By Nick
The plan was to set off after breakfast, but, by the time we were ready - what to pack, what to wear - it was half past noon.
The Macmillan Way crosses our road about a quarter of a mile from our house, and the first section of our walk today - the four, often muddy miles to Maidwell; a route we've followed before - takes us to a point where the Macmillan Way joins a dismantled railway path at an old cast iron footbridge that once provided safe passage across the busy track. At this point last time, we turned south along the track bed to return home. Today, though, we turned north to begin the six mile section of the well graded foot and cycle path - the Brampton Valley Way - that would take us all the way into Market Harborough.
We had a lovely bright, dry day for it, with a bit of a breeze to keep us from getting too hot. The fine weather after so much rain had encouraged many other walkers and cyclists to venture out too.
Just past the foot bridge, where a minor road crosses the path, there's a small car park and picnic area. We stopped here for quick snack before pressing on towards the first of two tunnels along the route. This one, Kelmarsh Tunnel, is 480 metres long and pitch black apart from under a single ventilation shaft. We'd not brought torches with us and were glad the tunnel was no longer and dead straight, so all we had to do was walk towards the light at the end of the tunnel.
About a half mile on from the far end of the tunnel, is another picnic spot, where we had our sandwiches by a sign post indicating we still had over four miles to go, so we didn't take long over them before setting off again. Shortly after, we were passed, for the first time, by a small group of trial bikers making a terrible racket zooming along a path meant only for walkers and cyclists. They passed us again - this time in the opposite direction - a few minutes later, and then a third time shortly after that. I wish there was something one could do about such villains of the peace (pun intended).
The second tunnel, a little shorter than the first, but equally dark, is close to Great Oxendon. However before we could go in we had to wait for the bikers to pass through. They certainly make a racket in such a confined space, and the fumes!
The Macmillan Way parts company with the Brampton Valley Way on the north side of the second tunnel and heads north-east back towards its starting point in Boston, Lincs. Its finish is either Abbotsbury or Barnstaple depending on the route you choose. One day, perhaps.
The rest of our walk - about two more miles or so - passed uneventfully, except that my leg started to ache, having pulled a muscle when I stumbled in the second tunnel. Soon, though, we were walking through the outskirts of Market Harborough, and soon after that we were back at Juli's car in the car park where we'd left it before driving back home in mine four and a bit hours earlier.
Our reward for completing our first practice walk was a hot drink and a cake in Waitrose's cafe. But, before we could head for home, we had one more walk to complete: back across the car park and once around Sainsbury to do the weekly shop. By the time we came out, it was dark and we were glad to be making the return journey by car.
The plan was to set off after breakfast, but, by the time we were ready - what to pack, what to wear - it was half past noon.
The Macmillan Way crosses our road about a quarter of a mile from our house, and the first section of our walk today - the four, often muddy miles to Maidwell; a route we've followed before - takes us to a point where the Macmillan Way joins a dismantled railway path at an old cast iron footbridge that once provided safe passage across the busy track. At this point last time, we turned south along the track bed to return home. Today, though, we turned north to begin the six mile section of the well graded foot and cycle path - the Brampton Valley Way - that would take us all the way into Market Harborough.
We had a lovely bright, dry day for it, with a bit of a breeze to keep us from getting too hot. The fine weather after so much rain had encouraged many other walkers and cyclists to venture out too.
Just past the foot bridge, where a minor road crosses the path, there's a small car park and picnic area. We stopped here for quick snack before pressing on towards the first of two tunnels along the route. This one, Kelmarsh Tunnel, is 480 metres long and pitch black apart from under a single ventilation shaft. We'd not brought torches with us and were glad the tunnel was no longer and dead straight, so all we had to do was walk towards the light at the end of the tunnel.
About a half mile on from the far end of the tunnel, is another picnic spot, where we had our sandwiches by a sign post indicating we still had over four miles to go, so we didn't take long over them before setting off again. Shortly after, we were passed, for the first time, by a small group of trial bikers making a terrible racket zooming along a path meant only for walkers and cyclists. They passed us again - this time in the opposite direction - a few minutes later, and then a third time shortly after that. I wish there was something one could do about such villains of the peace (pun intended).
The second tunnel, a little shorter than the first, but equally dark, is close to Great Oxendon. However before we could go in we had to wait for the bikers to pass through. They certainly make a racket in such a confined space, and the fumes!
The Macmillan Way parts company with the Brampton Valley Way on the north side of the second tunnel and heads north-east back towards its starting point in Boston, Lincs. Its finish is either Abbotsbury or Barnstaple depending on the route you choose. One day, perhaps.
The rest of our walk - about two more miles or so - passed uneventfully, except that my leg started to ache, having pulled a muscle when I stumbled in the second tunnel. Soon, though, we were walking through the outskirts of Market Harborough, and soon after that we were back at Juli's car in the car park where we'd left it before driving back home in mine four and a bit hours earlier.
Our reward for completing our first practice walk was a hot drink and a cake in Waitrose's cafe. But, before we could head for home, we had one more walk to complete: back across the car park and once around Sainsbury to do the weekly shop. By the time we came out, it was dark and we were glad to be making the return journey by car.
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