| Map: | Sheet 222 Rugby and Daventry |
| Start: | Braunston High Street (SP549661) |
| Route: | This circular walk follows the Oxford Canal north from Braunston, then cuts across to the village of Willoughy. From Willoughby it crosses fields to join the canal west of Braunston. We completed this walk whilst staying in luxury at Braunston Mill. |
| More info: | Braunston village website from Wikipedia |
| Refreshments: | The Rose at Willoughy along with several pubs and a tea shop at Braunston. |
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Follow High Street west to its junction with Church Road. Turn right into Church Road. Where the road bends to the right at the corner of the church yard, follow the footpaths sign on left, across field, over bridge and join towpath heading north. Follow the towpath reaching the first road bridge over the canal (approx 1.5 miles). Turn left along the road. After just over 100 yards, follow footpath on left across a field. Leave the field and turn left to follow road (there was a footpath marked on the map - however it looked so overgrown that we walked along the road). Turn right along minor road to Willoughby. |
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Walk along the road through the village, passing (or stopping for refreshment at) the Rose. Continue straight on where road joins from right. After the last house on the left, follow the footpath sign into field on left. What was shown on our map as one large field has now been split into smaller fields with a new hedge and wire and post fences. Continue through fields, close to the field boundary on left. At the corner of field with gate on left, turn right to walk alongside fence (Willoughby House and its drive are on the other side of the fence). When path emerges on minor road, continue along the road in the same direction. After a little more than 100 yards, take footpath on left, walking towards corner of farm buildings. Look out for yellow markers and fence posts topped with yellow paint. The path follows the general direction of a stream, then crosses stream via a bridge. Where path divides, walk towards the left of the farm buildings. Turn left to follow track for about a mile. |
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When the track comes to bridge the canal, don't cross bridge, but take the stile to the right. Turn left along the towpath to follow the canal back to Braunston. At the canal junction, cross the bridges to follow the Grand Union Canal (and the signpost saying London). After about 300 yards, leave the towpath to cross the main road. Turn left along the road, then right towards the village. Take the footpath on right which cuts off the corner. Then rejoin the road near the church. Turn right to return to the village. |
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