The ‘Needs to Know’
Distance: 17.8 miles (28.6km)
Time to walk: I completed it in just under 7 hours, which included 2 x 15 minute stops
Difficulty: On a variety of surfaces, including across fields which could be muddy in winter. The paths were well marked in July 2026. Be warned this is a hilly walk & there are lots of inclines & descents. There are also numerous stiles
Dog Friendly?: Lots of off-lead opportunities, but you’ll need to lift your dog over many of the stiles
Parking: I parked carefully & considerately on the road near The Green in Newnham
Postcode: NN11 3HB
what3words: nuggets,snaps,essays
Public toilets: Pubs & cafes in the villages on the route
Map of the route:
This is a fabulous walk that takes in some of the most beautiful villages in the West of Northamptonshire, all of which we have visited on other walks on this website
Starting in Newnham, the route visits Dodford, Norton, Welton, Ashby St Ledger, Braunston, Staverton, Badby & then finally Newnham again
And if anyone tells you Northamptonshire is flat then I suggest you tell them to do this walk. You’ll encounter many ups & downs & the section from Braunston to Staverton is a proper ‘slog’ although there’s a welcomed bench with a wonderful view
We really do live in a beautiful County & this walk will definitely confirm that so…
Let’s Walk!
Stage 1: Newnham to Dodford
1. This walk starts in one of the friendliest, & welcoming, villages in Northamptonshire…Newnham, which means ‘new home or enclosure’. Our books tell us it was the birthplace of Thomas Randolph, poet & friend of Ben Johnson. The village once had two blacksmiths, a butcher, a sweet shop, a timber merchant, a wheelwright & a funeral undertaker!
On the village green is The Romer Arms, named after Romer Williams, who bought & reconstructed the old Bakers Arms after it was damaged by fire. A lawyer of Welsh descent he settled at Newnham Hall in 1898
2. For the first part of this walk we’re going to follow Walk 211 by heading to the right up the hill towards the church, past the telephone box & the ‘Hobbit House’ on the left
At the top of the hill you’ll see a white cottage. Take the lane to the right of it down Manor Lane…
3. This is a beautiful lane – look out for the house on the right with the herringbone brickwork & then you’ll pass the entrance to the wonderful Nuttery which was planted more than 150 years ago by the Marriotts of Newnham House. The majority of the orchard was gifted to the Woodland Trust by the Marriott family in 1989
Two varieties of Cobnuts were grown & harvested for sale locally & in London. Under the trees tight rows of snowdrops were planted. Go & visit in spring when their display is spectacular
Pass ‘Wet Lane’ on your left & around the corner you’ll arrive at a gate. Climb the stile on the left & then head left, up the hill, past the bush on your right aiming towards the telegraph pole
4. The views as you climb the hill are amazing across to Badby Wood & Weedon Hill…
Cross the stile – be careful it’s quite a high one
5. Now head in the same direction to the large gate. A word of warning…many of the gates on this walk need to be lifted to be opened so please be careful…
Turn right…can you see the large tree? The next stile lies just to the left of it
6. Cross this one & then walk close to the tree ahead of you heading to the left corner of the field…
Pass through the gate & continue up the hill. If the gate is open go through it or, if not, there’s a stile to the left. Just keep following the left edge & eventually you’ll arrive at a large heavy gate
7. Pass through it & turn right down the narrow grass alley & through the small gate. Now turn left & walk along past the stunning house on the left & then the lake on the right…
The wide track bears left & comes to a junction. Directly ahead is a stile which is quite high so please take care
8. Once across walk up the fenced, grass track as it rises to the top of the hill…
At the top walk through the gap in the hedge ahead of you
9. Now keep the hedge on your right to the top of the field. Stop at the gap & look to your left to see a bridge to cross through another gap…
10. Bear right & follow the hedge on your right to the gap at the top of the slope…
Pass through it & stop. This is a point where 3 footpaths meet & it’s time to say goodbye to path Walk 211 which turns right
To continue this walk we turn immediately left through another gap & follow the path up the hill
11. You’re now heading towards Dodford. The path arrives at a large gap but just pass through it & keep heading diagonally left towards the top corner
You have to search for the gap in the hedge, but be careful when you find it as there’s a road on the other side
12. Turn right & carefully cross the main road & head down the slip road towards Dodford…
…maybe stopping for a few moments at the signpost
The name Dodford comes from ‘ford of a man names Dodda’. There are considerable earthworks around the village which indicate that Dodford was a larger settlement than it is today. Dodford is mentioned in an Anglo-Saxon charter of 944
It was once the site of a Knights Hospitaller preceptory, established in the 12th century, which held lands here until the Dissolution of the Monasteries
Stage 2: Dodford to Norton
1. Facing the signpost bear left past the red telephone box. If you wish to visit the church turn left at the bend, but your route follows the road to the right…
At the bottom of the hill you’ll see some very ornate gates. Turn right here & follow the stream through the trees. This is obviously the ford from which the village takes its name
2. It emerges onto a track which passes under an old railway bridge…
At the junction bear left & continue for some distance along a hard-surfaced lane. You may recognise this lane as part of Walk 207: Dodford & Borough Hill
3. On reaching the farm the path goes straight through it so pass through the gate in the picture below. On this walk we met the farmer & had a great chat…
The exit is via the left gate on the other side
4. The next part of the walk to Norton on a good track is quite hilly, but it’s great walking with some superb views all around…
Across to the left you’ll see the mast on Borough Hill. Go through another gate & past the large wind turbine
5. On reaching the junction bear left & head up into Norton. Walk ahead to find The White Horse which we visit a lot on Walk 215: Norton Circular. It has an excellent fish & chip shop attached
Norton Hall was lived in by the Knightley family of Fawsley during the reign of Elizabeth I. Prior to 1840 most of the village surrounded the church, but the story goes that Beriah Botfield, the owner of the Hall, had the village demolished & moved. This was because he had a lady friend who used to visit him & he didn’t want the villagers to gossip about it
Co-incidentally there’s a row of cottages in the village called ‘Tattle Bank Row’ as the local ladies used to swap ‘tittle tattle’ over the wall
Stage 3: Norton to Welton
1. Facing the pub turn left & walk along the road & turn right through the gate in the hedge below…
Bear immediately left along the hedge & then right down the field edge. At the bottom continue in the same direction up the hill
2. At the top of the track is a busy road. Go through the gate & cross carefully…
Now head down the hill to reach the canal bridge
3. Cross the canal & head straight up through more gates & a wooden bridge. After the bridge bear diagonally left to the corner of the field & pass through the gate…
Now turn immediately left & then right along the field edge to the bridge on the left through the hedge
4. Now head diagonally right…
…& be very careful exiting through the gap as there’s a busy road on the other side.
5. Cross the road & follow the left edge of the field up the hill looking for a gap on the left – ask the sheep to move
Ahead you’ll see the church with its graveyard & sad story (see Walk 106) but your path leads immediately right up through the trees & over a stile into a narrow alley
6. At the top of the alley…welcome to Welton!
Its name comes from the springs & wells in the area. If you turn left to visit the 15th Century Church of St Martin, then parts date back to Saxon times. I mentioned a gravestone that peeps over the wall. It tells the story of a 6 year old boy who was found starved to death in 1806
The village has two 18th century houses…Welton Place & The Manor. A local story also goes that in 1658 Widow Stiff’s 10 year old daughter “vomited in less than 3 days 3 gallons of water, also stones & cokes too big to go into a man’s mouth. Furniture was moved & widows broken. A woman was arrested as a witch & the trouble stopped
On leading an earlier group walk here a walker told me she was born on a table in The White Horse…we didn’t stop for a drink 😉
Stage 4: Welton to Ashby St Ledgers
1. The next two stages follow the first part of the route of Walk 3: Braunston Circular
From where you emerged from the alley, turn right past the school to the junction & then head left…
Look for a footpath sign on the right pointing you down another alley
2. At the end the path opens up into a field. The farmer normally does a great job of marking the paths around here. This one heads diagonally across a very large, undulating field…
On reaching the hedge, pass through the gap & continue in the same direction
3. Eventually you’ll arrive at a gravel road. The signpost in the picture below points you through a gap in another hedge…
Now walk diagonally left again just to the left of the left tree
4. Pass through the next hedge & walk diagonally right…
Exit the field onto the road
5. Bear right & walk up into wonderful Ashby St Ledgers…
At the top of the road turn right to arrive at the church & one of the most famous rooms in history
Ashby St Ledgers was the home of the Catesbys, whose lives were tied up in two of the most turbulent periods of English history. William Catesby was a favourite of Richard III & is the Cat of the Rhyme…
‘Rat, the Cat & Lovell our Dog
Rule all England under the Hog”
He was executed after Bosworth, but over 100 years later Robert Catesby was one of the leaders of the Gunpowder Plot. The half-timbered gatehouse you see above is where the plotter are said to have made their plans
When Guy Fawkes was arrested, Catesby & is friends galloped the 80 miles to Ashby, where their families waited for news & then fled towards Wales. They were caught at Holbeach & Catesby & Percy were killed by a single shot
They were lucky…the house of the Catesbys & their successors at Ashby, the Jansons, was altered & enlarged for Lord Wimborne by Edward Lutyens, who also designed the Northampton War Memorial
Walk around the corner to the gates of the Manor & notice the drive opposite which was obviously the main approach in times gone by…
The Manor, which once belonged to the Crown, was very nearly occupied by the singer Grace Jones as Lady of the Manor – could you imagine that!
Stage 5: Ashby St Ledgers to Braunston
This next stage is where we begin to encounter the hilly part of this walk as we join the Jurassic Way towards Braunston. You’re almost halfway round now so only another half to go!
1. From the church turn left & walk along the main street. Near the Village Hall is a wonderful bench where I ate my lunch…
Pass The Coach House
2. Be careful as you walk to the crossroads. Cross straight over onto the track…
Now simply follow the field edge up to the top of the hill to arrive at another road
3. Please take care as this road is quite busy…so our tip is cross over, turn right & walk quickly to the footpath sign. If traffic comes just hop onto the verge…
Turn left through the gate
4. Occasionally there are cows in this file, but take your time. They may follow you but stay calm – they’re friendly
Take some time to admire the view down to Braunston…
Pass through more gates & head down the bridleway
5. It’s a long walk down this track but, on reaching the end, turn right & walk down the road…
At the end of the road you’ll come to The Green. Look across to the left to see the footpath sign showing you where the path goes
6. Cross over & walk down through Jetty Field which is one of several areas in the village that’s in the process of being converted back to wild flower meadows
I have to say…I love Braunston & it’s a place I would happily move to, especially one of the flats overlooking the Marina. It has a vibe about it & also allows access to some amazing countryside
I have a wonderful short walk there which will show you the best of it. It’s Walk 83 & is fab
7. At the bottom of the hill you’ll arrive at a bridge over the canal so stop for a while & admire this wonderful gem…
Dominating the landscape’s All Saints’ Church which has overlooked the village & the villagers for over 10 centuries & the canals & the boat people for over 300 years
Otherwise known as the “Cathedral of the Canals”, it’s existed since the early 13th century
Stage 6: Braunston to Staverton
1. Walk over the canal bridge & carry straight on up the field…
Pass through a couple of narrow metal gates
2. Walk up the hill…
…keeping to the left of the field & crossing a couple of stiles until reaching a gravel road when you turn right along it…
3. At the end of the track follow the sign…
…& head down to the bottom of the field
4. At the bottom pass through the woods & follow the narrow path up the hill & across another field…
At the top of the hill turn right (South) on the hard track
5. And so begins our journey to Staverton…are you ready for a big hill? The path narrows & opens up again but just keep in a straight line
It’s a long steep climb but there’s a rather lovely bench to have a rest on & admire the view. Eventually pass through some barriers to enter Staverton
6. At the junction follow the right path…
…& then turn left at The Green along Church Street
7. The village of Staverton stands on the watershed from which flow the rivers Nene, Leam, Avon & Cherwell
The village’s name means ‘Stake farm/settlement’. Before the early part of the 18th century, the original village was located behind the church. However, in 1720 a fire broke out which caused damage, destroying many haystacks, stables, grain stores & 22 houses
At the end of the road turn right & walk to the main road. If you wish to visit the award winning Countryman Pub then it’s just here
Stage 7: Staverton to Badby
1. Cross over the main road & pass through the gap to Staverton Vets…
Walk to the left though the trees to emerge onto the football pitch
2. You now need to head slightly diagonally right looking for a gap in the trees of the far side. If the pitch is marked then it’s just across the halfway line
3. Walk through the gap & head down to the path…
Turn right & then left across the field
4. Go through another gap & continue in the same direction…
passing through the gap
5. Walk through the gate…
There’s a very small trickle of water in the ditch on your right…the infant River Nene. OS Maps indicate the path heads diagonally right following the ditch to the corner where there’s a ruined building
Cross the bridge
6. Follow the right side of the field, ignoring the bridge on your right. At the gap ahead cross the bridge & continue in the same direction
Again…keep alongside the right edge
7. At the end cross the stile & then turn immediately right over the bridge…
…& then bear left to the gap in the hedge
8. Cross the stile & then carefully go over the road into Badby
Badby is probably best known for its large wood which, in spring is full of bluebells. It’s always been a friendly, welcoming village, maybe because many of the villagers brought up children from Dr Barnado’s Homes. They happily grew up in their adoptive families & often married & settled in the village. Also in WWII it had its fair share of evacuees
Stage 8: Badby to Newnham
1. Opposite The Malsters pub turn left down the lane &, as it bends left in the picture below, keep straight ahead…
Pass through the gate – the Nene is on your right again in the ditch. Continue ahead & cross the bridge & another gate
2. Now walk in the same direction & through yet another gate…
This final stretch is just simply keep ahead across the fields
3. Cross one more bridge & field & then carefully exit through a kissing gate as the road’s close by
Now turn right & carefully walk along the verge back into Newnham & the start of this walk
So that it…the Daventry Round!
What’s my thoughts?
It’s a walk across well marked paths, many of which I’ve visited on other Northamptonshire Walks, that are easy to follow. The villages it visits are stunning & you could easily spend a lot longer exploring them. It’s hilly in places & offers some great cardio
Would I recommend it & do it again?….
Oh yes, most definitely – it’s fab so….
Go Walk!