Birdingbury to Stockton and Southam

NCN48 (Southbound) is intended to join NCN41 at the North East end of the Birdingbury section of old railway line (SP448707) and run conjoined with it for a little over 3 km to the approach to the bridge over the minor road into Birdingbury. See top photograph for current NCN41 signage. From here it should eventually continue along the railway line to the old junction near Snowford but currently this path (seen disappearing into the distance) is cyclable for only 250 metres. For the time being, therefore, NCN48 continues along the existing (marked) route of NCN41 through Birdingbury and on to the Grand Union Canal at the small Marina east of Long Itchington, thence west along the canal towpath to Long Itchington. From there it turns south towards Harbury. The prospect of an new off-road route between Stockton and Southam allows for a second alternative for NCN48 from the Marina to Harbury. Under this option, NCN48 would turn left onto the canal towpath (instead of right) to pass under the A426 road. The second photograph shows the view looking back towards the bridge under the A426. To the right of the camera is an exit from the towpath (which deteriorates at this point going SE) onto the minor road which parallels the canal. The route follows this road which is narrow and tree lined to a tee junction. Turning right and subsequently right twice more takes the rider into village of Stockton. At the western periphery of the village a footpath leads from St Michael's Crescent to a Playing Field and on to Southam. The third photograph shows the commencement of the footpath, looking west. It is proposed to bring this footpath up to shared path standard so that cyclists could access Southam from Stockton without using the fast running A426.

On this visit time did not permit further investigation of the footpath nor to discover its western termination in Southam.