A circular walk and cycle route taking in the villages of Lyddington and Stoke Dry.

The pretty ironstone villages of Stoke Dry and Lyddington are linked by more than just their south Rutland location. Today's quiet village streets hide an eventful past - a tale of bishops, bombs and bonfires.

Nearly 1000 years ago, the estates of Lyddington, Stoke Dry and Caldecott belonged to the great bishops of Lincoln, whose officials enjoyed visits to the bishop's palace built at Lyddington as well as hunting in the deer park to the north east of Stoke Dry.

During the 16th century, the great church estates were dismantled by Henry VIII, given or sold to new owners. In 1602 the Bishop's Palace in Lyddington became an almshouse, providing shelter for twelve poor men whilst Stoke Dry became renowned as the home of the Digby family, whose famous "son", Sir Everard Digby, was executed for his role in the 1605 Gunpowder plot.

More than 400 years later, the Lyddington and Stoke Dry skies were a temporary home to a squadron of Lancaster Bombers, practicing night-time bombing raids over the newly built Eyebrook Reservoir.

Walk approx 4 miles

Cycle Route: 10 miles.

Allow around 2 to 3 hours for the walk, more if you wish to visit the Bede House in Lyddington.

The Green, Main Street, Lyddington. Car parking along Main Street, Lyddington.

Walk: Mostly a mixture of footpaths and bridleways through fields. Short stretches of road and/or pavement in villages and along the A6003. Some steep hills and high stiles.
Cycle: Along metalled Roads, some hills. One short stretch of busy main road.

Lyddington - The Old White Hart

Lyddington - Marquess of Exeter

Caldecott - The Plough

Great Easton - Sun Inn

This route is covered by ordnance survey Explorer series Number 15 (234) and 224. Lyddington and Stoke Dry are located in the south of Rutland between Corby and Uppingham, off the A6003. There is a bus service to Lyddington - contact the RCC Transport officer on (01572) 758290 for details.