Length: 17¾ km (11.0 miles). Toughness: 2/10
10:13 Peterborough train from Kings Cross (Finsbury Park 10:19), arriving Arlesey at 10:50†.
Trains back from Sandy to Kings X are hourly at xx:13. Buy a return to Sandy.
This ‘new’ walk is really a thinly-disguised version of another walk in the opposite direction, with some differences in the route but also plenty of overlap. I was nudged into publishing it because (a) the RSPB have now opened a well-stocked café in their nature reserve which you'll pass at tea-time, and (b) noticing CAMRA's “Bedfordshire Pub of the Year 2025” on Sandy's High Street, five minutes beyond the station.
At the start of this easy walk you'll have the River Hiz for company before passing one of the Champneys chain of health spas. Later in the morning a long stretch alongside the River Ivel brings you to Jordans Mill, a “food heritage attraction” which is worth a look even if you choose not to have lunch in its large Riverside Café. The alternative lunch places (and picnic spot) are half an hour further on in the market town of Biggleswade, with a choice of pubs, cafés and restaurants.
The afternoon section goes across Biggleswade Common to a contrasting landscape of heathland and woodland on a low hill, The Lodge (the RSPB reserve, with its café). At the end of the walk there's a traditional pub across the road from Sandy station but if you're not pressed for time I'd suggest checking out the Sir William Peel, opposite the parish church on the High Street.
† If you miss this train and take the one an hour later I suggest doing the walk's shorter start from Biggleswade, a loop out to Jordans Mill. You should get there at about the same time as the main group.
Please bring the directions from the L=swc.457 page. #2026-07-26T10:50
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An all-male group of #5 assembled on the platform at Arlesey for a gentle ramble northwards. A cluster of giant fans outside Biggleswade generated a welcoming breeze on a #warm-and-mostly-sunny day. Still no rain.
We paused briefly outside Champneys in case any walkers had taken the train an hour earlier in order to fit in a pampering session, but none appeared so we pressed on. The cattle on Henlow Common weren't in the mood to bother us and the permissive riverside path from Langford wasn't as overgrown as it has been in previous years, so we reached Jordans without incident. One was tempted by the brunch on offer and the rest combined a drink with a wander around the nicely-presented Mill Garden.
At Biggleswade the continuation of the riverside path was closed for repairs so we were forced to take the route through the town, which resulted in a second lunch stop at the Crown. An extra pizza mysteriously arrived with our meals and was quickly devoured before the staff could correct their mistake.
Onwards then to The Lodge, where two walkers with evening commitments took a direct route through the nature reserve in order to catch the 1613. The others took the prescribed meandering route which included tea'n'cake at the new RSPB Café. With twenty minutes to spare before the next train we strolled up the High Street but decided we couldn't really justify an hour-long fourth refreshment break at Sandy's CAMRA-approved pub. After a few wistful looks we returned to catch the 1713. A very enjoyable day.
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