The Great Easton Walk Part 2: Beyond the edge

Pictures by Mandy Tobin and Tony Attwood, commentary by Tony Attwood.   Any similarity to reality is purely coincidental.

• Peterborough Ramblers venture to the very edge of civilisation

There is history which is to be celebrated and acclaimed and sadly in our country there is also history that one wishes above everything was never there.

So it is with the Great Easton Walk which took us near to what was the Nevill Holt School.

It was for many years a Prep school – in fact a remote prep school, and that may well give you an  insight into why it suddenly closed.  Details are on the internet if you wish to know more.  There is now a theatre and it is home to the annual Nevill Holt Opera Festival.

However, there are many other curious buildings to be seen on every walk, some of which I think I knew about when the picture was taken, but now escape me!!   This, I am guessing is … oh actually my inventiveness seems to have failed me for a moment so please make up your own explanation.  It is one of these structures which those of us in the design trade call buildings.   There were quite a few of them on this walk.

One of the great advantages of them is that one could walk all the way around and then come back to the place from whence one started.  I thought that was rather fun.

Now what is really good is the fact that some of these buildings have details upon them telling us exactly what they are, who built them, why they built them and what they are now used for.

Of course, since everything is written on the inscription, it doesn’t need me to give you all the details so I leave it with you, knowing all the information you want is now at hand.

In point of fact, I sought help from a local passer by who kindly told me that this was site of the local corset factory and I must admit I was much impressed that such a building should have not just a load of indecipherable commentaries upon the plaque but also some that seemed to be in Greek.

However, I then noted the plaque with the dates 1952 and 1977 commemorating the silver jubilee of the Accession of HRH Queen Elizabeth II.

Actually, at first I misread that as 1852 rather than 1952, and that was the period that Kingswood Training School was open.  But that wasn’t here.

So we ventured forth and I was reminded by fellow walkers that when I had been taking pictures in the past and writing up the commentary, I would also include something slightly inappropriate, just to let everyone know it was me.

Sadly I didn’t really get any ideas this time, but I did get this picture which will have to do.   Actually, I must admit I found some of those stiles rather difficult to manipulate myself around  – it is not always as easy as it might seem at first sight.

But anyway as can be seen the ground beneath was solid enough and I can report that no Ramblers were injured during the course of this expedition.

However what I most certainly was not expecting as I looked around and about for yet more signs upon which I can offer some sort of insight.  And thento my complete and absolute surprise (and I must admit a certain level of embarrassment) I found this one.

Now I  must admit that I overcame my profound embarrassment enough to ask my fellow travellers why anyone would be involved in the trade of making old corsets.  Was it, perhaps a tradition in these parts, with possibly a local railway train then taking the said old items thither and yon?  But no, when I asked people simply looked at me rather strangely.

So onward we walked under a blue and white sky, following the paths as indeed we must, across what had turned out to be a very unexpected landscape, trusting as ever in our devoted walk leader that we would, in the end, get back to the very place from which we started.

And this I must confess I do find important because although I very much enjoy a six-mile walk, I don’t really want to have to walk six miles back to find my car.

But there we were and there was indeed no need to have any concerns.  Our leaders had led and we had gone, walked, seen and returned forthwith from whence we had departed, and that surely makes it all worthwhile.

I have actually had a meal in the pub in the village a little while back and it was a very fine affair, so if you do return to the neighbourhood and want a bit of eating and quaffing as well as a touch of walking, it’s a fair old place to start.

Thank you to our leaders, and thank you as ever to Peterborough Ramblers.  As long as no one comes to take me away I hope to be writing further commentaries anon.

Links to reviews of other walks we have undertaken and reported on, can be found on our home page: www.peterboroughramblers.co.uk

Details of forthcoming walks as ever are on the official site.  It’s got fewer jokes but is more accurate.