Kneesworth to Foxton, Fowlmere and Return
Cambridgeshire
Distance 45km Climb 125m
Saturday 25 September 2021
Today I was starting my wandering from Kneesworth, I had a rough idea which direction I would be heading but I was just waiting to see where I would end up.
I left my accommodation and headed for Kneesworth cum Bassingbourn. The weather forecast said it would be warm and cloudy no rain, perfect conditions for a walk.
Walking into Kneesworth along Old North Road I passed this old house which always looks interesting, and the concrete post.
A little way along the road there were signs for Charlie's Gift which I have just found out is a local charity to help children.
After a few meters I turned left onto Chestnut Lane. I was heading for this footpath which is a just passed the houses on the left of Chestnut Lane, on The Harcamlow Way.
The last time I had walked along here I was walking in the opposite direction to Arkesden in May 2021.
Today the field on my right had been harvested. At the top of the field I passed around a gate and continued northwards.
After a few hundred meters I reached this area of water. This now has a new fence around it since I was last here. The water is a lovely colour, but I think it must be contaminated as there are no duck or water plants living on it.
A few meters along the eastern edge there is a lovely looking apple tree, full of fruit, behind the new fence. The footpath I am following although there are no signs turns north easterly and comes out onto Bridge Street Whaddon. I saw blackberry bushes full of fruit, in fact I passed many on my walk today.
I turned left still on The Harcamlow Way and followed Bridge Street as it twists left then right. In front of Ermine Farm a footpath sign points to my right towards Fountain Farm.
Following this footpath through Fountain Farm I was heading east then north easterly. The footpath follows the right hand side of a ditch before crossing a footbridge to follow on the left hand side of the ditch.
After a few hundred meters the path turns more northerly and I saw a flash of white far to my right. I tried to take a photo, this is what came out, a photo of an egret.
At the top of the field there were some houses behind a high hedge to my right, as the footpath moves into another field. Across this field I could see the gate I was heading for.
Through the gate, I was on Church Street, Whaddon. A part I had not walked on previously. I turned left and after a few hundred meters reached the footpath to Orwell, I had walked here last week. On that walk I approached this corner from my left.
After a few hundred meters the footpath turns right off the track and heads north east, with a ditch on my right. The first time I walked along here, I was walking to the American Cemetery in November 2020.
Today I saw these slugs curled around a stone and thought it made an interesting photo.
Nothing had changed much since my walk last week to the Obelisk. I continued along the footpath north east. Walking the path across the ploughed field. I was intrigued by an area of footpath where the grasses were a reddy colour. Sloe berry bushes lined the hedges.
At the end of the hedge the footpath crosses an open field to drop down into a small wood. This had been ploughed since last week. Fortunately the farmer had marked the footpath by driving his tractor across the field making it easier to walk.
Reaching the small wood the path weaves amongst the trees to King’s Bridge.
Walking over King’s Bridge I was crossing the River Cam or Rhee. Once over the bridge there is only one way to go, on a footpath heading north. A high fence ran along the right-hand side of the track. In the field on my left a number of mean looking rams stood looking at me threateningly along with a young bull. Fortunately they were behind a fence.
Last week at the top of the path, two lads were busy erecting fence posts around the edge of the field to my left. Nothing had changed, the fence posts were still in place with no fencing.
Across the farm track the footpath follows to the right of a ditch, after a few hundred meters it follows the edge of the field turning to the right. Last week the field was full of what looked like swede. Today it had been harvested and was bare. The rose hip tree was still growing across the path. A few more meters and the footpath turns left through a gap in the hedge.
Walking north along the edge of the field until I reached a footpath junction. I had intended to turn right as I had last week but at the last minute I decided to continue along the footpath heading north straight up the hill heading towards Orwell.
At the top of the hill it was sad to see that someone had burnt the tree since I was last here.
From the burnt tree the path drops slightly to a footpath junction, where I turned right, north east and followed the path down the hill into Orwell onto Leaden Hill. On my first walk along here a new house was being built and the road was a dirt track. Now that the house has been completed there is a new shingle stone road for a good few meters. Not particularly easy walking.
I had last walked along here with my friend Billy in April 2021. Leaden Hill becomes Town Green Road, there are some interesting houses in Orwell.
I continued up the hill passed Orwell Methodist Church.
At the top of Town Green Road is the Church of St Andrews.
I turned right onto High Street and passed the Mulberry Tree. Originally thought to have been planted by order from King James I to promote a silk industry. It was found during a survey to have been planted around 1571 during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I. It is also a black mulberry tree no good for silk as the silkworms feed only on white mulberry tree leaves.
I had walked along here, in the opposite direction on part of the Greenwich Meridian Trail north to Hardwick (GMT) in March 2021. I cannot remember seeing this tree.
There are a lot of interesting houses in Orwell. Continuing with my walk, at the end of High Street I turned right, south down Malton Road.
I walked a few meters passed the Orwell Village signs to turn left onto the footpath I had walked last week.
I was walking almost eastwards, a few hundred meters further on and the footpath turns south east. I was soon walking by the edge of a large square wood.
At the southern corner of the wood, I followed the footpath sign over a narrow footbridge.
Crossing the footbridge I was walking inside the southern edge of the wood. I was heading eastwards again.
After a few hundred meters the footpath opens up and follows by the edge of the field towards an old derelict barn and a house on the Orwell Road.
On the Orwell Road, today I turned right and headed towards Barrington, stepping off the road onto the verge each time a car approached. It is surprising how close some cars get to you when you are walking a country road.
Reaching Barrington I followed the road round to the left. Large apples lay rotting on the path and road. They gave off a lovely smell. As I turned the corner I could see The Royal Oak. I was now on West Green. I have since found it is The Royal Oak website that claims The Green is the longest village green in Europe.
Just before West Green becomes High Street I sat on a bench looking across at what looks like a village cricket pavilion and had a snack and a short rest.
After my break I passed the house with a blue plaque to Dr Elsie May Widdowson. Then passed the Village shop.
After a few meters I crossed the road to take this photo of the footpath sign directing me to Shepreth and Foxton. This led me down Boot Lane.
After a few meters it looks like the footpath heads onto a private drive but a local sign points out the footpath is to the right.
Through the gate the footpath runs beside a high fence for a few meters before running between two high fences, heading south east. At the bottom of the path is a footbridge.
This took me back over the River Cam or Rhee. After a few more meters there is another footbridge.
On the far side there was a ploughed field and this is where I became a little confused. Should I turn right or left? My map, or should I say the way I read my map it shows the footpath I was after, cutting straight across the field. However there was no footpath signs. Looking left I could see someone crossing the field way over to my left. So I thought I would have a look.
Following the edge of the field I passed the corner and walked on a few meters. Checking my map again and still not certain I returned to the corner. I could see ground sign where I saw the person and other people had walked across the field and as I approached the first telegraph pole I saw the footpath marker.
On the far side of the field I was confused again when I came across a couple of GMT signs pointing right and left.
This is not the GMT route I checked out on the LDWA website, when I walked part of the GMT route. Anyway I turned right and walked a few meters along the side of a ditch. Then turned around and walked the other way back along the ditch, then turned and returned back to the footpath sign. Cutting the story short I should have turned left, south westerly. I should add there was a lovely smell coming from the bushes in this area.
Along the ditch there were a number of clumps of bushes with small white flowers on them. I asked my friend Tony and he says they are ivy. He also said ivy is the last food available for bees at this time of year. This fits with what I saw as the bees appeared to like the bushes.
After a few meters I spotted these two characters in the field to my right across the ditch. One looks like an egret and the other a vulture. Perhaps it had escaped from the Wildlife Park which was just down the path.
On another photo it looks like a type of grey heron.
A few more meters and as I was approaching a footpath level crossing. I could see the back of the Shepreth Wildlife Park over the railway line. This is the first footpath level crossing I have seen with lights for the walkers. It was good because the trains were so fast and frequent.
Over the crossing I saw another GMT sign. I was on Angle Lane and I was walking beside the Shepreth Wildlife Park.
After a few meters I spotted a footpath sign directing me to Foxton down an un-named road.
Turning left I was heading east, passed a few houses. After a few meters the footpath took me through a kissing gate.
After a few more meters I was directed through another gate on the left hand side of the track.
The footpath twisted eastwards. My map shows there are Roman buildings in the fields to my left but I could not see anything. Continuing east I was soon starting to walk by a high fence on my right very quickly followed by a high fence to my left. Through the fence on my right I could see a large area of water. Just before I crossed a footbridge, I could see water lilies and a moorhen on the water. It looked like someone's private lake.
Continuing along the footpath beneath the trees, after a few meters there was another footbridge. On the other side, the path turns right before it opens up, leaving the trees behind and the path rose up to the road, I was on the busy A10 Royston Road.
I crossed the road and turned right onto Shepreth Road, following the sign towards Foxton. Although a narrow road, cars were speeding around the tight bend despite the road warning signs. Even standing up on the verge off the road, cars came very dangerously close to me.
After the tight bend the road straightens out heading into Foxton. Shepreth Road becomes High Street. What an interesting village with it's old road signs.
Interesting thatched houses including a pig, I think.
Beside The Green I had a short sit to check my map.
After checking my map I decided to continue along High Street. I passed the turning down Caxton Lane I would come back to this after a look further into the village.
I took photos of the interesting building The Lodge, Dovecot Meadow, also the War Memorial, across from the Village Sign.
The Village pub, The White Horse.
Then St Laurence, Foxton Parish Church. A crowd of people were standing on High Street watching people arriving for a wedding. I cannot find any information on who was getting married but for a crowd to be watching it they must have been a celebrity.
I sat for a bit but didn't see the bride or groom. Setting off again I returned back along High Street and sat outside Dovecot Meadow. Where I had a small snack.
After my snack I continued back along High Street.
Turning left down Caxton Lane, I was heading south east.
Along Caxton Lane there were small houses and bungalows. This led to a grass track between garden fences. At the end I could see the footpath climb up to run between Chalk Hill on the left and West Hill on the right.
At the top between Chalk Hill and West Hill I could see the footpath dropping ahead of me heading south easterly.
There was an interesting information board down the footpath about farming.
At the bottom of the grass track the footpath turns south, crossing a ploughed field, before turning over a footbridge.
Over the footbridge the footpath turns left along the fence line beside a very dry ditch.
After a few meters the footpath turns right then left crossing another footbridge back over the very dry ditch.
Through the gate the footpath moves across another field, which in part had been harvested. Near the far edge the footpath crosses an area of what I think is sorghum.
Through another gate the footpath passes very close to a large ivy bush. I could hear the collective hum from lots of bees as I approached the gate, meters away. The footpath crosses another footbridge before turning right running next to a house's garden fence. After a few meters it comes out onto Long Lane.
Turning left on Long Lane I walked into Fowlmere. After a few hundred meters I reached the road junction with High Street. I could see the War Memorial in the centre and the village water pump.
Turning left I headed down High Street. Passed Swan House and The Chequers. Crossing the road to see St Mary's Fowlmere Parish Church.
My map and a village information board show there is a large round moat in Fowlmere so I thought I would have a look.
I think I must have been walking close to it. On checking the computer when I got back to my accommodation I must have been a little to far west. Not to worry next time.
After my wandering about I came out onto Chapel Lane and turned right up to Long Close the B1368.
Looking at my map I saw a path up towards Fowlmere Aerodrome and a path from the Aerodrome turning south. Thinking by using these paths I could avoid walking the B1368 I headed towards the Aerodrome.
The track is a steady climb, after a few hundred meters I passed trigpoint 38m.
A little further on I saw signs that the road ahead was private so I could not go the route I thought. I had to turn back. However I did see signs pointing to a RAF Memorial along a track to my right.
It is amazing how many of there Memorials are hidden away. It was only by walking up this road I saw these Memorials. Which made the unnecessary extra km's walk worth while.
Returning back down to the B1368 I turned right along Long Close, after a few meters this becomes the London Road. I was back where I started and now had a few km's ahead of me along the B1368.
Passing this milestone I could the Fowlmere Aerodrome up the hill to my right.
The road was not as busy as I expected but I still stood up on the verge as cars approached. I was still surprised at how close some of the cars came near to me. Eventually I reached Flint Cross and another milestone.
For the first few hundred meters I was on the Harcamlow Way. I last walked here on my way to Arkesden in May 2021. Today instead of turning left down New Road I continued south westerly along Barley Road. Passing the North Hall Farm Cottages and the two stone eagles guarding the entrance to North Hall Farm.
I was looking for the Icknield Way which crosses Barley Road. Again I had walked here on my return to Royston from Arkesden in May 2021.
Turning right, westerly, along the Icknield Way it starts off as a narrow grass track, with a little bit up and down. Before turning into a wide track. I could see the busy A505 coming closer as the track and road merge together.
A few meters before the A505 and the track merge I knew I had to look out for the footpath that turns suddenly left.
Finding the turning, after a few meters the footpath turns right and runs westerly along the edge of a few fields for about a km. As the footpath starts to climb through a small wood, I crossed into Hertfordshire. On tired legs it was a steep climb.
At the top the footpath passes through a gate and starts to head down hill. After a few meters the narrow path drop onto a wide forest track, where I turned right.
Walking through the gates I turned left on Newmarket Road where a sign says Greenwich Meridian. Following the Newmarket Road for about 1.5km I reached the Royston sign posts.
Just before reaching the A10 roundabout, I felt a few spots of rain. It had started to rain near here when I last walked down this road. Today though, those spots were the start and end of any rain fall.
Passed the A10 roundabout the street is Melbourn Street. I passed this blue plaque on the side of Royston Picture Palace. Commemorating 40 years of Royston being twinned with Grossalmerode.
After a few meters I passed the Police Station on my right and the War Memorial across the road on my left.
I was waiting to meet my friends Ish and Om. We had arranged to meet for tea.
After tea it was turning dark for our final few km. We turned right down Kneesworth Street, heading north. Passed Royston Railway Station. I had walked along here in the opposite direction on my walk the Greenwich Meridian Trail south to Buntingford.
Up and across the A505 roundabout back into Cambridgeshire and we were on the A1198 Old North Road, Roman Road heading towards Kneesworth cum Bassingbourn. It was a very pleasant evening stroll.
It had been a good day walking, I have shown my walk as Distance 45km Climb 125m. From my accommodation until my return I covered just over 47km.
More to follow
Boz North
Details correct at time of writing.
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