Northampton Area

Map: OS Explorer™ 207; 223

Northampton
The county town of Northampton lies on the River Nene and is traditionally associated with the shoe industry, although today it's economy is more broadly based. The city still has an industrial feel, but there are a number of surrounding villages with a pleasant aspect of undulating farmland to explore. There are interesting waterside walks along the Nene, where several examples of the watermills which provided power for early industrialisation can be seen, and also along the canal system.
Harlestone Heath, part of the Althorp estate, is a very popular location for walking and a circular route from here to include Church Brampton and Harlestone provides a pleasant 7 mile walk; of course you could just meander around the Heath. Other villages and their environs well worth exploring are Blisworth, Roade, Piddington, Cogenhoe, Great Houghton and Earls Barton where the parish church has a famous Saxon tower.

Harpole, Upton Mill and Kislingbury

1. Walk out of Harpole towards the A45 (Northampton Road), take the footpath signed left between houses; go over the stile and down the right hand side of the left hand field. Cross the stiles and the footbridge and follow the right hand field edge to the road. Turn left along the road to the footpath sign on the right.
2. Turn right through the gate and cross the field, which may be under cultivation although the path should be well marked at a slight diagonal to the right. At the corner bear left along the right hand field edge, keep direction with the hedges to the right and the hospital on the left, to a wide metal gate and marker disc.
3. Turn right through a wooden gate and down the left hand field edge to the A45. Turn left, cross the road at the gap and continue ahead along Upton Lane. Go down to the bottom, bear right through the right hand gate and carry on past the front of the Upton Mill (first watermill). Bear left through a gate and across the iron railed bridge.
4. Bear right almost immediately and walk between the fence and the river (the lake is on the left). Continue through a gate and along Camp Lane into Kislingbury; go straight over two junctions and turn right into Church Lane. Bear left at the 'Sun' into Mill Lane; walk past the mill (second watermill) and carry straight on into Willow View. Keep direction out of the village, through the kissing gate, along the field edge (wire fence to the left) and through another kissing gate to the M1.
5. Turn right, go through a gateway and bear right over the iron railed bridge and stile. Maintain direction over two stiles at the site of Harpole Mill (third watermill); continue over the stile/footbridge in the corner ahead and another footbridge. Keep direction, over a field which may be under cultivation, to the A45.
6. cross this busy road carefully, take a right hand diagonal on a path which should be well marked through the first field. Keep direction across the next field and the ridges and furrows of the final field; go through the kissing gate and down the village street into Harpole and your vehicle.
Factfile: Starting Grid reference: SP 690607. Distance 6.75 miles. Estimated time 3.25 hours. Park in Harpole, off the A45 east of Northampton. There are no toilets, but two local pubs - the 'Bull' in Harpole village and the 'Turnpike' on the junction with the A45. This walk is taken from the guidebook 'Walking Close to Northampton'.

Rothersthorpe
This historic village lies 2 miles south-west of Northampton close to the Grand Union canal. In the 9th century the village was the focus of a major battle between the Saxons, led by Edward the Elder, and the Danes, in which Edward triumphed claiming much of the land of present day Northamptonshire. The village has much else of historic interest related to the canal building age and there is an interesting walk described in the guidebook 'Village Walks in Northamptonshire' which includes the canal and Danefield, site of the battle.

Piddington
This quiet backwater village lies 4 miles south-east of Northampton. The village and surrounding countryside make for pleasant walking and 3 miles south is Salcey Forest, a large woodland area managed by the Forestry Commission which has nature trails. A route known as 'The Old Deer Park Trail' is included in the guidebook 'Village Walks in Northamptonshire' which also passes the excavations of a Roman Villa and visits Preston Wood.