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Northamptonshire is one of the region's most diverse counties - so diverse in fact that even many Midlanders can't recall what is actually in it and what isn't. With justification, its superabundance of stately homes and historic churches enables it to style itself as the "County of Spires and Squires". It also holds a scattering of charming villages, the most picturesque of which, untouched by all but the vaguest sniff of the twentieth century, are built of local limestone. By contrast, however, three of the county's four big towns - Wellingborough, Corby and Kettering - are primarily industrial and whatever charms they offer to their inhabitants, there's not much to attract the regular tourist. Yet the fourth town, Northampton , does something to bridge the gap, its busy centre possessed of several fine old buildings and an excellent museum devoted to shoemaking, the industry that has long made the place tick. Gentle hills, farmland and patchy woodland stretch right across the county with the A508 forming an easy if arbitrary dividing line - separating west Northamptonshire from the slightly larger east Northamptonshire. The prime target in the former is Althorp , family home of the Spencers and the burial place of Diana, Princess of Wales. East Northamptonshire's star turn is the good-looking country town of Oundle , which makes the best base for visiting the delightful hamlet of Fotheringhay . The county also has a notable long-distance footpath , the seventy-mile Nene Way, which follows the looping course of the river right across the county. Nene Way brochures are available at or from Northampton Tourist Office. Getting to Northampton by public transport is no problem, but to reach the villages and stately homes, you'll mostly need your own vehicle - or some careful planning around infrequent bus services.
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