Brixworth and Pitsford Water

During the first part of the walk keep your eyes peeled for little wooden gnome-like sculptures that are dotted sporadically alongside the path. They are part of the Little Grey Men Trail, a short waymarked route that celebrates the life of local writer and artist ‘BB’ Denys Watkins-Pitchford who was born at Lamport, just a few miles from Brixworth Country Park, in 1905. Over the course of seven decades he wrote and published over 60 stories for children and adults, nearly all of them inspired by the local countryside.

Sneezewort and Baldmoney’s big adventure

Denys Watkins-Pitchford studied at the Royal College of Art in London and illustrated his stories with wonderful drawings and etchings of animals and the countryside, as well as using a drawing of a cowslip as his trademark signature. His father had been the local vicar and the young BB spent much of his time exploring the outdoors and learning country ways. One of his formative experiences was aged four when, he claimed, he actually saw a real gnome in the nursery of his family house, and after that was unshaken in his belief in 'the little people'.

After art school he went to teach at Rugby School, but he was soon writing prodigiously, both fiction and non-fiction books and articles. He used his pen-name ‘BB’ because he thought his real name was too difficult for people to remember (‘BB’ was derived from the size of lead shot he used to shoot geese).

Among his children’s books are Bill Badger’s Voyage to the World’s End and Monty Woodpig’s Caravan, but BB’s best-known work was The Little Grey Men, which won him a Carnegie Medal for the best children’s book of 1942. It tells the story of the last four gnomes left in England who live in a burrow beneath an old oak tree beside a stream called Folly Brook. Despite the entreaties of Dodder, two of the others (Sneezewort and Baldmoney) build a boat and travel upstream in search of their brother, Cloudberry, who has gone exploring and not returned. The story tells of the many exciting and hair-raising adventures they have on their quest and the different creatures they meet along the way, including a kingfisher, heron, fish and a dog.

The BB Society has been set up to remember the life and times of BB and further his extraordinary canon of work, see www.bbsociety.co.uk for more information.

A premier league country park

Brixworth is one of Northamptonshire County Council’s most popular country parks. Quite apart from the walking route around Pitsford Water, there’s a huge children’s play area, sensory garden, nature trails and a barbecue area. The more energetic can opt for the trim trail, book a session with the sailing school or hire a bike for a day. To that end, be aware that the circuit of the reservoir is popular with cyclists and although the track is wide enough to accommodate all users stay alert for the sound of bells.

From the Willow Café, part of the country park visitor complex, walk down the path to the left of the car park, signposted ‘Jack’s Wood’ and ‘Bottom Pond’. Go past the barbecue area and branch left on the main path. After the bird hide fork left by a pond among trees and then veer right, following red waymarkers, for great views across Pitsford Water. Continue ahead past the Northamptonshire Fire & Rescue Service memorial and then go right and right again, still following the red waymarkers, underneath wooden arches, and at the end turn right down to a gate.

Turn left on to the main track around the reservoir. Follow this obvious and popular route past Brixworth Wood and on as it weaves its way alongside the shore, past areas known as The Cliffs and The Gorse. Continue all the way to the car park and picnic benches at the Causeway, where an ice cream van is often stationed on summer weekends and bank holidays.

Walk through the car park and turn right to cross the causeway alongside the road (wide pavement). On the left Pitsford Water continues as a nature conservation area. When you reach the far side turn right to resume the trail, signposted Stone Barn Bay and The Gravels.

Continue all the way along the southern shore of the reservoir, past a couple of wide inlets and with extensive views back across the water, until you get to a small wooded area called The Pines. Beyond this you swing left away from Pitsford Water to emerge on Grange Lane. 

Turn right and walk 100yds (91m) and at the far side of a short causeway turn right again to continue the off-road track. Follow this down to the dam and walk across the top of this huge construction to the far side.

Go left and then almost immediately right, around the back of Northampton Watersports Centre (home to the local sailing club) and follow this route back to the wide grassy slope by the children’s play area. The car park and visitor complex are nearby.