Length 19.5km (11.6 m) Difficulty 4/10
This stile-free walk reversed direction a year or two ago, and now starts from Biggleswade. The route skirts Old Warden Aerodrome (home to the Shuttleworth Collection of historic planes), then continues through the wooded Warden Warren to the suggested lunch pub in the picturesque village of Old Warden. Later, you pass the richly decorated Abbey Church of St Leonards and join the Greensand Ridge walk which you follow towards the River Ivel and the town of Sandy, passing through another attractive village, Northill on the way.
Trains: Get the Thameslink from London Kings Cross (platform 8 at 10:13 (Finsbury Park 10:19) arriving Biggleswade 1056.
Trains return from Sandy at xx:15. Get a return to Sandy.
Lunch: the Hare and Hounds, Old Warden (01767 627225). Booking advised.
About 400m after Old Warden, St Leonards churchyard is recommended as a picnic stop
Tea: The Bell, Sandy. (You also pass near the Crown in Northill (01767 627337) - a little too early for tea, but it’s never too early for beer).
Directions: here.We are doing Biggleswade to Sandy, option M. t=swc.264
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N=3 (although a 4th was seen following the same route).
Despite lowering skies, a w=breezy-dry-sometimes_sunny day, perfect for walking.
Deer darted in front of us and raptors hovered. Strange fungi were spotted.
After a quick look at Queen Anne’s summerhouse, the Hare and Hounds beckoned. Just drinks for us. There was a picnic stop later at St Leonard’s, which was open again. Snakes still on the pew. (Other elaborate carvings visible). There was a bit of dawdling pm as blackberries and apples were collected (mainly for the benefit of yours truly),this later resulted in a hurried pace for the train. The nearer we got, the further we still had to go. We didn’t want to just miss it and have to spend an hour in the pub. God forbid!
Anyway, we got the 17:15 with just minutes to spare, (There was a suspicion the walk was longer than described, but that might just be my poor creaky old legs). All agreed, however, it was a grand day out.
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