The Manton Walk in pictures and words

Pictures taken by Simon.  Text by Hilary

Like the drovers of yesteryear, our ‘herd’ of Ramblers set off along the Bronze Age ridgeway that forms part of the Macmillan Way long-distance footpath. The weather was reasonable, but we headed into a strong breeze.

The first feature of interest was the earthworks that are the only visible remains of the medieval village of Martinsthorpe, a community that declined in the 15^th century as land use converted from arable to sheep pasture.

The only surviving building on the site is the stable block of Martinsthorpe Hall, built in the 17^th century and apparently a splendid, moated manor house in its heyday. The stable block became Hall Farm, but is now a privately owned row of cottages.

A tarmac track gave us relief from the earlier mud as we tramped ever westward under brightening skies.

We descended into the hamlet of Brooke with its attractive church. The earliest parts date back to Norman times, and periods of restoration in the Elizabethan and Victorian periods have given it some interesting features. A recent claim to fame is that it appeared in the 2005 film version of Pride and Prejudice.

We encountered different aspects of 21^st century life… friendly pigs hoping for some attention…

…equally friendly hounds out for a spot of exercise with their handlers appropriately dressed…

… and a not so friendly, huge tractor spraying a field from gigantic arms… Fortunately we escaped its attention and, consequently, its offering of nutrition.

After a descent to the railway crossing with lights that held us while a freight train passed, and the ascent back into Manton, some group (herd) members felt they had earned their pints in the local hostelry….