Blisworth, Tiffield and Gayton Walk

Good to be out and about again in the County despite the bleak, freezing and windy conditions. Temperatures are not forecast to get above freezing today. On the plus side at least the ground is going to be firm given the last few nights of severe frost. Yes folks we are once again in the grip of the Beast from the East!   

The starting point for the walk is the lovely village of Blisworth. We are right on the canal next to the old Corn Mill. The mill was converted into flats in 1998.  Built in 1879 it was Wesley’s steam corn Mill and served as a variety of other uses after it's first forty years as a mill. 

We decide to walk in a clockwise direction into the sun...We have only been going a matter f minutes before we reach the famous 'Blisworth Tunnel'. I have never seen it from this side before strangely enough. It has always been from the 'other end' at Stoke Bruerne. 

 

The Blisworth Tunnel

Building Blisworth Tunnel, was the most troublesome part of the Grand Junction Canal (now known as the Grand Union Canal) construction. Work began in 1793 on the 3km tunnel and at the time was a major feat of engineering with no mechanical machine beyond the basic picks, shovels and wheelbarrows available.At 3,075 yards (2,812 m) long, it is the longest wide, freely navigable tunnel in Europe (it’s wide enough for two narrow boats to pass in opposite directions) It is the third-longest navigable canal tunnel in the UK, after Standedge Tunnel and Dudley Tunnel and the the ninth-longest canal tunnel in the world.

 

To our left is a tower built as an air shaft for the tunnel. From 1871 steam tugs were used to pull boats through the tunnel. Therefore there became a need for extra ventilation. 

It really was bitter cold  and the air was so dry, the surrounding area resembled a scene from 'The Revenant' film. The start of the walk was also on the 'Northampton Round'. We leave the NR at 'Nun Wood' turning right towards Tiffield. This is a nice part of the walk apart from having to cross the A43 which was very quiet though. We walk past the back of the 'St Johns Centre' or Borstal as I always knew it. 

It was just past this point that I saw a Hare! Always an exciting moment for me , but sadly a sight that seems to increasingly rare. It soon bolted off into the distance and out of sight. Such a majestic creature and tough as old boots living on top of the ground. 

 

 

Plenty of stiles and wooden bridges, I always like to include a picture of at least one. Briefly the wind seems to drop and it is quite pleasant for a while.  It is short lived though and picks up again as we leave Tiffield. Not before we walk through the churchyard with some interesting gravestones.

The limestone church of St John the Baptist dates back to the 13th Century. It quite possibly replaced a Saxon church which existed on the site at the time the Domesday Book was written in 1086.

 We pass through a smallholding with some interesting goats and a Llama. A water pipe in the hedgerow is freezing as soon as it reaches the ground. We cross a large field that seems to have three footpaths going across it according to the map. We find the one that takes us to Eastcote and then on to Dalscote. The footpath continues on all the way to the village of Gayton.

 

 

We are now on the last part of the walk back towards Blisworth. There is plenty of bird life with the obligatory Red Kite and Buzzard. There are also plenty of Fieldfares scattered around feasting on the berries.

We once again cross over the A43 , thankfully this time we are over the bridge. It has been a good walk and comes in at around 9.5 miles. Not too many hilly bits either so on the whole very enjoyable. 

Time at the end of the walk for a little walk around the old mill/flats and along the icy waters of the canal in the opposite direction. There seem to be a few people living nearby in what my walking companion calls 'Hippyville'.