Leighton Bromswold & Old Weston
Introduction:
The walk starts and ends at the Swan, Old Weston, but allows for an optional break at the Green Man, Leighton Bromswold.
Old Weston and Leighton Bromswold both lie to the north of the busy A14 trunk road. Old Weston has a history that dates back to the 13th century, and the 14th century church has some notable wall paintings. Leighton Bromswold is noted for a moated 15th century gatehouse (the only part ever built of a great mansion designed by John Thorpe for the Duke of Lennox), and very fine church, of striking early English design, rebuilt in 1634 when the tower was added.
Distance: 7.5 km (4.7 miles). The walk takes ~2 hours 30 mins, at a leisurely pace, excluding the time for a break at the Green Man.
How to get there: From the A14 going from Huntingdon towards Kettering, take the B660 turnoff, cross back over the A14 going north and the Swan is in the centre of the village of Old Weston and couple of kms away.
Parking: The Swan has a car park in front of the pub.
This walk starts by following a ridge, with fine views, heads across a shallow valley to Leighton Bromswold, continues along another ridge with more fine views, returning to Old Weston.
Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.
The Walk:
From the Swan, walk up the slope, past the phone box, and after 20m, turn right following the marked public footpath. This narrow cutting between houses can get quite overgrown, but after ~100m you reach the edge of a field, cross a stile and continue in the same direction across the field.
Your are heading for the left of a thicket on the skyline. Already you will see your first destination, Leighton Bromswold church, to your right across the shallow valley. As you pass the thicket on your right, continue on a path between two fields, heading towards the left of a farm in the distance. When you are adjacent to the large black barn, turn right onto an unmarked path that passed alongside the left of the barn. Pause at this point to enjoy the excellent views at this highpoint. As you pass, note North Lodeg Farm, an attractive Georgian style brick building. Continue on the rough track down th slope. As you approach the tree and bush lined brook, branch towards the left, directly towards Leighton Bromswold church and a bridge across the brook - the path is poorly marked, so use line of sight.
Crossing the bridge, continue up the slope, pass the white signpost, and continue to "Leighton" initially by continuing on the line of the church, and at the edge of the field turn half right, and follow the hedge up the slope. At the top of the slope a white painted tree and sign will confirm you are still on the right track - turn left along a track following the field edge, and after 20m a stile and sign post points you right to the "Green Man Pub". Across another stile beside a metal gate, and a green driveway leads to the road and the Green Man.
Leaving the Green Man, turn left along the road, and after the last house in the village on the left, take the public footpath. Your heading is the steeple of Brington Church on the horizon. Crossing brow of the ridge, descend a gentle slope to a field boundary nd white signpost. Your route now takes a left, along the field edge.
At this point the OS map suggests the footpath crossing the towards the trees, but at the time of researching this walk, the path was obscured by crops, so I would suggest keeping to the left hand edge of the field. Turn right at the field edge, down the slope, up the other side and alongside the tree lined field edge.
When you reach a farm track at the next field edge, turn right onto the track going up the slope. At this point you are deviating from the footpath on the OS map, following a proposed new footpath. Where the track branches to the left to Fox Holes Farm, continue straight. At the end of the track, turn left along a metalled lane. After 20m where the metalled lane branches to the left, continue straight along a grassy track. After another 20m, take the signposted path through the hedge line, and cross the field. At the edge of the field, turn left onto the road between Leighton bromswold and Old Weston. Continue past some cottages on your left, and at the junction turn right, walking through the village back to the Swan.
The Pubs: