Places to visit on route Chichester to Barrowden near Oakham in Rutland

Belenus

I have posted this in both Motoring and UK Holidays as there are two rather different questions.

Please post recommendations for either routes or places to visit in either thread.

On Monday we are travelling from Chichester in West Sussex to Barrowden near Oakham in Rutland. We are looking for an interesting place to visit about half way on our route for a few hours and are happy to travel a fair bit further for that.

The AA route planner suggests A3, M25, M1 to J13, A421, A1, A47. 3 hours 1 minute 166 miles. This appears to take a long curve eastwards for the last section.

A more direct route would appear to be M1 to J15 then A45, A43 to Kettering then A6003 and A47. AA says this is 3 hours 24 mins 158 miles.

We have also considered A27, M27, M3 to Winchester, A34 via Oxford and then A41 across to the M1 etc.

We are members of the National Trust and English Heritage but cannot see anywhere on those routes that is open on a Monday that we have not already visited although we have identified a few possibilities for our return trip on Friday.

Can anyone suggest a place on any of those routes. We like visiting Castles, Stately Homes, Wildlife Parks etc.

Also any suggestions for interesting places to visit and things to do around Rutland, We are spending four days in a rented house with two other couples that we holiday with every year. We like good pubs and restaurants, country walks, interesting villages and towns etc.

All comments and suggestions welcome.

Thanks

p00hsticks

I'm not familiar with the places you've mentioned, but I've got the route up myself on the AA route planner.

I don't know if it would appeal, but Bletchely park looks to be about halfway ?

https://bletchleypark.org.uk/

Belenus

Thanks but we did Bletchley Park a few years ago.

We would highly recommend it. A very interesting day out.

Lavendyr

Around Rutland, do visit Burghley House and Gardens, really beautiful. Rutland Water has lots of lovely walks and Rutland Falconry and Owl Centre is great too - https://www.rutland-falconry.com/.

On the way - Woburn Abbey and parklands are pretty to walk around. If you have any interest in literature (particularly poetry), then a short detour to Olney for the Cowper museum might be worthwhile? Nearby Emberton Country Park is quite nice too. 

If you take the A1 route then Grafham Water could also be an option?

Hope you have a lovely trip