Rotary Walk from Delapre Abbey

Rotary Walk

Thursday January 17th 2019

Delapre Abbey, London Road

Northampton

NN4 8AW

TEL: 01604 760817

We’ll meet at Delapre Abbey car park for a 10.30 start.

The walk will be around the park and the University, of a length dependant on weather, underfoot conditions and the fitness of Rotarians - after the holiday excesses!

Lunch will be in the Abbey.

Brian May

Academia and Birdlife

When I woke this morning, there was snow on the ground and the temperature was less than zero.  But nothing stops hardy Rotarians and ten of us gathered at Delapre Abbey carpark for the first walk of 2019. Most were on time to order their lunches and the tenth arrived just as we were about to hear the H & S briefing.

The walk crossed part of the Abbey grounds (identifying a jay en route) and onto the new University campus.  We admired the new buildings as we circumnavigated the site on the perimeter path, pausing by the Avon building for a photo stop next to the curious metal figures outside.   Next place of interest was the growing new International Leather Centre, before re-entering Delapre Park for a muddy walk around the lake.  Plenty of water birds were spotted, including two herons opposite the jet ski centre.   Surprisingly, none of us had previously been along this lake.

We returned to the Abbey past the golf course and detoured for a quick visit to the walled garden where we failed to identify the specimens of topiary.

Lunch was in the Orangery café where a sizeable number of walkers and joining lunchers braved the sausage and mash with bubble and squeak croquette. Doubtless they sped home!

As the Walker of the Month trophy was (again) unavailable, it could not be presented but it was agreed to nominate Elspeth so that she could replace the knitted hat which once adorned “Chris”.

Next walk is February 15th.

Walkmeister Brian May