Peterborough to Wansford Station to Stamford

This was a delightful walk, especially since it was the first day of 2013 on which there was some indication that spring might actually follow winter. Just one thing to be aware of is that, although the ground had dried off considerably in the past week, the route was occasionally so muddy that we had no option but to squelch through - and once or twice the mud or water came over my boots. Given all the rain and snow we've had, and that the problem was largely on the flood plain of the River Nene, this was hardly surprising - and it wasn't a big problem. But this is not a walk to do in very wet conditions.

We left home around 7.30 am, drove to Stamford and parked in the long stay car park (TF 028067) (this cost us £3 and we then discovered that we could have parked all day at Stanford Station for £2) and caught the 9.00 train back to Peterborough. Trains were terminating at Peterborough, with rail replacement buses for people wanting to go on to March and Ely - a reminder of the need to check weekend services carefully before setting off on our walking adventures! We left Peterborough Station around 9.20 am and were back at the River Nene where we left it (at TL186982) by about 9.30 am.

For over half of today's walk we followed the River Nene upstream, meandering in a vaguely westerly direction. Even close to the city centre, it was attractive walking, with swans, geese and ducks for company - and occasional grebes, herons, and rowing boats! The route along the river is shared with the Nene Way, another long-distance path, which runs for 110 miles from the source of the Nene in Northamptonshire to the Wash [later note: we walked the Nene Way in the opposite direction between 2018 and ??]. This section of the route is (well) signposted as 'Nene Way' not Hereward Way, though Hereward Way signs helpfully reappear just before the two routes split on the approach to Wansford.

Returning closer to the centre of Peterborough, Thorpe Meadows (part of Nene Park) is home to a man-made rowing lake. Thorpe Meadows also has a sculpture trail, but we didn't know that at the time - we were most puzzled by what looked like something from outer space. From closer up, the sculpture was clearly a boat and it turns out that this is Sokari Douglas Camp's 'Festival Boat', inspired by the boats used ceremonially in the artist's home country of Nigeria.

There is a canoe slalom course downstream of the weir at Orton Lock and a fire brigade training event of some sort was taking place. Upstream of Orton Lock we reached a collection of chalets, long boats and river cruisers and soon we passed the 'Peterborough Yacht Club' clubhouse, amused by their definition of 'yacht' before we realised that there were various lakes on the other side of the river, so presumably there were real yachts somewhere nearby.

We climbed slightly away from the River and followed a tarmacked path through 'Bluebell Wood' (it was too early for bluebells), past another sculpture, 'The Sheep Wash' by Jason Thomson. You're in a very narrow corridor between the river and the A47 here, so it was quite a surprise to reach the most attractive 'Ferry Bridge', with open countryside beyond that could have been in the middle of nowhere. We saw a steam train in the distance, on the Nene Valley Railway (see below) and a kilometre or so further on we passed underneath the railway line.

As Alwinton came into view on the opposite bank of the river, we crossed Back Dike and turned right alongside it, then crossed back over Back Dike near Castor Mills (a watermill and the remains of a windmill). This was a muddy section but, apart from the mud, most attractive. Water Newton came into view on the opposite side of the River Nene, with another Mill, and we stopped for lunch, sitting on some rather wobbly tree stumps. There had been lots of benches nearer to the city centre but, typically, none here! We turned right towards the railway line and, most obligingly, another steam train passed just as we were reaching the railway line. We walked alongside the track to Wansford Station, where we left the route of the Hereward/Nene Way for a very short distance to cross the river, on a bridge alongside the railway line, to the Nene Valley Railway headquarters. We had a cup of tea in their cafe, and saw Thomas the Tank Engine! [click here for the following leg of the Nene Way from this point]. On the Hereward Way, we left Wansford Station and continued around another loop of the river towards Wansford, leaving the river briefly at Sutton, a pretty little hamlet with a pretty little church, St Michael and All Angels.

We had been using OS Explorer sheet 227 and there is an overlap with sheet 234, which we would be using for the end of today's walk. We'd noticed that the route of the Hereward Way to the north of the A47 is shown differently on the two maps (presumably because of their different ages) and it turns out that the Hereward Way was re-routed around Sacrewell Farm in about 2007 - a much better route than following the road from Heath House to Grange Farm. To reach the 'new' route you stay on the river bank on a well signposted permissive path then, just after passing a petrol station above you on the A47, climb up to the road, with a large pumping station to your left. The Nene Way then continues along above old road above the river, and under the A1 and so to Wansford, whilst the Hereward Way crosses the road - easier said than done!

After eventually managing to get across the road, we climbed up the drive to Sacrewell Farm and around their car park. Sacrewell Farm is an 'open' farm and was packed, presumably with lambing in full swing. This would be another good place to stop for refreshments but, having already had both lunch and a cup of tea and with a fair way still to go, we kept walking, being cheered by the sight of lambs in the fields. The path around the farm is extremely well signposted, and took us past the Riverford Organic Farm's Sacrewell site and then across fields and woodland to Grange Farm.

From Grange Farm we followed a bridleway across more farm land, with Walcot Hall to our right. After a short walk along a road, now with Windmill Farm (complete with windmill) to our right, we cut diagonally across a recently ploughed field. We kept straight ahead in true Roman fashion, on the route of Ermine Street and this brought us onto the Burghley Estate. There were some rather grumpy 'Dogs to be on leads at all times' and 'Private' signs, which is perhaps fair enough given that it is private land, and we were walking past (probably valuable) horses. However we couldn't help but reflect how much less friendly the Burghley Estate are to walkers than had been the case around Sacrewell Farm - and which of them we therefore feel more disposed to visit. We caught glimpses of Burghley House in the distance and passed a water jump then, on a tarmaced road alongside the Burghley Park Golf Club we passed the 'Burghley Horse Trials construction yard' - this is serious stuff! It also has to be said that the Golf Club makes up for the Estate in its friendliness to walkers - golfers at the 18th Green are told to wait until the road is clear of walkers before proceeding; so nice to have it this way round!

We emerged onto the B1081 above Stamford and walked down towards the town, with excellent views especially on a short diversion away from the road. The Hereward Way only reaches the edge of the town before turning back to the south-west along the River Welland, but we went for a look around and a cup of tea at Gooch's Coffee Shop. Stamford is a delightful town - I could agree with its description as ''The Finest Stone Town in England". It has so many churches that there is a website just for them and the predominent building stone is mellow 'lincolnshire limestone'. A lovely place to finish an enjoyable walk.

Following leg (Hereward Way)

Following leg (Nene Way)