This is an area I haven’t visited before and I found countryside lovely. Five of us went on this walk; we were expecting Storm Hannah to join us but she only put in an appearance for a bit of a blow in the early afternoon!

 

Anne’s route took us on the Jurassic Way through Wakerley Great Wood to Fineshade Abbey and Fineshade Wood to picturesque Duddington. We crossed the River Welland into Rutland where the Jurassic Way is joined by The Rutland Round.  We went along the Welland valley to Tixover and a lunch stop at Barrowden. In this lovely village some of us ate our lunch in the sheltered bus stop then went to the pub, whilst  others visited  the church.

 

After lunch we carried on along the Welland valley, re-crossing the river back into Northamptonshire, to Shotley. An uphill stretch took us to a permissive path at the top with fine views over the valley and the railway viaduct west of Harrington. Back into the woods with bluebells and birdsong through to Laxton Hall with a final stretch of Jurassic Way back to the start.

 

A fabulous day, we were so lucky with the weather;  we wondered if the forecast had put people off coming but they missed a treat!
Thanks Anne for the opportunity to discover new places.