BR7 - Cottesbrooke and Lamport Hall Estates
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GPX File can be downloaded for this ride
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Parking
(please check-out options in advance) Parking or drop-off is available at Draughton Crossing (GR.SP755772) which is along Brampton Valley Way. There is more space towards back of car park. There is also a good section of road at the bottom of bridleway near abandoned airfield with set aside and couple of laybys (blue line top right of picture above) SP771770. There are other opportunities alongside byways or others that join the route. Also Parking Layby off A508 near Hanging Houghton. SP755738.
(please check-out options in advance) Parking or drop-off is available at Draughton Crossing (GR.SP755772) which is along Brampton Valley Way. There is more space towards back of car park. There is also a good section of road at the bottom of bridleway near abandoned airfield with set aside and couple of laybys (blue line top right of picture above) SP771770. There are other opportunities alongside byways or others that join the route. Also Parking Layby off A508 near Hanging Houghton. SP755738.
Back of Draughton Crossing Car Park
Leave Draughton Crossing Car Park and follow the Brampton Valley Way towards Kelmarsh Tunnels. Take the first bridleway signposted to the left (GR.SP755784) and follow it to Maidwell 1.25 miles from Green Lane Crossing. On reaching Maidwell turn right and follow the road to through the village to a staggered crossroads. On reaching the road cross over – dog-leg to left. Care A508 can be busy.
The Stag Head Public House is along the main road to the right on the left-hand side of road, if you wish to grab a drink.
Follow the Tarmac Road to Dale Farm keeping to left at the road junction (on your right is Manor Farm). Carry-on at the track going through what appears to be someone’s open gate at the end and through a tree lined section to Dale Farm at the bottom Right, pretty waterfall area to your right. At the Bridleway sign, keep right, passing the front of the farm (If the gate to Dale Farm is closed there is a gap in the hedge behind the left hand side of the gate.
Gated entrance - this is still byway after Manor Farm going towards Dale Farm
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Pretty pond/waterfall to right just before gate entrance to Dale Farm
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You’re following a concrete track (GR.SP739765). Follow the sign which takes you off the concrete road to the right and around the edge of an arable field. Continue along this grass track up a bank and go straight towards Maidwell Lodge. Continue to follow the signs straight on around the edge of the farm, over one field and through a gap in the hedge.
Turn left and follow the grass track beside the hedgerow until you come to a 3 fingered bridleway sign. Follow the hedgerow
At the junction of the two bridleways (GR. SP722762), take the signed route to Lamport, going left down the hill to the south-east. Ride through a gap in the hedge and straight on up a grass track until you get to Blueberry Lodge (GR.SP732755).
Turn left and follow the grass track beside the hedgerow until you come to a 3 fingered bridleway sign. Follow the hedgerow
At the junction of the two bridleways (GR. SP722762), take the signed route to Lamport, going left down the hill to the south-east. Ride through a gap in the hedge and straight on up a grass track until you get to Blueberry Lodge (GR.SP732755).
Blueberry Lodge - Signpost crossroads - byway to Maidwell one way and Cottesbrooke the other, also Bridleway back towards Brampton Valley Way
The metalled road takes you through the farm-yard to a road junction. At the road junction turn right and follow the stony byway through a weighted gate south-west towards Cottesbrooke. At this point you can follow a bridleway straight on back towards Brampton Valley Way, instead of going right. Pic of weighted gate going along Byway towards Cottesbrooke at Blueberry Lodge Carry straight along this Byway.
Weighted gate at Blueberry Lodge going towards Cottesbrooke
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Stoney track towards Cottesbrooke
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Just before meeting a wooded Spinney area there is a wide stony track off to the left this also meets up with Brampton Valley Way, this is an adopted road and and part of macmillan way, with no obvious exclusion for horse riders. It turns into ‘Manor Road’ which continues into Hanging Houghton)
Adopted Road going back towards Brampton Valley Way to Houghton Crossing
To carry along suggested route pass through the middle of wooded spinney area, and you will meet a tarmac road with wide verges. You have now entered the Cottesbrooke Hall Estate. To the right through an avenue of trees, are views of Cottesbrooke Hall, a Queen Anne House. At the end of this byway you arrive at Dairy Beck Farmyard within the Cottesbrooke Estate.
Byway nearer Cottesbrooke going towards Dairy Beck Farm
Dairy Beck Farm yard looking from byway to left
You may like to take a detour at the T Junction to the Right to go up and look at the pretty cottages at Cottesbrooke To carry along the route Turn left at the T Junction of the Farmyard down the gated road.
Example of cottage building at Cottesbrooke
At the road junction (GR. SP720734) turn left taking the gated road towards Brixworth. Picture Right Go left and over the railway bridge, then immediately left down to Brampton Valley Way (GR.SP738719). Be careful when going over the railway bridge as there is a blind bend in the road.
Junction at bottom of Cottesbrooke Estate Road - Brampton Valley way is just other side of the bridge
Next take the track to the right, signposted ‘1 mile - Lamport Hall’. Follow this track into the village and go to the main road. Cross the road (GR.SP756737) and take the bridleway signed to Faxton. Take care when crossing the road, use the verge to the right.Next take the track to the right, signposted ‘1 mile - Lamport Hll’. Pic opposite looking back to BVWay.
Manor Road between Brampton Valley Way and Hanging Houghton
Follow this track (Manor Road) into the village of Hanging Houghton and go to the main road (A508). NB: There’s a parking layby just up the road from the left of this junction. Another possible parking option. Cross the road left then right (GR.SP756737) and take the bridleway sign posted Faxton. Take care when crossing the road, use the verge to the right.
Follow the grass track across the fields until you get to a gate. Go through the gate and ride over two grass fields until you meet the road (GR. SP764745). Turn right past a lodge house and then go immediately left down a grass track. Follow this straight along the hedgeline, through a small plantation, up to Shortwood House (GR SP772759). Carry-on past short wood. Pic of Shortwood House
Follow the grass track across the fields until you get to a gate. Go through the gate and ride over two grass fields until you meet the road (GR. SP764745). Turn right past a lodge house and then go immediately left down a grass track. Follow this straight along the hedgeline, through a small plantation, up to Shortwood House (GR SP772759). Carry-on past short wood. Pic of Shortwood House
View of Shortwood house
You now ride north-east diagonally across a field towards some trees with fencing around them. From this point go downhill to a hand gate. Ride straight through three fields until you come to a wooden bridge. Cross this and ride over the next field to a second wooden bridge. Cross this and the next field to a concrete road. At the crossroads of the concrete roads, ride straight on; you will soon meet another concrete road. Cross over going North towards Foxhall Cottages (GR.SP780780. Pic of Foxhall cottages which are to your right at the end of the bridleway
View of Foxhall cottages, these are up on the right from where bridleway exits onto road
At the road turn left and when you come to T-junction, turn right. Careful along this section of road.Where the road branches take to the route to Harrington. Just past a small wood on the left (GR.SP775788).
Junction from Foxhall opposite Harrington Abandoned Airfield (edge of airfield on left)
Go left through the spinney and then around a twisting concrete track at top of abandoned airfield, into Blue Covert. Follow the road to some houses and a museum Pic of track through Blue Covert After these you will meet the A14.
Blue Covert - top of Harrington Abandoned Airfield
Bear left here and follow a stony track back to the Brampton Valley Way. On meeting the disused railway line at Green Lane crossing again, turn left and this will take you back to Draughton Crossing on Brampton Valley Way
This relates to Trail 5 from ‘Northamptonshire on Horseback’, 1995 published by British Horse Society in conjunction with Northamptonshire County Council - ISBN 1-899016-07-4