Circular Walk from Greetham Valley to Greetham and Exton Park

Difficulty Easy

Walking time 2 hours

Length 5.8km / 3.6mi

Route developer: John Williams

Route checker: Andy Page

Start location Greetham Valley Golf Club and Hotel. LE15 7SN

Route Summary An easy family walk from Greetham Valley Hotel into Greetham village and return via Exton Park. A chance to stop off at either The Wheatsheaf or The Black Horse for refreshment. Good views, particularly when crossing the park.

*move mouse over graph to see points on route

Getting there

By car: From a cross roads on the B668 just north east of Greetham village take the road with brown signs pointing to the hotel going south east. After half a mile, just past the wood, turn right onto the long driveway down to the hotel.

By bus: Travellers can catch the Rutland Flyer 2 (RF2) Service between Oakham and Melton. Get off by the Wheatsheaf pub at the east end of Greetham village and walk along Wheatsheaf Lane to join the route at point [2]. Ignore the the first path on the left down the lane, which is the one you come back on.

Description

[1] Start from the main entrance of the hotel. Walk out across the car park to the yellow waymarker post. Follow the path to the left going through the gap by the gate next to two oil tanks and passing the golf-buggy park. Continue, following the waymarks and the main stony track. At the end of the long straight section, take care to notice the tall yellow waymarker post. (With no waymarker on it!) Go left onto the course and immediately right. Walk with the hedge on your right. Keep a sharp eye open for the stile that takes you into the field on your right as you near the end of the course. It is easy to miss this as the waymark is in the field and masked by the hedge. (It is just before you reach the green side bunker.) Follow the path round the field edge and over a stile. Descend steeply to cross a stream. Turn right, following the stream on your right towards the outskirts of Greetham. Where you meet the rough road, Wheatsheaf Lane. the walk goes up to the left.

(A) You may want to visit one of the pubs in Greetham before continuing on your way. They can be found by turning right along Wheatsheaf Lane.

[2] Go up Wheatsheaf Lane and go left through the hedge where the lane turns right behind houses. Follow the path across the field and through the hedge. Go down the left edge of the next field to a small cross track. Keep straight on through a large hedge gap and continue with a hedge on the right to a field corner. Continue across the next field, aiming for a solitary tree, to meet a track at right angles by a waymark post.

[3] Turn left along this track, now going eastwards towards home. To your right are views across the old quarrying area and as you progress the chimneys of the cement works at Ketton can be seen on the horizon. The track enters a wooded area and brings you onto a raised embankment. There are steps leading down on either side.

[4] Take the further steps, which go steeply down to the left. Follow the path as it goes to the left and then along by ponds on the edge of the golf course. Turn up the hill and look back at the view behind you which is particularly good when there are autumn colours to be seen. Continue, crossing the stream to reach the tarmac surfaced track. Here turn left up the slope and, as the lodges come into sight you know that you have arrived back home.

POI information No details available.

Notes

Refreshments: There are three public houses in Greetham. Two of them, the Wheatsheaf and The Black Horse, are adjacent to this route. Greetham Valley Hotel at the start and finish welcomes walkers, both as residents or day visitors. Toilets and facilities are available here.

Acknowledgements No details available.