Bringhurst – East Norton 11 miles (18 km)
East Norton todays destination
Initially taking the road south from Bringhurst we soon enter a field on the left by the first of two possible paths and briefly join the Jurassic Way. The walk over to Great Easton is pleasant and uneventful. On my last visit a notice on the village Post Office and shop read that Diane and Mark Howson would be taking over the shop from 1st September 2014. It was nice to see the door open today and the place looking prosperous. Stock up here for today’s walk because there is little else in the way of community and facilities on this ten mile trek.
The road into Great Easton
I had been tempted to take the road along the west side of Eyebrook Reservoir and take in yet another settlement, Stockerston but the fields of pasture convinced me this was the better walk although it did get a bit rough towards the end. There is a short bit of fairly busy road but keep to the right and traffic should see you on the outside of the slow bend.
I’d not realised how high I’d climbed until taking the minor road towards Blaston. I didn’t see the village name sign for Blaston so can’t count this as on the route. What goes down, must go up and another climb to the next road where the map shows an OS Trig pillar at 158M and from the next track we get the benefit of the height.
Sheep on the road to Blaston
At the bend our route takes us onto a green county road and as the sign advises, it’s unsuitable for motor vehicles, which of course means they are allowed. Fortunately there was little sign that the mud worshippers use this track and it was good walking across mostly pasture. Not having to watch where each foot was placed allowed time to take in the view which included Eyebrook Reservoir through the centre of which passes our boundary and its now Rutland on the other side.
Finally meeting a metalled road we drop down into Allexton and on the way can see the larger village of Belton in Rutland (there is also a Belton in Leicestershire) across the valley of the Eye Brook. At Allexton I took the path passing the redundant St Peter’s church but you could continue down the road to the county boundary at the bridge.
Allexton another redundant church
Emerging from the churchyard we meet the Leicestershire Round yet again and join it briefly up Allexton Main Street which quickly fades into a footpath. This was once very muddy but a few road planings laid by the County Council has made a much improved path.
The Round goes off south to Hallaton but our route continues westward along the bridleway getting ever closer to the Eye Brook until an oxbow laps the track just before we meet and cross the A47. Just north of the road the boundary leaves the brook and heads north along field boundaries but we are going to bag another village before heading north and East Norton is a good place to break the walk and take the 747 bus back to Leicester.
Looking into Rutland across the Eye Brook
Go to the next part of the walk Part 13 click here
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