Distance 6.5 miles

Description Clockwise

Starting from St Mary’s and All Saint’s Church, you cross the Main Street to take another village path that leads into Poplars Lane.   Turn left and then right at the tee junction when this road joins the Walgrave Road.

After a short distance, turn right to join a footpath, the stile is situated to the left of an imposing gateway, with pillar mounted eagles.

Turn left immediately, avoiding the scattered steam engine and farm equipment.       Continue in a easterly direction, initially with a stream and woodland on your left.    After crossing one bridge, and at the end of the woodland,  the route enters pasture land and the path bears left with the stream still on your left.     Below Rectory Farm, now derelict, a bridle way crosses the path, continue straight ahead to cross two bridges over streams

Now the stream is on your right, continue easterly  soon to leave the pleasant pasture land.     Continue over three fields crossing the hedge lines by concrete stiles.       The path now joins a crossing bridle way from Hannington, turn right to emerge on a short section of carriage way of the A43, Northampton to Kettering Road.

Cross the A43 into the lay-by, turn left and then right to join a bridle way leading across pasture land to the edge of Hardwick Wood.    Turn right again, away from the woodland and towards a farm gate, but turn right inside the field, keeping the woodland on your left..

At the end of the woodland, turn left through a metal farm gate and continue ahead with Sywell Wood on your right until you arrive at Wood Lodge Farm, the path follows the perimeter of the farm to emerge on the Sywell Road.

Turn left, the route now continues along the road.      At the first road junction, turn right into Glebe Road, and at the edge of Mears Ashby turn left into North Street and then right into Manor Road.

The route takes you through the centre of this delightful village which has a number of interesting buildings, and one public house.

After passing the Manor House, turn left down a village path which leads to All Saint’s Church.       Follow the route through the Churchyard to exit at the southern gate into Lady’s Lane.   Continue straight ahead then turn right into Wilby Road.    Follow this road to pass in front of Mears Ashby Hall and then turn left onto a footpath, bearing right towards the Earls Barton road.    When the path joins the road, follow this for a short distance before rejoining the path on your right.

This path gives you a good view, on a good day, of the lake at Sywell Country Park.

The path emerges in a small lane just above the entrance to the Park.

The facilities include, refreshments, toilets and car-parking

Description Anticlockwise

The path is interrupted by the Mears Ashby road, continue in the same direction but look back over the lakes of Sywell Country Park. The path emerges by the wall of the imposing Mears Ashby Hall. 

Turn right at the road and then first left into Lady's Lane. Continue straight ahead and then enter the Church yard. Take the path to the west of the tower down steps to the small stream that runs through the village. Turn right into Manor Road, left at the end and then right into Glebe Road. Continue on this road until you reach a 'T' junction, turn left and then right at the entrance to Wood Lodge Farm. 

Take the footpath to the right, around the perimeter of the farm keeping the hedge on your left. The path then keeps to right hand side of Sywell Wood. After passing through a metal gate the path turns right and just before reaching the perimeter of Hardwick Wood ahead turns west again diagonally across grass land to emerge at a lay-by on the A43 Kettering Road. 

Turn left down the lay by and then right through the hedge line to emerge on the A 43. This is a busy road so cross with care. Join the bridle way on the northern. side of the A43 and after a short distance turn left on footpath, crossing three fields and concrete stiles to emerge into pleasant grass land with a stream meandering on your left at first then crossed on two bridges. Continue in the same direction now keeping the stream on your right and on the same contour.

Gain access to the Walgrave road at Holcot through an imposing gateway with pillar mounted eagles. You have now arrived at Holcot.