Nene Way 9 - Wansford - Ferry Meadows

10 miles. With Marta. Sunny, warm, delightful weather.

From Wansford we took the road opposite the church which leads towards the A1. Just before the road the path turns right and goes downhill towards the river underneath two huge bridges before making its way up towards the A47, past a lorry park, then turning right behind the petrol station along a path through fields. For a while we walked parallel to the road, then following the curve of the river turned south-east. We joined a wider track (a dismantled railway) but followed it a bit too far into some stables. Quick question and we were set right - we'd missed the signs on a kissing gate next to a field gate! The path led us into the village of Sutton - (Sutton Only as the signposts from the road tell us), past playing fields, houses and the church with its open bell tower. Then we turned briefly west, and south across more fields towards Wansford Station, the headquarters of the Nene Valley Railway.







A quick coffee stop and nose around, and we were ready for off.







The station and railway have been used in lots of documentaries and other filmsand there are plenty of events.











The Nene Way runs alongside the railway for half a mile or so, then moves further south towards the river, crossing fields full of Roman remains, which are not visible as anything other than humps and bumps.

Water Newton

Roman remains?

The path follows the river but turns sharply left to negotiate a meander just before Mill Hill - a noticeably higher piece of ground. We crossed a footbridge, where we saw this orderly family of swans.

















After the bridge we followed the higher ground round to the road down to Castor Old Mill. There's a water mill and remains of a windmill.






There is a ford and a footbridge over the mill arm of the river (Back Dike). The Nene Way crosses the bridge and turns left following Back Dike, crossing another footbridge and then walking with the main Nene on the right. A clear path leads us under a railway bridge (Nene Valley Railway) and into Ferry Meadows. The Cycle hire and Canoe centre is across Gunwade Lake.











We continued past Ferry Bridge and along Ferry Walk Path to finish at Green Cafe near the Ferry Meadows Visitor Centre.





Wildlife - herons, grebes, geese, green woodpeckers (we heard more than we saw). Fish - no idea what sort.