LOCAL WALK
King’s Cliffe & Blatherwycke Wait for a crisp, blue sky day and set out on this wonderful walk, traversing a varied landscape from deep woodland to sheep-grazing pastures and a path alongside a babbling brook
THE ROUTE
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Park at the Post Office in the centre of King’s Cliffe. Head west along the main village street, then cross the Blatherwycke Road up a track called Wood Lane over the disused railway line. Almost immediately after the railway line, turn left over a stile and follow the path across open access land in a westerly direction; at the start of the second field keep to the right along the edge of the wood and follow this path until you cross a stile and enter the woods. The path through the woods is reasonably well marked, but keep your eyes peeled; it briefly follows the route of the disused railway line and then passes behind a derelict footbridge. Shortly you come out into a field; turn right, following the line of the woods, and, where the field edge bears sharply round to the right, strike out across the field to a stile you can just see on the far side of the field. Follow the path through the wood; in a few minutes you will come out on a metalled track; follow this to the right and go through a gate. There is then a steepish descent down towards a small brook, keeping Fineshade Abbey on your right. On reaching the brook, turn left, keeping this side of it, passing through a sheep pen and along a field; after a couple of hundred yards start to climb in a southerly direction. Once over the brow of the hill you will get a view of Blatherwycke Park Farm; follow the path through a further four fields until you reach it. Walk through Blatherwycke village along the road until it turns sharp right; at this point turn left in a northeasterly direction, passing by the church; the path at this stage is easy to follow.
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KEY DATA
Distance: 6 miles (9.6km) Typical time: 2.5–3 hours OS map: Explorer 234, Landranger 141 Start & finish: Post Office, King’s Cliffe, PE8 6XB Terrain: Easy-going Stiles: About half a dozen Getting there: 5 miles west of Wansford along A47, then 3 miles south along minor road
PIT STOPS
The Cross Keys, King’s Cliffe, PE8 6XA, tel: 01780 470276, crosskeyskingscliffe.uk, a welcoming pub under new management. The Post Office, 1 West Street, PE8 6XB. General store with lots of useful things, including several pamphlets on local walks in the area. 28
RUTLAND & MARKET HARBOROUGH LIVING AUGUST 2018