Homeward Bound

Posted bynickletjogPosted inDiary

LETJOG E2W – Day 9: Monday 22 April – RUSHDEN to NORTHAMPTON (16.0 miles)

Crossing the River Nene (with a swan for company)

I have three rest days planned in this LETJOG E2W walk, and the first of these is tomorrow. When putting my plans together it seemed logical, and attractive, on reaching the Northampton rail line to head back home south for just a couple of nights and a day’s rest and recuperation, and to catch up with Rachel. Hence I am writing this post from home this evening, well fed and in dressed in some proper (non-walking) clothes, following a rather wet day on the trail in the fields of Northamptonshire, and a delayed rail trip home.

On leaving Rushden my path very soon crossed the River Nene, whereupon I picked up the Nene Way upstream and along the north bank of the river for several super miles of walking, before a road section passing through the villages of Great Doddington and Earls Barton . . .
. . . then on footpaths over the fields and past the village of Ecton to the outskirts of Northampton, and concluding with an interesting urban walk to the town centre

Having left behind the broadland, breckland and fenland of East Anglia and Cambridgeshire, my first mile today saw me across the River Nene and onto Stage 2 of my LETJOG E2W challenge; the Midlands. Despite continuous rain there were some wonderful highlights: five fabulous miles along the riverbank following the Nene Way, and then some fine footpaths over rich pastureland that included a number of short climbs, and finishing with an interesting transit of the eastern suburbs and parkland of Northampton town.

Crossing the Nene . . .
. . . and a search for the Nene Way footpath through this works site
An overgrown section of the Way . . .
. . . and the railway bridge over the river
In Wellingborough the original Whitworth’s flour mill was built in 1886, on this riverside location that provided the transport for coal in and flour out
Lockgates further upstream . . .
. . . and in the distance one of the chain of lakes that sit in flooded pits along the river, following decades of sand and gravel extraction
Arriving in Great Doddington village, my first sighting on this journey of the ironstone buildings characteristic of this region
The path down from Earls Barton, through a cow field . . .
. . . that I traversed just in time, as the herd pursued me to the far gate!
The rolling path out of Ecton over the pastures
Ecton Brook Pond, in the outskirts of Northampton . . .
. . . and the church at Great Billing
The lake in Abington Park . . .
. . . and All Saints Church in the town centre

Today has been the wettest day so far of my LETJOG E2W walk – just over six hours on the trail without a break – but at least the rain was light, and the wind of the last week had at long last abated. Needless to say, after my train journey home, my first stop was a warm shower, whilst Rachel kindly placed all of my kit into the washing machine! It is good to be home for a couple of nights!

Sheep at Ecton Hall

I have chosen another Paul Simon song title as my Blog heading today. ‘Homeward Bound’ was written by Simon on a platform at Widnes Station, where there remains a plaque to this effect. The song itself was recorded by Simon & Garfunkel in late 1965 and released in January 1966, and it became one of the duo’s best-known numbers.

A veritable bevy of swans on the river in Wellingborough

2 thoughts on “Homeward Bound”

  1. Wow, Nick you deserve a rest! What a lot I’ve learnt from your beautiful photos and maps, I thought I was good at Geography! Not so, I’ve Really found your mays helpful. Keep safe on your onward journey! Liz >

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