The ‘Needs to Know’
Distance: 4.8 miles (7.72km)
Time to walk: Around 2.5 hours at a steady pace
Difficulty: A few inclines but nothing too strenuous. One stile
Dog Friendly? Lots of off lead opportunities & just one stiles
Parking: Carefully & considerately by the Green in Hellidon near the Red Lion
Postcode: NN11 6LG
what3words: cycle.moped.leathers
Public toilets: Pubs in Hellidon & Priors Marston
Map of the route:
Thank you to 003.5 Richard Parkes for doing the legwork on this one for me. It’s the second walk we’ve done from beautiful Hellidon, the other being Walk 69
“There are no hills in Northamptonshire”….it’s a comment we hear many times yet Hellidon is not a flat place. Indeed it’s reputed to be one of the highest villages in the County, close to the border with Warwickshire. The name means ‘Holy, healthy or prosperous valley’
This walk goes in the opposite direction to the other one, towards Warwickshire so…
Let’s Walk!
1. This walk starts outside The Red Lion which is a lovely pub & well worth a “reward” at the end of your walk…
Follow the signpost into the village passing Abbey House on the left
2. Continue past the Old Mill House which dates back to the 18th century…
…&, beside Banks Cottage, climb up the steps & enter the church yard
3. The church, which is dedicated to St John the Baptist, has a date over the entrance saying it was built in 1591, but the tower is said to date back much earlier to around 1350…
There’s a great story about the four bells which were hung in 1615 & 1635…during WWII they remained silent & bees made over 100 cwt of honey in the clock works. Although the building of the railway in 1895 didn’t affect Hellidon that much, it passed underneath it through a tunnel. There are four men buried in the churchyard who died during its construction
Continue straight ahead out of the churchyard…
4. Pass the village hall on the left…
…&, as the road bends, join the footpath hidden on the right
5. Follow the field edge up the hill…
On reaching the road turn right. Ignore the two nearby footpaths & continue using the road
6. At the crossroads continue straight ahead….
…passing the entrance to the golf club & following the road towards the house ahead
7. At the house go through the gap on the right. Cross over the track & follow the grass path immediately opposite…
Pass through the gate & then another one directly opposite
8. This is easy walking so continue in the same direction & through another gate…
Keep straight ahead & pass through yet another gate…
9. At the telegraph pole keep straight ahead…
This really is a beautiful walk. Just keep to the track & head down the hill…
10. On reaching the road, cross over & continue down the hill opposite…
Look out for some fabulous horned sheep here
11. Continue over the stiles & down the hill…
At the bottom of the path turn left & walk down the driveway
12. Walk down the road & into the lovely village of Priors Marston…
Priors records the fact the village belonged to St Mary’s Priory in Coventry. “Marston” combines the Old English words ‘Merse’ referring to a lake which formed a fishery in the early history of the village & ‘tun‘ meaning a settlement
The Holly Bush pub is on the left at the junction…
13. However your route is right up the path towards the church…
Enter the grounds of the church of St Leonard’s Church…
14. The Church is part of ‘The Bridges Group’ of 6 local churches…
The earliest known church on this site was built in the 13th century & the tower dates from the 17th & 18th centuries, but the building was largely rebuilt in 1863 as it stands today
15. Pass the tower & continue in the same direction…
At the road turn right & follow it as it passes a row of houses on the left
16. On reaching Priors Hall continue to follow the road forward to the junction…
On reaching it turn right
17. Now turn left into Keys Lane…
At the end pass through the gate & head diagonally right towards the farm buildings
18. On reaching the gate in the picture below, pass through it & then the one opposite to follow a path through a woodland area…
Go through & continue directly opposite to a further gate in the distance
19. As you follow the path, about halfway across the field, turn right & head to the big trees, & a gate just to the left of them. If you’re lucky you’ll see X marks the spot where you need to turn right 🙂
Go through the gate below & walk straight to a gap opposite
20. On reaching the track turn left down towards the farmhouse…
On reaching the house, turn right, passing the pond before keeping the hedge on your left & heading towards the corner of the field
21. Go through the gap in the picture below & turn immediately right…
Walk into next field & continue with the woods on your right
22. Go through the metal gate & continue in the same direction through two fields…
You’ll arrive at yet another gate. Pass through it & continue using the track ahead ignoring all the left & right paths until you reach the main road
23. Are you ready for a big climb up the hill?…
On reaching the junction turn right…
24. At the next junction take the left turn…
Continuing following the road ahead
25. Pass the Hellidon well, a natural spring, on the left…
Follow the road round to the left, which is the road this walk started on, so simply follow it back to the Red Lion where it started
So that’s it…our 2nd walk from hilly Hellidon & it’s fabulous
Go Walk!