At 10am on a lovely October sunny morning, 9 adults, 4 children and 3 dogs set off from Moggerhanger House on the Thornton Walk – a circular walk from Moggerhanger to Blunham – and back!

We walked out through the park and down onto Park Road, crossing the A603 and joining the public footpath network.  We passed through several fields and over a plank bridge before being met (and rescued, we were about to go in the wrong direction) by Rosalie Lamburn.  Rosalie met us near the sloe hedgerow planted at the time of the 1796 enclosures. 

We continued on along the footpath to another ancient hedgerow which marks the boundary of the Domesday Book Chalton Manorial Demesne (pronounced desmesne), bounded by a deep ditch, it is unchanged since the Norman Conquest in 1066!  Rosalie pointed out Charlton Manor Farmhouse (her home) before we continued downhill along the road to Charlton Terrace. 

We rejoined the public footpath across the field, stopping in the middle to see the embankment of the old railway system, now used as part of the cycle network.  We crossed the cycle path to pass through a short tunnel under the old railway.  We began to pass through the first of many kissing gates on the next part of our journey.  We saw the old Nissan huts which were part of the WWII farm holiday camp.  We continued through a few more kissing gates and fields.  In view of Blunham Church, we turned right towards the weir.  This is the point at which the stone for Moggerhanger House would have terminated its watery journey before being transferred to horse and cart for the final journey up the hill to The Park.  (We of course carried on!)

We crossed the weir bridge and turned left (through another kissing gate) and continued to follow the Kingfisher Way footpath which is now running alongside the river itself.  This section of the river is very peaceful, but very fast flowing.  We eventually came to the end of this beautiful section, ending at the twin bridges next to Blunham Mill (recently restored).

We now took the roadway back in to the village of Blunham, passing the post office and the ‘pound’.  We walked along the High Street passing the village school, named after John Dunne who was once the rector of our next stop, Blunham Church (St Edmund or St James).  The church dates back to the 11th Century.  We also paid a visit to the Thornton mausoleum (build in 1805/6) which is situated behind the church.  Many of the Thornton family are laid to rest here.  It is in need of some urgent care and attention! 

After our stop, we took a walk up the hill passing the butchers and then took a left turn heading back towards Moggerhanger.  Back up the hill to Charlton, where Rosalie & her husband Graham met us again and welcomed us all in to their home, with a very welcoming log fire and an even more welcome cup of tea!  Warmed and refreshed, we all moved on (before getting too comfortable and seizing up!) the final push (up the hill!) to Moggerhanger, passing the village lower school and St John the Evangelist Church, a memorial to Elizabeth Dawkins' husband who died in 1859.  (The Dawkins family resided at Moggerhanger House following the Thornton’s departure).

Across the road and into Park Road, heading towards the Sue Ryder hospice care home, a right at the pond and the final straight back to the house!

All who started finished, and all, I think it fair to say, were pleased to have taken part, but pleased it was over, jubilant in their achievement to have finished the six mile walk.

To date, we have received £345 in hard cash/pledges with some more to come in. On behalf of the participants and to all our supporters a very BIG thank you.  Watch out in the grounds in the months to come for the benches/seats that this money will fund and if you would still like to give you can!

The Walkers:  Carrie, Mike, Hollie, Jordan & Connor the dog, Tracy, Andrew, Charlotte & Alex, Jim, Pam & Charlie the dog, Helen, Marcus, Isabelle and Trigger the dog!