DAC is away
Length: 25.6 km (15.9 mi)
Ascent/Descent: 135m
Net Walking Time: about 5 ½ hours
Toughness: 3/10
Take the 09.15 Corby train from London St. Pancras’s East Midlands
Railway platforms (calls Luton Airport Parkway 09.37), arrives Bedford 09.55.
Alternatively, the 08.51 Thameslink train to Bedford gets
you to Bedford for 09.52.
Fast Return trains are on xx.10 and xx.41.
Thameslink services to Brighton depart every 15 minutes.
Boundary Zone 6 Tickets are not valid on
the EMR trains!
An almost entirely flat walk which takes you North of Bedford, never far
from the Great Ouse or the John Bunyan Trail. You follow the river out of
Bedford, then pass through the interesting villages of Biddenham, Bromham and
Stevington. This is followed by the best riverside section, leading to
Pavenham. You visit the more modern developments of Oakley and Clapham, but the
return to Bedford is largely through woods and parks and takes you past a wide
selection of cafes in the pedestrianised town centre.
Walk Options:
A shortcut is described from Stevington to Clapham (reducing
the distance by 5.9 km), which starts well but once over the Great Ouse it is
largely on road and also misses out the best parts of the main walk.
Any number of buses offer dropouts in the 2nd
half of the walk. See the webpage, the pdf and the route map for details.
Lunch: The
Royal George, Stevington (11.1 km) or The Bedford
Arms, Oakley (17.9 km, 600m off route).
Tea: Many places in Bedford. See the webpage or the pdf for details.
For a summary, photos, height profile, gpx/kml files and the walk directions pdf click here. T=swc.426
4 comments:
2 important points on this walk.
On Section 4, para 4, a reliable source of Germanic origin has come up with alternative directions which will reduce the road walking ahead. I haven't checked this out myself, so for all I know there could be unexploded land mines, but here is the new route:
The path follows the field boundary right and left, twice, then in 450 metres runs close to the river again. In 350m, just after the field boundary has veered to the left and with the sound of passing traffic along a road ahead, turn right through a gap in the boundary growth and through a narrow belt of trees along an (unmarked at this end) Permissive Path. In 20m go through a couple of metal gates either side of a plank bridge across a ditch with JBT markers on each gate and continue across a pasture in the same direction, with a wood away to the right. In 60m turn left along the river, still in the pasture. The road heard earlier is becoming more and more audible as it converges with the river and in 600m you go through a metal kissing gate into a wooded belt. In 25m pass a 'Permissive Path' note on a post, cross a plank bridge and go up some steps to the road level. Turn right along a tarmac pavement to immediately cross Stafford Bridge over the Great Ouse, with views of a railway viaduct to the left.
On lunch, the trouble with the Bedford Arms is it involves a long out and back road detour. I would urge pub goers to try the Roya George at Stevington. They don't normally do food but are opening by special arrangement so it would be good to make it worth their while. They have asked us to phone from Bedford with numbers and if possible orders. I have listed the menu below so you can make your pick
Lunch Menu
Scampi, Whitebait Served with Chips and Peas, Gammon served with Chips and Eggs, Beef Lasagne, Vegetarian Lasagne Served with Salad and Garlic bread, Cajun Spiced Chicken, Meat Balls in a spicy tomato sauce, Rack of Ribs,
Bratwurst with Fried Onions Served with Chips and Salad or Onion Rings
Sandwiches: Bacon and Brie, Coronation Chicken Sandwich,
Pastrami, Cheese (Onion/Pickle/Tomato), Ham (Tomato/Mustard)
Chips, Cheesy Chips
I managed to do some of this walk today and the part I experienced was excellent.Windmills and ancient water Mills and the River Ouse. Well up to the usual excellent standards we have been lucky enough to enjoy as Saturday Walkers.Well done Mike Jane
Only 4 of us on this walk and only 2 went to the pub at Stevington, which had opened early for our benefit. We navigated without the aid of the sun and tried out some improvements, including the riverside path to Stafford Bridge and a path through the cemetery in Bedford. The start and finish are very suburban, but in between some good walking. We got back to Bedford station at 4.20, so 6 1/4 hours including lunch.
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