Discover Rutland – Heritage Trail 3 – Romans, roses and poems

At the next field boundary we need to swap sides so that the hedge line is to our left, continuing until we reach a small wooden gate.

Go through the gate and follow the grass track, until we reach another small gate. Here we will need to head straight across the arable field, towards a gap in the hedge line. Going through that gap, we veer slightly to the left and follow the bridleway round the left-hand side of the field. Another break in the hedge takes us onto the final stretch of bridleway down into the village, where we emerge onto the road opposite All Saints Church.

From Pickworth Church we need to head west out of the village. Continuing along the road, we carry on climbing upward and cross a cattle-grid into open pasture fields. On the right are the earthwork and stone remains of the small hamlet of Top Pickworth, abandoned in the 1920’s. We cross another cattle grid to return to the roadway that leads to the A1. After another mile and a half, with Woolfox Golf and Lifestyle club on the right, we will reach a junction.

To our left is the site of the Battle of Empingham (or Losecoat Field). At the junction turn right and follow the signs for Hardwick Farm and Woolfox Lodge. After 500 yards, we turn right into the Woolfox club. Continue past the golf club buildings to a tarmac lane with houses on the left.

After the last house, we head left through a gateway and walk diagonally across the field. Go through another gate and veer right across this field, towards the golf course. We then need to go through the double gate and, immediately to our left, follow the bridleway around the edge of the golf course. The track skirts the edge of the golf course with hedges and trees to your left. As always, when walking alongside a golf course we should be mindful of the golfers playing a round, and keep an eye out for any errant balls that may be hit accidentally in our direction!

We continue on until we reach the top left-hand corner of the golf course, where we need to look out for a gate in the hedge line to our left. Go through this into the field and then turn right following the field boundary on the right. Once we reach the end of the hedge line, continue straight ahead, following the grass track through the field.

As we approach a marker post, there is a bridleway to the right, cutting straight across the field. We take this, keeping Pickworth Great Wood on our left until we reach the field boundary. Here the bridleway curves to the left. At a gap in the hedge line, we’re taking the stone trackway to the right. With the field boundary on our left, follow this path back to the roadway where we should turn left to return into Pickworth village.

From here, we can return to Great Casterton by retracing your steps along the bridleway opposite the church or by continuing through the village to the crossroads and taking the right-hand turn to walk back along the Pickworth Road. Either route will take us back to where we began.