Saturday 15th May Pegsdon Hills, 5.5 miles, 4 ramblers led by Ruth

A dismal weather forecast. But the drizzle stopped just as we set off. We by-passed Deacon Hill which would have been muddy and slippery after last night's rain and headed North down the lovely grassy path, with excellent views of the hills and valleys. We saw the Longbarrow clearly above Knocking Knoll nature reserve but didn't go into the reserve as planned as rain was threatened and instead had a short coffee break near the tumulus. After re-crossing the road we had our lunch in two pairs sitting back to back on convenient tree stumps. We returned to the cars at 1pm, having done only 5.5 of the planned 8 miles. It was a good decision: we had had a lovely walk and we hadn't long been driving home when the heavens opened and it poured with rain! 

I shall put the full walk back on the programme next April, and we SHALL find the pasque flowers!

Thursday 13th May   Aspley Heath -  5 miles led by Tony R 

We parked in the car park off Longslade Lane, 6 cars with a club member in each car as we are still not allowed to car share. The walk started in slight drizzle which soon abated. We walked eastwards past the dried up ponds to join the main drag just before Fullers Earth Lodge. Soon after this crossed the A5130 Newport Road and entered Aspley Wood. We continued along the well defined track with yellow flowering gorse on both sides. Just after the fenced in disused quarry we turned right to join the wide path along the ridge.

On the reccy walk we had stopped there for our coffee break but after due consideration we felt it was not very suitable so we continued to exit the wood almost in Woburn Sands. We again crossed the A5130 and also Church Road before walking along Hardwick Road which we crossed. We stopped to admire the marked out distance on Greg Rutherford's winning 2012 Olympic Games Long Jump. Here we stopped on several benches within Mowbury Green to enjoy our coffee break. After this we crossed the road to walk up Woodland Way past allotments to enter Wavenden Wood  

Tony P, Beryl, Bob, Penny & Hilary at the entrance to Wavenden Wood

 

After many twists and turns this path led out on to Church Road, Bow Brickhill which we crossed to walk along a wide path with golfers on each side. We had to stop here to don waterproofs as the rain started again. We turned left off this track to walk along a narrow path through the Duchess Course to cross the road onto the footpath which passes the newest course, the Marquess course. After a short distance we turned left and followed the path down to Longslade Lane which we crossed. The men found a gap in the fence to re-enter the woods and hence followed the path back to the car park. However the ladies found it difficult to climb the bank so walked along the lane to the car park entrance.

Track of walk, walked in anti-clockwise direction

 

 Thursday 6th May Henlow/Langford  5 miles led by John Dixon

We parked next to Henlow church and walked past Henlow Academy then the Boyd Scout campsite where Tony remembered taking some Scouts camping many years ago. We then passed several fishing lakes let out to various local angling clubs. 

John D, Malcolm, Maureen, Ged, Jenny, Hilary & Tony R

We then followed the river Ivel and saw many houses whose gardens backed on the the river at Seal Bank. Here we saw a lady feeding a pair of swans together with their cygnets.

We then came to Langford Mill where we saw water rushing out of the mill race.

The walkers overlooking the mill race.

This was the half way point of our walk and therefore we had a coffee break here before returning along the river path to meet a road opposite a garden centre. As we were undecided whether to enter or not we decided  to continue on a footpath on the opposite side of the lakes. This led to Henlow Millenium Meadow where kingfishers are suppose to abound. However the only one we saw was a wooden one.

The wooden kingfisher.

After leaving the lovely meadow we passed through the churchyard to arrive back at our cars. All in all a very enjoyable walk which was new to most of us for which we thank John.

Track of the walk, generally walked anti-clockwise

 

Sat  1^st May 2021

 

Circular Walk from Flitwick to Steppingly and back to Flitwick. 5 miles.

Leader Nita McCarthy

 

Six ladies met at 10 am. We were all pleased to see each other again.

We crossed the fields ( part of The John Bunyon Way) into Steppingly village where we had a rest and studied the map to see our route. We walked through The Moor Plantation and skirted Centre Parks as we walked through Millbrook Warren. We crossed Fordfield Road to walk across the new plantations and saw a number of Deer very well camouflaged, feeding in the ploughed field..

We passed through the new estate  to get back to our starting point

 

Saturday 10^th April 2021

 

Circular walk from Maulden Village Church to Ampthill.  41/2 miles.

Leader Nita McCarthy

 

Seven Walkers enjoyed an easy paced walk. The weather was cool to start with and gradually became warmer. It was nice to be with friends that we had not seen for quite a while.

We had our coffee break in Kingswood. A sudden hailstone shower moved us into the wood to continue with our walk. The bluebelles were just becoming visible.

Past Brickhill Pastures and onto Limbersey Lane and back down to Maulden

 Saturday 1st May Flitwick / Steppingley - 5.5 miles led by Nita

We parked in Ryder Way off Steppingley Road, Flitwick which we crossed to walk the path across the fields, parallel to Flitwick woods.

Joan, Anne, Linda, Nita and Anna

Anna, Nita, Anne, Linda & Joan. (Photos by Hilary)

We turned right towards Steppingley, walked past Steppingley Church, then along Rectory Road. We stopped for coffee at the T junction where Rectory Road turns left to Cobblers Lane. However we turned right at that T junction, walked round Center Parcs and crossed Fordfield Road. We then walked towards the railway line and along Katherines Walk back to the Flitwick housing estate from which we started.