Two days of intense heat, the sort not experienced in years, is not that useful for me getting active whilst on my jollies, so not get much gets done aside from an early morning start for three hours of shed painting, so the hope comes that my batteries will feel recharged when the temperature drops and the need to walk comes on. Thursday has a 4 degree drop from the previous days' highs, so it has to be the time to get some miles under my feet, as it's been 12 days since my last serious burn, and it's good to keep things relatively local whilst in Leicestershire, adding a few new places to my wandering field and establishing a new boundary to the land of Car Treks and youthful travels. A 9.30 start then for a projected 5 hour trek to the north-east, starting out from Abbots Road URC and heading up to the ring road to detour into Monk's Rest Gardens, one of the three local parks of my youth, the others seen in March, taking the route between tennis courts and bowling green to the wooded shade beneath the Cedars and Beeches on the lawn of the Italianate vicarage. Arrive in Humberstone village at the lych-gate of St Marys, and head east on Main Street to take in the Medieval Mud walls preserved on the north edge of the churchyard, and the imposing red brick house in the old folks flats that I always assumed was 18th century but is actually a 1970s reproduction, before passing my old schools once more but this time continuing east once we reach the top of Keyham Close. Across the Ring Road again, and the ongoing road will always be Keyham Lane to me, bordering the outer edge of the city regardless of a name change to Elms Farm Cottages in it early going and the Hamilton Estate having grown over the last 20(!) years to its north, and largely hidden from view anyway, with the correct name returning with its West addition as it passes on above the Nether Hall estate.
I may wax lyrical about council houses in many quarters but this isn't one of the aesthetically pleasing ones, for to much ugly rendering and yellow brick for my tastes, but it leads on to Hamilton Lane, where the missing portion of Keyham Lane can be found as the reinstatement of a right of way can take us over the Scraptoft Golf Course, and for two thirds of its length we have a shaded dirt track that must be as medieval feeling as a lane can get, though I've no idea how it managed to pass out of use during the 20th century. Back on metalled roads as we enter the county and countryside, regaining Keyham Lane (East) as we set course for our first village, and it would be easy to follow the lane all the way to Keyham, but waling demands more interesting routes, and taking a wander through the Natural Burial Ground that has developed midway along, good for all those who wish a specific resting place on non-denominational and unconsecrated ground. The ROW passes right through it and over the stream of Ingarsby Hollow before failing to show a clear path over the large rising field beyond, so the boundary has to be hugged for a stretch before finding the way through the trees and across the rough pasture above Keyham's Nether Hall, the path eventually dropping out onto Snows Lane. The views on Main Street have already been seen and recounted last summer, but the early morning sunshine gives a healthier glow to All Saints church, and that's good reason to come this way again, and as the next village on the path is Hungarton, it makes sense to follow last year's route back that way, as all the alternatives feel like forcing it. So down Hungarton Lane, past the churchyard annexe and Keyham Bridge, and onto the field path that has inviting views of the oncoming village and the distant Coplow Hill, arriving on Cobaulk Road and retracing steps up Main Street through the peculiar mix of house to meet the Church of St John the Baptist. It must be noted that such a prominent church, with its tall and ornate spire, is really difficult to photograph up close, and once the bridleway onto the Quenby hall estate is joined, a keen eye is needed to know when to look back for the best view. The proud Jacobean hall soon appears off to the south, surrounded by is ridged fields of pasture, whilst our path continues generally eastwards, through fields of beans, losing all sense of location with only Inkerman Lodge farm sitting obviously on the horizon, but arriving on the minor lane that leads us to Park Road gives us a sense of place once again.
Pass the southern lodge house and set course on a northward swing onto Lowesby Park, giving us some fine parkland views, as well as the sight of horses being taken out for a gallop, with two riders each leading a pair of animals, and at the lowest point of the lane we meet the Lost Villages trail again, looking out to Lowesby Hall, before the lane rises away to the north edge of the park, and every tree has many sheep resting below it, as the recent summer heat starts to come on once again. Cresting over the top at Melton Road gives us a field walk to the next village, skirting the boundaries on the way past Highfield farm, and interest focuses to the north east, towards John O'Gaunt viaduct and the rising mass of Burrough Hill, showing a much more dynamic profile from here than it did when I walked over it. My next target hides down in the landscape wrinkles that suggest we have wandered into the catchment of the Wreake, but a lunch break needs to be taken when a clear field corner is located, away from the ripe rapeseed bushes, before we descend through the fields of sheep to meet the next village on my trajectory, Twyford, which seems to be a much more significant on road signs than it is in reality, indeed I always though it was bigger than it was. Half of it, especially down King Street is expensive commuter belt, whilst the centre along Main Street still has a lot or Rustic character, its old village industrial buildings still in situ by the pub and across from the county school and church of St Andrew, and the village shop looking like it hasn't done much business since the 1930s. Away we travel, on the footpath off Church Lane, over Gaddesby Brook and up the other side of the valley to meet the B6047 on the top edge of the village, giving us a verge to follow up to the large embankment, and missing bridge, of the former GNR&LNWR Joint line that once wandered its way across East Leicestershire between Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire from 1879 to 1962.
Join the field walk to our next village, as the verge vanishes and the corners get tenuous on the main road, instead startling sheep on the way up to the Gated Road (is it the one of Car Trek infamy, though?), and that provides the easiest way into Thorp Satchville, which seems to be made up largely of Victorian Townhouses and extensive stables, which wasn't at all what I was expecting. Despite the size of the houses, it isn't a very big place, but shows up the idea of townies retreating to the country is an older idea than you might have thought, but it's the last village in these parts to check off the list, and future trips into Car Trek territory will have to send me to the south and east, and to the Wreake Valley, which should become more visible as we head north. Paths head cross the fields of Thorpe Satchville Hall, hidden from view by trees, but the lawn is impressive, as we take in the large watering hole and thankfully avoid the cows, and a field walk could be expected across the grounds of Hall farm, but a track wanders into a small wood that has appeaser since my map was printed to provide some more shady going before more cows have to be challenged to find the way onto Klondyke Lane. The best way forward can't be spotted, heading cross country, so we stick to the lanes, over the bridge of the old railway, and a trackbed explore would take me to the finish line, but it's a bit late in the day for unplanned trespass, so stick to the quiet lane, past Thorpe Trussels wood and gaining the predicted view over the Wreake valley as we go, looking to Melton Mowbray and the distant transmitter at Waltham on the Wolds. Join Station Road for the last stretch to Great Dalby, past Vine farm and getting another good look to Burrough Hill, whilst keeping the wits alert to meet the old railway line again, passing under the railway bridge as my Parental Taxi passes. 10 minutes to the finish line then, passing the suburbia still growing on the edge of the village, and to take in the path through St Swithun's churchyard to roll up at The Royal Oak, where My Mum is organising Dad is taking in some exercise, for 2.50pm finish, and that time off the trail certainly has me feeling the need for some stretching too.
5,000 Miles Cumulative Total: 2353.6 miles
2016 Total: 339.2 miles
Up Country Total: 2138.1 miles
Solo Total: 2122.7 miles
 |
| Humberstone Manor (or not), a 1970s reconstruction of an older building on the same site, which makes you wonder why they didn't make a greater effort with the other old folks homes. |
 |
| Keyham Lane West, still the boundary of the city in my mind, despite 20 years of development of the Hamilton estate, where the Nether Hall estate looks out into the fields of the county. |
 |
| The missing section of Keyham Lane, actually a well-preserved example of what the pre-metalled country roads would have looked like, maybe the Golf club has done us a favour by isolating it? |
 |
| All Saints Keyham, you find me a Leicestershire country church that isn't a happy blending of golden Ironstone and grey Ashlar! |
 |
| Main Street Hungarton, with the prominent and exceptionally well concealed church of St John the Baptist. |
 |
| Crossing the Quenby Hall estate, with Inkerman Lodge as the only distinctive feature in the landscape. |
 |
| Lowesby Park, full of many sheep enjoying the shade, and horses out for a run, and a good way to enjoy private parkland for the rest of us. |
 |
| The major constructed interest points of High Leicestershire, Burrough Hill on the left, John O' Gaunt viaduct on the right. |
 |
| St Andrew's Twyford, where old and new mix together in strange harmony. |
 |
| The B6047 and the missing bridge of the GNR&LNWR joint line. |
 |
| The Paddocks, Thorpe Satchville, where bold and upscale Victorian living seems to have landed deep in the county. |
 |
| Klondyke Lane, and the railway bridge, because I'm going to seek out the relics, aren't I? |
 |
| Station Road bridge, Great Dalby. It is sometimes amazing that out of the way features of even more out of the way railways have continued to endure in our landscape. |
 |
| St Swithun's Great Dalby, and every church on this trail has been a good one! |
Next Up: A route between two Railway stations previously unseen.
No comments:
Post a Comment