The Times - UK (2022-06-11)

the times Saturday June 11 2022

Outside 19

ROBIN WEAVER, GRAHAM OLIVER, CHRIS GRADY/ALAMY

a forest in the sense of a solid block of

trees, but rather a mosaic of different

soils and habitats. Figwort, bryony, herb

bennet and wild strawberry carpeted the

broad ride through the wood, and on the

limestone soils in the old quarries of

Stonepit Close and Ring Haw we found

milky blue masses of speedwell,

silverweed with papery yellow flowers,

common spotted orchids, and tall nettle-

leaved bellflowers about to bloom.

The homeward path ran through

beautiful wildflower meadows. Here we

paused to watch a whitethroat perched

in the fork of a tall sprig of angelica, its

T

he houses of Nassington

looked lovely this sunny

afternoon in their creamy

yellow-grey limestone,

the crocketed spire of St

Mary’s church rising above

all. Inside the church tall

arcades rose into the cool interior air.

Armed knights and their horses rode the

walls in red ochre, courtesy of some

anonymous medieval muralist.

Village children were squealing in the

primary school playground as we set out

north from Nassington along the broad

valley of the River Nene. The age-old

debate over the pronunciation — “Neen”

or “Nen” — of this East Midlands river

was eventually settled, in 2021, by

means of a croquet match, the winners

declaring in favour of the latter. How

very British.

The Nene Way led through lush

buttercup meadows along the river’s

flood plain. An ancient barge slumbered

in retirement up a rushy side channel

where reed buntings squeaked and

chittered. We stopped to nibble apples

and cheese in the shade of a poplar

grove, lulled by the soporific sighing of

millions of long-stalked leaves agitated

by each gentle breath of breeze.

The stone-walled lanes of Yarwell lay

baking in the sun. Up at Wansford the

many arches of the Tudor bridge

spanned the Nene and its flood

meadows. In Wansford churchyard lay

Albert and Ann Padley, married 71 years

and separated in their deaths by just four

days — a testament to constancy

illustrated by the two companion swans

carved on their headstone.

A treble hum of bees and hoverflies

greeted us as we entered the shade of

Old Sulehay Forest, a refuge for plants,

insects and birds. This piece of ancient

woodland above the Nene Valley is not

A good walk Nassington, Nene

Valley and Old Sulehay, Northants

.

.

NASSINGTON

Dismantled

railway

Old Sulehay

Forest

Yarwell

Mill

Yarwell

Junction

Wansford

Yarwell

Wansford

Wansford Bridge

Church of

St Mary

the Virgin

A1

St Mary’s Queen’s

Head

NORTHAMPTONSHIRE

River

Nene

500 metres

Cambridge

Grantham

Northampton

white chest puffed out, round black eye

as shiny as polished jet, and sharp thorn

of a beak packed with green caterpillars

for its hungry nestlings.

Start St Mary’s Church, Nassington,

Peterborough PE8 6QH (OS ref 063962)

Getting there Bus: CallConnect (0345

263 8153, lincsbus.info). Road:

Nassington is signed off A6118 at

Wansford (A1, Peterborough-Stamford)

Walk OS Explorer 227. From west end of

church, left along Church Road. At

T-junction, right (068962), in 50m, left,

following waymarked Nene Way/NW

north for 2½ miles to Wansford Bridge

(074992). Left; left along Yarwell Road.

Pass surgery; in 150m, right (070991,

fingerpost, stile) on path. In 150m left

(black arrow (BLA), parallel to road. In

450m path bends left; in 30m fork left;

in 100m, right (067988) on bridleway

through Old Sulehay Forest for 1 mile.

At road, left (054984); on left bend, right

(054980) through gate on path round

Ring Haw. In ½ mile through five-bar

gate (053973); cross byway; take path to

right of Ring Haw Field Station. Kissing

gate, then field edge path. In 200m

through five-bar gate (052970); left

(arrow) on field path (BLAs). In 350m,

right across old railway (055968); left

(arrows, BLAs) across fields. In ½ mile

through housing estate to road in

Nassington (061964); left to church.

Lunch/accommodation Queen’s Head,

Nassington PE8 6QB (01780 784006,

queensheadnassington.co.uk)

More information wildlifebcn.org

Twitter @somerville_c

Christopher Somerville

A hum of bees

and hoverf lies

greeted us as

we entered the

shade of Old

Sulehay Forest

The River Nene near

Wansford village.

Top right: St Mary’s

Church, Nassington.

Above: whitethroats can

be seen in and around

Old Sulehay Forest

How hard is it?

7¼ miles; easy; field

and woodland paths