SWC Walk 231a –Flitwick Circular (short walk)
Length: 17.3 km (10.8 mi) (longer walk possible, see below)
Ascent/Descent:
141 m; Net Walking Time: ca. 4 hours
Toughness:
2 out of 10
Take
the 10.04 Bedford train from
St. Pancras I’nal (lower level
platforms) [West Hampstead Thameslink 10.11], arrives Flitwick
10.53. The train also calls at all the usual Thameslink stations from East
Croydon (09.25) via Blackfriars (09.54) to Farringdon
(09.59).
Return
trains:
up to 5 an hour (from 43 minutes journey time to St. Pancras).
For the full 24.4 km walk take the train an hour earlier, and meet the group at the lunch pub in Clophill, a rtn ticket for that train is £18,60, railcards don't apply.
This
Central Bedfordshire walk just north of the easterly end of the Chilterns
initially follows the tranquil Flit River along the shady wooded fringes of
Flitwick Moor, one of the most important wetland sites in the south east of
England, and then veers away from the river through a couple of quiet villages,
en route passing the Grade I-listed De Grey Mausoleum in Flitton. This is
followed by a stretch through rolling fields with views to the Greensand Ridge.
After
lunch in Clophill it’s up on to the Greensand Ridge for a long stretch through
and along Maulden Wood, at times with far views south to the Chiltern Hills.
The highlight of the return route from Maulden to Flitwick is the passage
through Flitton and Flitwick Moors, including a stretch along a narrow path
through the very heart of Flitwick Moor.
Lunch is in Clophill, either at the The Flying Horse or the Green Man Italian Restaurant (both 7.2
km/4.5 mi) or at The Stone Jug (a little off-route, at 7.8 km/4.8 mi). For tea
en-route (or late lunch) there is The White Hart in Maulden (12.3 km/7.7 mi, food to 14.30).
For tea in Flitwick The
Crown is recommended (700m from the station, but possibly closed
for the afternoon when we get there), as is The
Lounge Coffee Shop, just beyond the station (open to 17.30).
For
walk directions, map, height profile, photos and gpx/kml
files click here.
Next
Week: SWC 5 Wadhurst Circular (via Bewl Water) 16.8 km 5/10 (longer version possible)
T=swc.231.a
4 comments:
aiming for the 9.00 train (arrives 9.42) to walk the full walk
Thinking of doing the full walk.
Planning to catch the 10-04 hrs train.
14 alighted from the posted train, to set out on the short version of today's walk, with the walk author one hour ahead doing the 15 mile "Full Monty" version, so that made n=15, including one first timer.
Weather w=very-mild-and-sunny with no rain. Some muddy paths beside the River Flit in the morning but nothing too bad, although in deep winter making progress in muddier conditions will be hard work. Our regular Wednesday walker and boatswain took us off piste later in the morning (too much chat and not enough concentration on the directions !!) but after some road walking we were soon back on route, across fields, and over the A6 road, into the village of Clophill and the Flying Horse pub, where the walk author was patiently
waiting for us short walkers to join him for luncheon. Just 3 of us partook of the fare on offer, served by friendly staff (although drinks took a while to arrive). Most of our sandwich eaters headed off before the diners were ready, although 2 did stay back, so 5 of us set out together on the afternoon leg, still in mild and sunny conditions. The section on the Greensand Ridge through Maulden Wood, with trees now bare but with a thick floor covering of colourful leaves, was particularly nice, followed by two nature reserves and the re-appearance of the River Flit, before a final stretch over Flitwick Moor as the sun was setting. Tea or a pint for some in the Swan pub, next to the railway station, before we kept our appointment with the 17-00 hrs train back to London.
A walk of pleasant variety in mild and sunny conditions, lovely nature reserves, a good water feature, and the usual excellent mid-week company, made it not too bad a day.
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