The Shakespeare's Avon Way - Naseby (1)

The whole route

The start of a new route! The Shakespeare's Avon Way Long Distance Path, exciting times ahead. We need something to brighten the gloom of 'Lowdown'. The weather today is far from bright, thick mist and poor visibility unfortunately. Shakespeare's Avon Way - follows the course of the River Avon as closely as possible from its source at Naseby to its confluence with the Severn at Tewkesbury. The main towns it passes through are Warwick, Stratford upon Avon and Evesham. Naseby, Tewkesbury and Evesham were the sites of decisive battles. Tewkesbury, Pershore and Evesham have historic abbeys and Warwick and Kenilworth castles. Bredon Hill, visible from the later stages of the path, is visited by a detour.

Sad looking horses

A misty All Saints Church Naseby

It has been a bad start, I'm running late, the road is closed meaning a detour and I'm not quite sure of where I'm going. Throw in the poor visibility and you have the perfect storm. It is not surprising then that I miss the turn for Clipston. Trying to recover my bearings I pull into a turning that turns out to be a 'Travellers Site'. I very quickly attract some attention from at least three different parties... I heed there advice and move away hastily.

By the time I catch up with my walking Buddy in Naseby I'm the best part of an hour late. I'm also bursting for the toilet. This is a matter of some urgency and drastic action has to be taken in the nearby churchyard albeit discretely. 

There is a large gathering of Quad bikes assembling outside the village store. It very much looks like they are going down the same muddy, narrow lane we are going down. Best to let them clear out the way first I think.

Wouldn't you know it we pass through what looks like a reclamation yard and there are toilets stacked up! Typical. 

There really isn't a great deal to report on the first half of the walk. Apart from this lovely pond which was shrouded in mist. I'm sure it would look lovely on a nice day though. 

We are also running alongside the A14, and occasionally crossing it too. Our route takes us through Welford, halfway between Northampton and Northampton. It is close to the junction of the two major motor routes in England - the M1and the M6 Motorways. 

The abbey of Sulby was founded about the year 1155 for canons of the Premonstratensian order by William de Wideville. The abbey may have been built on the site of an earlier settlement, recorded in the Domesday Book, which may already have been abandoned by the 12th century. The Abbey was dissolved in 1538.

These days Sulby Hall stands proudly around the area where the Abbey would have stood.  

First official Post Marker

A friendly Kerry Hill Ewe

We are now officially on the Shakespeare's Avon Way for the first time. Some friendly 'Panda faced' sheep come over to say hello. The weather hasn't cheered up at all and I've just walked through something of a bog. Only realising when it was too late of course. We see for the first time fast flowing tributaries that make up the River Avon.

The River Avon

It is also known as the Warwickshire Avon or Shakespeare's Avon, to distinguish it from other rivers of the same name. The name "Avon" is a cognate of the Welsh word afon [ˈavɔn] "river", both being derived from the Common Brittonic abona, "river". "River Avon", therefore, literally means "River River."

 The river has a total length of 85 miles (137 km).

The source of the River Avon

Our next mission was to find the source of the River Avon. We had an idea it was a spring somewhere in the village of Naseby. Using the coordinates 52.3955° N, 0.9885°we managed to track it down. Low and behold it was literally the other side of the wall from where the car was parked! An opportunity not to be missed I clambered over the wall and some undergrowth to capture this geographical milestone.