but check their website for opening times…
After the war Harrington gradually fell into disuse returning to farmland. However the base received a new lease of life when it was selected to become one of the RAF’s Thor missile sites in 1958. Three rocket launch pads were constructed together with ancillary buildings, the whole area being declared top security, fenced off & floodlighted.
In 2011, just ahead of the 50th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Thor missile site at Harrington was given Grade II listed status as an example of Cold War architecture
11. This is definitely a walk for all seasons…
As the track bends left (at the picture below) go straight ahead on the smaller path into the woods known as Blue Covert…
12. Shortly you’ll emerge from the wood & continue to follow the track ahead…
Keep on this track straight ahead as it bends right across the field
13. Stick to the track & admire just how beautiful this area of Northamptonshire is…
On reaching the T junction in the picture below…
…bear left up the hill on the track with the trees & lake on your right. This area can be muddy as the water runs down the hill you’re about to climb
14. Keep to the track at all times & continue to keep taking in the amazing view all around you…
This is a really easy track to follow as, once you reach the top of the hill, you head down again. Once you reach the hedge keep it on your right & start to climb again…
15. Don’t divert off the track & just keep the hedge on your right…
Eventually the track arrives at a gate. Pass through this & turn right along the quiet road…
16. Continue along the small road back into the village & follow it round to arrive back at the Church once more…
And that’s it…the end of a simply stunning, shortish walk in some beautiful Northamptonshire Countryside
003.5 says that this goes into his Top 10 & that is high recommendation in itself so why not give it a try…it’s fab!
Go Walk!