Iron Trunk Aquaduct - Grand Union Canal

We parked in a small car park in Old Wolverton, and walked along the tow path, it has quite a few seats along the way for us and was ideal as my husband was recovering from an illness.  The Aqueduct is about 15 mins maybe less from the car park.  I think it should be a fairly easy to continue to walk into Cosgrove, maybe an hour and half round trip? but we decided to turn around and then drive onto the The Barley Mow at Cosgrove.  There is a little tunnel to get under the canal once you are there so that you can get to the pub if you have walked, we popped down after our lunch and walked a little way along from that end.

There are canal boats moored along the canal and the weather was perfect so a very pleasant few hours out and not far from Ampthill, about 35 mins drive.

This aqueduct is amazing, quite scary looking over it, and a narrow path but well worth the visit.  The path from Old Wolverton goes through to Cosgrove.

Here are a selection of paths that people have written about in the area:i footpath links and more information here canal and river trust

In Old Wolverton there is a great place to have a rummage Grandads collection and there is also a pub just nearby that seemed very popular and busy in the garden.  Here are a few pictures:

The view from the aqueduct

boats along the canal

looking along the canal

Information boards - I hope that you can read them

Bags and other bits

We have just started selling a range of crafts that have been sewn from beautiful fabrics, so I thought I would put them on here so that you can see some of the lovely ideas our ladies have.  Some of the bags have pockets and we even have some that are suitable for tablets.  Each item is handmade and therefore potentially one off, so if you see something that appeals you need to buy it :)

We do do other items, such as carrier bag holders, aprons, peg bags, tissue pouches and decorative hearts - some with lavender.  I will share some pictures of these items in another post.  

Stowe Gardens

Your visit starts at the New Inn visitor centre outside the gardens. This is a mixture of modern and restored 18th-century buildings where visitors in the past were welcomed to Stowe. The New Inn has the Parlour Rooms, which give an indication of what life was like in a Georgian coaching inn. The inn was on the original Ratley Ridgeway which was once a public road from Towcester to Bicester. The road’s closure caused the demise of the Inn in the 19th century.

The modern buildings comprise the small visitor centre, the Nevillery Cafe and the National Trust shop. Stop by the light and airy café for a snack and the shop for products inspired by the gardens, We had a pleasant light lunch.  Note that the main toilets are in the Visitor Centre (there is only one toilet facility in the actual gardens).

A short walk (c.500m) or a ride in a buggy from Visitor Centre through the parkland along Bell Gate Drive brings you to the entrance to the gardens. This is the original walkway that tourists 300 years ago would have used to enter the gardens. Along the route you will catch views of the main house, and  views over the parkland. A lot of work appears to be happening to upgrade Bell Gate Drive. The National Trust are also putting up boxes for bats and owls to nest in and are planting a variety of wildflowers. Once you reach the gate at the end of Bellgate Drive you will see a small bell to the left of the gate – this would have been rung by Georgian visitors to request access to the gardens.

view from the road

Stowe House - now a school

The Gardens

The scale and beauty of Stowe have attracted visitors for over 300 years. Beautiful views, winding paths, lakeside walks and temples create a timeless landscape, reflecting the changing seasons. Full of hidden corners and secret trails, the gardens were originally intended to represent an earthly paradise, and they still cast their spell today. The sheer size and space is perfect for those who love the outdoors and enjoy walking.

Once you have entered the gardens, turn left and walk about 50m along Peggs Terrace so that you are half way between the Western and Eastern Lake Pavilions. From this spot you can see what many visitors consider to be the best view in all of the gardens – Stowe House across the lake framed by trees and landscaping.

The Palladian Bridge - classical bridge built in mid eighteenth century and wide enough to take carriages doing a circuit of the gardens

The Palladian Bridge

There are a variety of trails to help explore the gardens (make sure you pick up a free map from the visitor centre, when you arrive). There are 250 acres and 40 temples to discover.  And there is a lot of new work going on.

Some of the highlights include:-

The Cascade – set between two lakes with great views.

The Palladian Bridge - classical bridge built in mid eighteenth century and wide enough to take carriages doing a circuit of the gardens

Don't forget the less illustrious Wooden Bridge

Rotunda and Sleeping Wood – the garden in the wood was modelled on a similar garden at Versailles.

Lamport 'secret' Garden – in the process of being restored, this 19th-century rock and water garden contrasts quite significantly to the landscaping of the rest of the gardens. Don't miss the waterfall.

The list above barely scratches the surface of the things to see on a visit to Stowe Gardens – there are too many temples and classical style buildings to mention. Such is the layout of the gardens a visit can take anything from an hour to half a day or more

One thing to note is that Stowe House is now a school so although it is possible to visit the state rooms, they are not always open so check in advance of your visit.

the wooden bridge

History

The gardens at Stowe were created by Lord Cobham an 18th. century aristocrat and politican, whose family was reputed to be richer than the King. The gardens were designed as a statement of this wealth and soon became one of the country's first tourist attractions. Stowe was a pioneer in moving away from well-ordered flower gardens to a more natural landscape full of views, temples and lakes.

The formal gardens were swept away by 'Capability' Brown in the 1740s, the gardens retained the picturesque ideas of the temple and the monument. These buildings were framed by long vistas down which to view them. But with the softened edges of the lakes, the opening of the views and the building of even more elaborate temples, Stowe became celebrated as the most beautiful landscape gardens in Europe and its influence was felt as far away as Russia. Tourists were welcomed into the gardens as early as the 1730s and the first guidebook, written by a local book-seller, came out in 1744. Further development work was carried out in the 1770's and Stowe was definitely the place to be for the rich and powerful – during the 18th. and 19th. centuries royalty from across Europe were frequent visitors to Stowe.

How to get there: Leave Ampthill on A507 heading towards J13 of M1 and just before J13 join the A421 heading in the direction of Buckingham. Stay on A421 until you arrive at Buckingham and then simply follow the brown signs to Stowe (MK18 5EG). It is 26 miles and should take about 40 minutes depending on traffic conditions.

If you approach the Stowe estate from Buckingham you will drive up the Grand Avenue. The look of the avenue changes throughout the year – but whatever time of year you visit it’s really an impressive sight and certainly shows off just how wealthy the family were to be able to have such a long and grand drive. At the top of the drive is the majestic Corinthian Arch, which frames a superb view of Stowe House

Arrival: Follow the signs and you will find the large car park, which is about 150m from the entrance. 

Henry Moore - Perry Green

This a little further from Ampthill, and certainly different type of day out.  I admit I went as 'helper' with the school quite a few years ago, and wasn't sure if it was going to be my thing.  But it was lovely wandering around seeing the enormous pieces of art that Henry Moore had produced.












So if you love statues then it is worth a visit.  There is also an exhibition of screen printed fabrics that he also designed.  You can defnitely lose yourself around the grounds on a lovely fine day, I wouldn't recommend going in the rain.  They have a website and the facilities have changed since I went it is looking great on the website www.henry-moore.org, it opens for the season on 1 May.





There is a place to eat a picnic, or I would recommend combining the visit to Hopleys plants it is a lovely nursery with extensive grounds and a really nice tea room, selling homebaked quiches amongst other things.  It is only about 1 mile from Perry Green.

Stoke Bruerne

We are lucky enough to have a canal nearby, so we took a trip to Stoke Bruerne to wander along the Grand Union Canal, I love canals they are an idyllic picture of passing boats and local wildlife.

It’s a relaxing and lovely place for a day out, but it does get busy on warm summer weekends. In and around Stoke Bruerne you’ll find the Blisworth Tunnel (at 3,076 yards (2,813m) long it is the third-longest navigable canal tunnel on the UK canal network), historic locks and bridges, a weighing machine, winding hole and traditional canal pubs – all the features of a living canal village.

Nearly all the homes and buildings in the village have been there 200 years or more. It appears that little has changed since the heyday of Britain's canals, between the early and mid-1800s. The two village pubs have a long heritage, with The Boat Inn established in 1807, and the Navigation Inn in 1822.  Both were built to support the new trade bought by the canal.

Stoke Bruerne is set in the heart of rural Northamptonshire. Set off in any direction and you'll find unspoilt countryside, tranquil lanes, pretty villages and wild flowers and birds to watch and enjoy.

We just went for a lunch at the pub and a walk along the canal but you can visit the Canal Museum and according to the website it will take from one to two hours, and you can follow the story of Britain’s canals, from the great engineers and navvies who created them to the boat families, leggers and lock keepers who lived and worked on them.  You'll find models of working boats, traditional clothing, canal crafts, a re-creation of a boat-builder’s workshop, beautiful historical signs and more.

There are boat trips in the summer months and at weekends, and also Rookery Open Farm nearby.



Directions: Stoke Bruerne is about 26 miles from Ampthill and on a good day it should take just over 30 minutes to drive there.  Leave Ampthill and drive along the A507 to Junction 13 of M1 - joining the motorway heading north.  Leave the M1 at Junction 15 (A508 for Wellingborough / Northampton) – take the A508 in south westerly direction (away from motorway), and you will pass through the village of Roade before you see the brown signs for Stoke Bruerne Canal Museum –  turn right off A508 and follow these signs.



Parking:
There are two main car parks in the village throughout the year, and during event weekends additional parking is made available.

Museum Car Park
This is situated at the rear of the Museum and is accessed from Chapel Lane.  This is the first car park you will come to when arriving in the village from the A508. It has a tarmac surface and is Pay and Display.  The parking ticket is also partially refundable if you visit the museum :)

Church Car Park
This is located on Shutlanger Road and is the first car park if you are travelling from Shutlanger/Towcester/A5. Situated on the right, just past Wentworth Way, it is mainly grass but is quite large. All the proceeds go to the Church for much needed repairs and maintenance so please do pop your £2.00 in the honesty box at the gate, it all helps!

Places to Eat & Drink:
There are two (“gastro”) pubs within 100 metres of each other on opposite sides of the canal, the Navigation Inn and The Boat Inn – both are very close to the Museum and have car parks for patrons. Also canalside is an Indian restaurant (The Spice of Bruerne) and a cafe (The Waterside Cafe) at the Museum.

Mother's Day - handmade cards

There is normally a basket of cards on the Ampthill country market stall every Thursday, they are handmade and suitable for a number of occasions.  Some are stamped and then watercoloured, others have been cut from paper and card, and other techniques.  We also have a selection of cards made using photographs, including some local scenes.


They are all blank inside for you own greeting, but will often have a sentiment on the front, they can be customised if you give us sometime to prepare it and bring it back to the stall. 







As Mother's Day is March 15th we now have a few that would make the day extra special.  Don't forget you can buy a gift from us too, a delicious homemade jam or cake.

If you like one of the cards and need a greeting changed or added, this is often possible just contact us either on the stall or through the website (see link at side), and it can be arranged.


Check out our facebook page for more news and photos, and to contact us see the links at the top.

Chutneys, Pickles & Jellies

Chutneys and pickles are available around Christmas time and then are available whilst stocks last.  They are made in the autumn to preserve the bounty of fruit and vegetables that are available in late summer.  As they are best eaten after the flavours have matured for a few weeks this makes Christmas the perfect time to start the new chutney.  They will last for months unopened.

Perfect to eat with cold meats, quiches, sandwiches, cheeses.  So of course perfect to eat with your cold turkey on Boxing Day.

We often have jellies, such as quince and crab apple jelly which are perfect for savouries dishes and roast meats.

So I thought you would like to see a quick step by step making chutney :)  Lots of fresh ingredients from the garden, along with some other items that are grown a long way away.





Then all chopped up and ready to start cooking, I bet you can almost smell the aroma of it starting to cook now.









Then after a lot of cooking it is then put into jars.

Then it has to sit on the shelf for a few weeks, to let all of those flavours mature, it will be perfect for Boxing Day.