Another walk

Delightful  5 or 10 mile walk
Chipping Warden - Thorpe Mandeville - Culworth
by Peter Travis

Choose a circular walk of 5 miles or 10 miles to experience part of the MILLENNIUM WAY and the delights of this area of the Northamptonshire countryside. Enjoy undulating country, quaint villages and welcoming village pubs. We commence either walk by following The MILLENNIUM WAY with its distinctive black Millennium Way circular waymarkers.

 

The full figure of eight walk is a little under 10 miles, but takes in three delightful villages and some glorious countryside. The terrain is mostly flat with only a few inclines and easy stiles.  For the shorter walk follow directions to the crossing point at C then skip to H.

During the first half of each walk you will enjoy a delightful section of the Millennium Way the route being clearly marked by the distinctive black waymarkers.

 Facing The Griffin pub in Chipping Warden go right to find parking area. Just opposite, follow the clearly marked Millennium Way footpath sign on the right and cross field diagonally to far left corner stile. Cross stile then continue along with hedge left for approx 100 yards to reach way mark post. Turn right on bridleway to go down middle of field, past lone tree, to find river. Go with river right ignoring bridge right and pass wood to come to gate right.  Take gate and go  right up field to find gate. Take gate and go with woods right to exit by gate. Go ahead with hedge left through first field, continue with hedge left in second field to find mid field stile.  Take stile and go  right down field to cross bridge over stream. Go  right over rise and ahead with poplar trees right to exit by five bar gate. Continue with fence right to find mid fence gate. Take gate and go  right towards series of gates. Ignore gates and take stile to right side of gates to reach lane.

Turn right down lane over stone bridge to T-junction. Go left on road round right hand bend and at left hand bend go straight ahead through hedge gap to field. A roadside information board here provides some useful information on the Battle of Edgcote in 1469.

Go with hedge right to eventually pass a number of dilapidated vehicles. Continue ahead with hedge right following bridleway. Maintain this direction through fields  you will notice hedge changes to left after a time and after  mile look out for a bridleway track coming in from the left (Point C) You will return via this track if taking the full walk

The bridleways cross at this point. For the shorter walk take the hedge gap right and follow directions from  H  below.

To complete the full walk continue ahead with hedge left maintaining the same line and ignoring gaps and vehicle swings.  Continue until no hedge on left at end of fields. Where hedge finishes go through gates ahead over open field, maintain line to go to left of finger of trees to come to corner gate. Take gate over disused railway line and exit by gate, ahead left.

Go up hill to brow and then ahead keeping trees and hedge left to exit field by top left field gate by cattle grid. Turn left on farm track walking away from the farmhouse continuing along rough surfaced track until you reach the crossroads.

Here we leave the Millennium Way to turn left signposted Thorpe Mandeville, down Townsend Lane. When you reach the junction go left to walk past the Three Conies pub and continue down the road past the delightful 13^th century church (St. John the Baptist ) on your left. Stay on this road to head gently downhill into Lower Thorpe eventually to find a footpath right accessed through a farm track ( Lower Farm.)

Go through gate keeping well to the right of stone cow shed, continue up field to waymarked wooden stile. Go over stile and continue ahead with hedge left to go through a five bar gate continuing with hedge left. Go ahead through next field to eventually take hidden gap left just before the corner of field, to walk slowly upwards and continue straight across next field to take path with wood to your right. Maintain line ahead and eventually take waymarked gap ( hidden ) right continuing same line ahead with hedge and wire fence right.  Go past farm buildings on left to take stile to road. Turn right on road into village of Culworth. 

 Thirty yards before T-junction look out for bridleway sign pointing left. Take bridleway now (or you may wish to visit the village or Red Lion pub to return to this point later) to go past Barn Hill and Orchard House. Continue ahead where bridleway narrows to become a rough track. Go ahead past two metal gates keeping stone wall to your right. Descend gently with hedge right to go under metal railway bridge then through gates to a gently rising path in the next field keeping trees right. Stay ahead through field corner gap maintaining same line with hedge and trees right. The footpath ahead emerges from a small gap in corner of field to reveal a beautiful view ahead where we continue our downward path to field edge. At field edge go left for a few pages to find a hedge gap. Go through gap the right with hedge right to find field post with multiple way markers. Here the MILLENNIUM WAY crosses our return route. Turn left going gentle uphill with hedge right.

Keep to right edge of field with hedge right eventually descending to find waymarker at field corner, then cross stream through narrow gap into next field. Follow waymarker across next field towards trees. Continue on a rising path with hedge and wood left. When you reach farm buildings turn right to pass in front of farm and continue downhill on paved track eventually passing small pond on left. Follow track until sharp bend right, just past dilapidated barn. At this point leave track and maintain line straight ahead across field. Go across plastic fenced gallop (watch out for racehorses) into next field to maintain same line. Exit field by gap to lane. Cross lane and go left down bridleway. Through gap to left of metal gate and continue towards the village of Chipping Warden which lies ahead. Cross bridge over stream and continue on track through trees to reach surfaced lane. Take lane rising gently upwards passing the ancient church of St Peter and St Paul before reaching the centre of the village. Turn right down Culworth Road which brings you back to The Griffin for some well earned refreshment.

All the paths, bridleways and roads we have used in these instructions are public rights of way as designated on Ordnance Survey maps. Following the instructions and walking tips on this web site in no way constitutes any liability on 41 Club that such routes or tips are safe or suitable.