Length: 14.7 km (9.1 miles)
Toughness: 2 out of 10 Mostly level walking today
London Euston: 09-24 hrs West Midlands service to Northampton Watford Junction: 09-39 hrs
Arrive Bletchley: 10-12 hrs Change trains
Leave Bletchley: 10-20 hrs West Midlands service to Bedford
Arrive Bow Brickhill: 10-27 hrs
Return: Leighton Buzzard to Euston: 15-54, 16-09, 16-34, 16-54. 17-08, 17-34, 17-54, 18-08 hrs and later
Rail ticket: Buy a day return to Bow Brickhill
With a bit of luck we should catch the last of the leaf colour from the oaks and beeches in Rushmere Park, after lunch in Great Brickhill.
Leaving Bow Brickhill railway station we soon find ourselves in Back Wood, where many a SWC walker has got lost. It can also be muddy at this time of year, but no matter, if we can extricate ourselves from this maze we soon find ourselves heading through Buttermilk and Duncombe Woods, where the going is much easier. Lunch is taken in the village of Great Brickhill at the Old Red Lion pub, which serves good quality, honest pub grub in a comfortable setting.
After lunch we enjoy a leg through Rushmere Park, with its oak and beech trees, then we walk above the River Ouzel before crossing water meadows (hopefully not waterlogged today - if they are there is another route described in the Directions) to come out beside the Grand Union canal. An early tea can be taken here (the offerings in Leighton Buzzard are poor) at the Globe Inn. Then we conclude today's walk by walking along the tow path next to the canal all the way to Leighton Buzzard. The walk through town to the railway station is grim but fortunately it does not last long.
T=1.41
Walk Directions are here: L=1.41
1 comment:
n=11 of us on today's walk. It was w=overcast-and-cloudy-all-day, with the sun taking another day off, but no matter - it was very mild for the time of year, and pleasant for a late autumn day's walking. We were doing well in Back Wood, negotiating the tricky bits and on course to come up to the sequoia trees, when we were stopped by a shoot, linked to the Duke of Bedford's estate. An officious, rather rude shooter prevented us from continuing on our way along the public footpath through the woods as he said we would be encroaching on the shoot. Now whilst guns were seen stationed at their pegs, there was no sign of beaters and it looked as though the shoot was some way off from starting. But as we were "out-gunned", so to speak, we opted to make a strategic retreat and we took an alternative route onwards. Now the shoot organisers may well have obtained an official closure of the footpath for the day, but methinks if they had done so they should have displayed closure signs at the start of and along the footpath. Whilst some in our party took exception at this, the rest of us accepted the situation, and we continued on our walk, with a twisted smile.
Back Wood for once was not too muddy, and conditions underfoot for most of the walk were good all day. We managed to get through Buttermilk and Duncombe Woods without being stopped and we arrived at the Old Red Lion pub in Great Brickhill bang on time for our luncheon bookings. 8 of us enjoyed a very good lunch, served with a smile, which always helps, whilst our 3 sandwichers opted to continue on their walk after their picnic. We did not see them again - I hope they enjoyed the afternoon leg of their walk.
During the morning we did not see any other walkers or dog walkers - just the shooting party. But post prandial the route through Rushmere Park was busy with walkers, families out and dog walkers and it was so nice to see so many enjoying these lovely woods. So far I have not mentioned leaf colour. Well, we enjoyed the last of this year's glorious colour displays, above in the canopy on the trees and on the floor - for much of today's route. A delight.
The enjoyable afternoon passed without incident and we arrived at the Globe pub shortly after 3 pm to take tea and refreshments before continuing along the canal into dreary Leighton Buzzard. A fast train took us back to London in no time.
I believe all enjoyed today's autumn walk in very good SWC company - well, I certainly did.
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