Length: 16.7 km (10.4 mi)
Ascent/Descent:
104m
Net
Walking Time: 3 ½ hours
Toughness:
1 out of 10
Take
the 10.10 Chester train from
London Euston, arrives Milton
Keynes Central 10.40.
Return
trains
are numerous, journey time from 34 minutes. Buy a Milton Keynes Central return.
To
(belatedly) celebrate the 50-year anniversary of its declaration as a New Town,
this walk through Milton Keynes (or
MK, as it’s passionately called) surveys as much the cultural and architectural
highlights of this candidate for European Capital of Culture 2023, as well as the
many other sites of interest. Find out how good British town planning can be
when starting from scratch in a place with virtually no history at all! From
151 residents to 270.000 in just 50 years, there must be something to it!
Although
first mentioned in the Domesday Book
in 1086, and with remains of a Benedictine
Priory and a celebrated ancient motte-and-bailey
site (the Shenley Toot), it is now more famous for its
roundabouts (all 124 of them, we will pass a selection of the 10 types of roundabouts present in MK, especially the acclaimed magic roundabout and the Hamburger throughabout) and concrete cows (passed en route, of course), as
well as its five pyramid-shaped
buildings (all passed en route), giving rise to the theory that MK is the HQ of the Illuminati (for further
evidence of strange going ons: the Boulevard in the centre also seems to be
aligned with the Summer Solstice sunrise).
But
there are plenty of other sights to fetch your interest: Bletchley Park, the birthplace of
modern computing, 22 million trees, more bridges than Venice, and the well
preserved historic Milton
Keynes village centre.
After
a long stretch along the Grand Union
Canal and the quietly meandering River Great Ouse, we’ll briefly link up with a tour
guide from the Twentieth Century Society, who will give us
expert insight into the global significance of MK’s architecture, especially
its confusing grid road system, endless linear streets and monolithic soulless office
blocks reminiscent of Soviet era planning, as well as its listed shopping centre (one of more than 2.000 listed
buildings, no less), the biggest theatre outside London, Britain’s biggest snow dome and the atmospheric bus station.
Lunch: either at the very
traditional, quintessential, quiet English pub The Flying Shuttle in the Bolton suburb
of MK (8.0 km/5.0 mi, some food of sorts to 13.48) or at The Swan Inn in Milton Keynes Village (10.4 km/6.5 mi, “Best pub in the Southeast 2016”, food all day).
Tea: several options on Anagram Street in Central MK,
recommended are Money Tinkles, Lemoney Stink and Silent Monkey.
8 comments:
I've just slipped on a cowpat!
Oh dear! I hope it hadn't set.
With two interesting new walks already posted for today, perhaps we don't need any others. Whadja think?
Third walk please. Classic SWC walk would be nice!
The Flying Shuttle may have received some bad press in the past, but it has now turned itself around and is well known for its fish dishes. Its 'Poisson d'Avril' (I don't know how to put a link in a comment, but Google it) has been described as "unbelievable" by one critic and "simply incredible" by another. You have to get to the pub before midday to order it, however
reg. "Poisson d'Avril": amazing stuff; getting my paper fish ready for Saturday.
One thinks of the English as eccentric, but they have nothing on the French...
Was it just me on this walk? Caught the train half an hour later than the one advertised, having slept in, and then blundered around trying to find the group. Lots of grass, underpasses, tarmac paths, car parks and roundabouts. Distant houses and offices appearing like mirages over the horizon. I couldn't find any pubs but finally found the shopping centre where I had a cheese and onion slice (don't look at the sat fat content) in Greggs, washed down with a cup of tea. I did some shopping in Primark and caught the 3.30 train home.
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