I completed this largely off-road route from Daventry to Southam, which conveniently begins in the town centre next to the bus station. The route then joins the Oxford Canal (photo 10), where navigation is significantly easier. After rejoining the plotted footpath, we encountered tall crops where the right of way was not clearly defined, making the route difficult to follow and pass through (photo 13). Navigation from Stockton to Southam was relatively straightforward, with the main challenge being the crossing of the Southam Bypass....

Meggie

The route then leaves Welton Road to walk through a wooded area, where it is intended to cross the tunnel over the Grand Union Canal, however at the time I walked this, there was a diversion in place due to construction of a new housing estate, as mentioned in the previous review. From here, the route continues towards Braunston, joining the Grand Union Canal towpath. Once beyond Braunston, the route follows the Oxford Canal along a lengthy towpath section towards Rugby. After passing Onley, the route leaves the canal and joins Barby Road/Onley Lane, crossing over the M45....

Meggie

Really nice walking through wheat fields which have a mowed path to show you the route, beautiful parkland and into Daventry without too much suburb walking....

One Woman Walks

Overall it's a very good walk, with the only things letting down being the precarious crossing of the fast A5 near Lower Weedon and the non-maintained footpath as you traverse Borough Hill at the Daventry end. After passing through the pretty village of Harpole (photo 4), the road turns into the unsealed Glassthorpe Lane (photo 5) as it climbs gently towards Glassthorpe Hill. Descending the hill, the route takes you through tunnels under the M6 and A45 (photo 8) and then into the village of Flore....

Steve Litchfield

There is a new pedestrian crossing over the A45 at the end of Staverton Road, and whilst there is no pavement leading to roundabout, there ought to be a route through the houses to use the new crossing over the A425 just before the roundabout....

KB

The route passes by pubs at Charwelton and Newnham, and I believe there is a pub a short way from the route in Badby if you need refreshments. After reaching the top of the Down, the route then descends again as it skirts through the pretty Badby Woods, and then finally into the village of Badby. The route then climbs again out of the pretty village of Newnham towards the highest point of the walk - Newnham Hill Radio Mast....

Steve Litchfield

The route takes you out of Daventry fairly quickly, up and over the A45 via the 'curly wurly' pedestrian bridge (photo 1). Leaving Kentle Wood behind, the route opens up to give fantastic views over to Bush Hill, Flecknoe and Warwickshire (photo 3). The one mitigating factor was at least the farmers left a strip of land around the perimeter of these fields which meant we could walk relatively easily around the perimeters to follow the route - albeit by taking a slightly longer. The field perimeter diversions ended once we got past Miry Bridge, and after that the route was relatively easy to follow all the way into Flecknoe. After leaving Flecknoe, the route towards the canal sees a return of the aforementioned roughly ploughed fields and missing RoW (photo 8). After a short 10m stretch of road walking alongside the busy A425 and past the old Bridge pub which is now just private residences, the route takes you along the Millennium Way towards Stockton....

Steve Litchfield

This is a review of the section from Long Buckby, where the Euston train stops, to Daventry....

Carlthered

I walked this from Daventry to Fawsley Hall on a warm Christmas Eve (so not the whole section, winter, and a bit muddy)....

Carlthered

There is a slight diversion from the plotted route here, but the diversion was easy enough to navigate (details below). The canal towpath is a bit laborious in places, but in my opinion what really lets it down is the mile long section of road walking along Onley Lane. The route is as plotted to the point where the footpath goes above the eastern portal of the Braunston canal tunnel. There is a marked diversion (photo 4) which takes the diverted towpath through the adjacent Lang Farm Northern Valley Park all the way to the A361 where you pick the plotted route up again. Picking the route up again from the A361 (photo 5) you more or less follow the route of the canal tunnel directly below, passing some ventilation shafts and with a lovely elevated view of Braunston ahead (photo 6). Then the route takes a lovely diversion away from the Oxford canal briefly to take you up to All Saints Church, before heading back downhill (photo 9) to re-join the canal. Eventually you come up the side of the cutting (photo 15) to Clifton Road which then takes you quickly into town and the end of the route....

Steve Litchfield

Navigation straightforward, and the road walking is either on a v quiet road, or a road with a pavement. The paths across fields are well defined, and although there are a few stiles the only problem is the gate (illustrated by the first reviewer) leading into the field immediately before the A5 - the gate is iron and heavy and has to be lifted as it is not hinged to the gatepost. The toilets in Long Buckby are closed "due to vandalism" but there are toilets and a cafe at Daventry Country Park....

KB

The road walking between the M1 and the footpath to Welton is none too pleasant, especially crossing the A5; there is a pavement alongside the road between Welton and Daventry. Once on the footpath, the second field is quite swampy, but easily negotiated. A very short detour on entering Daventry Country Park accesses toilets and a cafe....

KB

Issues to note include some narrow footbridges, potentially muddy sections, long grass and the need to cross the busy A5 road and walk along its verge for 50 feet or so. The back road into West Haddon is narrow but ok to walk along....

Panic452