When this track peters out by a bridge, turn left with the fence and hedge on your right. Shortly afterwards, ignore the green track to your right and enter the next field. You should see a white gate on the far side: follow the path to the gate and cross the railway line. On the other side of the tracks, now in Northamptonshire, walk up the field, with a copse on the right. Follow the path to a bridge, cross the River Welland and immediately take the right-hand path, with the river on your right At a second path junction, keep right, following the river.

You pass a pumping station before walking through a tunnel under the A1 (in the middle of the tunnel the noise is deliciously silenced) to enter Rutland.Follow the riverside track for half a mile. Just before London Inn, turn right up to Red Lion Square, where you can pause to admire All Saints' Church.Bear left to walk along All Saints' Street. Continue for half a mile and turn left, opposite Petergate, down Austin Friars Lane and alongside the mill stream. Go through a gate on to the meadow and follow the diagonal path to join a riverside walk. This hike nips across four counties, passes a beautiful village and much scenery that is restful on the eye. Start in the town's cattle market car park. Turn left, taking the path across the river and meadows to the Lammas Bridge and Bath Row Turn right, with the mill stream on your right. At the end of the parking area, turn left into a narrow passage, signposted for the tourist office, which leads on to St Mary's Hill.

Turn left uphill, and left again into St Mary's Street and the church of St Mary, which has a magnificent 13th-century tower. Stamford's picturesque setting in gently rolling countryside, just west of the Fens, makes it an ideal base for walking. Otherwise, it is a quiet place with a mighty cathedral, cobbled streets and a large Viking ship museum. Andante Travels (01722 713 800; andantetravels.co.uk) offers a 10-day group holiday which takes in two nights at Roskilde where you can sail in a replica Viking boat From £1,850 per person.. The town of Stamford enjoys a location of huge historical importance.