Saturday 26th November Harlington to Leagrave train station - 6 miles

Sue and Graeme led a 6 mile walk from Harlington Village Hall Car park. We were joined by 8 members walking to Leagrave train station where we caught the train back, with concerns due to train strikes, but luckily it didn’t effect us!

We headed off down Sundon Road taking a right through a muddy pathway onto the fields heading over towards the train line then walking along side it and walking through Harlington Spinney.

It was a pleasant walk through the trees although muddy in places, passing Sundon chalk pits on our right and eventually coming to upper Sundon for our coffee break in the recreation ground.

We then made our way down to a very busy Manor Road, Lower Sundon. Crossing carefully and heading towards Bluebell Woods where I spent many a happy days in my childhood and where we had our picnic overlooking Sundon Park. 

Lunch stop in the bluebell woods with Kate, Graeme, Richard, Tony P, Wendy, Janet, John & Beryl

After lunch we followed the bridleway up to Sundon Park water tower and found the trig point with a 5 Digit OS number without a prefix letter, which apparently is unusual. Ruth gave an interesting detailed account of a trig point .. thank you Ruth.

Ruth, Beryl, Richard, Kate, Wendy Tony P, John, Janet & Graeme by the water tower.

Janet, Ruth, Beryl, Sue & John by the trig point.

We then followed a pathway down through Marsh Farm housing estate built in the 1960s and walked through Spinney Woods which is the border between Marsh Farm and Sundon Park.

We passed Marsh Farm flats ‘ Five Springs’, Penhill and Lea Bank, now with blue cladding following a huge regeneration project, stopping at the source of the River Lea, known as Five Springs, and passing Wauluds Bank earthworks dating back to 3000BC.

The building at the edge of Wauluds Bank was a farm house know as Marsh Farm house. We were fortunate enough to go inside and see the work by volunteers to save the building from demolition. They have restored the well,  have weddings and a recording studio.

We then headed off to Leagrave train station for our train back to Harlington.

Track of walk, walked North > South

Thursday 24th November - Sharpenhoe Clappers walk led by Tony Roberts

This 4 mile walk was originally down to be led by Linda Billingham, unfortunately she was not able to lead it and therefore Tony R stepped in to lead the walk. 10 members attended the walk.
We started at 10 am from the small car park near the A6 roundabout in Streatley. We walked past the allotments and followed the track which is, at first, parallel to the A6. Due to the topographical nature of the land it bends many times whilst staying mainly flat. It eventually enters the NT site of Sharpenhoe Clappers via  a kissing gate. Here we turned left to avoid the steep rise into the beech woods which we then entered almost on the level. A rope swing was attached to a tree here which a couple of members tried out.

Ruth on the swing with Beryl watching

We followed the path round the perimeter of the woods before stopping for a water break at the northern end of the woods, 

 

We then walked along the narrow footpath with glorious views of Sharpenhoe village and Harlington before arriving at the NT car park where we used the picnic table and benches to partake of our refreshments. 

 

After our break we left the car park via a footpath parallel to the road before turning left and hence rejoining our previous path which led back to our cars.. Two of our members, who had walked in wellingtons, took the opportunity to clean them in a large puddle in the car park.

Beryl & Linda paddling

Track of walk, walked in anti-clockwise direction

Sunday 20th November - Maulden Woods 4.5 miles 10 Ramblers led by Tony Price

Meeting in the lay-by at Deadman's Hill on a nice bright sunny morning, we proceeded to enter the woods turning right and following the various trails and tracks through the woods until we came to the perimeter trail.
We continued on this trail using various paths until we came to the Heath,which is an area of special scientific interest.

Neal, Beryl, Brenda, Kate, John, Janet, Cathy, Hilary & Sue

Cathy, Kate, Tony P, Beryl, Brenda, John, Janet, Sue & Hilary

Passing over the health, we followed tracks which again led us out towards the perimeter trail, which  we continued along until a suitable place with some convenient trees that had been felled, for us to have our coffee break.
However, some of the group were not amused when they started being attacked by the resident ant colony.

Cathy, Beryl & Janet walking through the woods

We continued making our way through the woods, when we came across an old rope swing,  which some of the walkers could just not resist having go on.

Beryl on the rope swing

Continuing along the trails and through Forest Lodge, we started to make our way back to the lay-by and the end of a very pleasant walk

Track of walk, walked in anti-clockwise direction

Saturday 19th November Ridgemont to Woburn, 9.5miles, 6 ramblers, led by Bob and Celia

 This was a lovely walk on a lovely autumn day. Yesterday's sun had dried up much of the mud and we enjoyed the walk past Segenhoe Church, picking up the Greensand's Ridge Walk to Eversholt church, where we had a tea break in the cricket grounds.

 

 From there we walkedpast Linden Lake and through Woburn deer park. There were large herds of deer, the stags that had been successful in the rutting looking very satisfied with their harem of does. The lakes were covered in swans, canada geese and other waterfowl. 

 

We sniffed the meaty smell at the biker's shop: they were having a 'meet' and the cafe was open, but we passed that by and headed to The Bell

The pub was decked out in Christmas lights, tree and berries and had a very festive appearance as we ate our sandwiches or soup. All too soon we had to finish the final 3 miles, through the other side of the deer park and past the safari park, but the time flew and we returned back the the cars feeling well exercised. 

Saturday 5th November Lilley 6 miles

 This walk had 4 walkers and was led by Lynn 

Three other ramblers met me at The Lilley Arms - Tony P, Brenda and Sharon. 

We followed the lane down to the path that heads out alongside Ward’s Wood and carried on until we reached the Icknield Way. Turning right, we walked along there until a path junction where we stopped for our elevenses during which a large group from Ampthill Nordic Striders marched through….shortly followed by three late starters marching at pace to catch the others! 

We carried on up the Icknield Way , along Hexton Road for a short stretch and then up to Telegraph Hill: a lovely section under all the trees and there was quite a good view looking north too, when we got to the top. From there we headed out along the ridge of Lilley Hoo - rather blowy along that bit! - staying on the hard path instead of going across the field. Once we reached Lilley Hoo Lane, we turned right to walk up and over the hill and back down into Lilley.

Considering the weather forecast had been pretty grim a few days before, we were very lucky that we only had a bit of drizzle during the walk and it waited until we’d got to the end before it started raining more heavily.

All four of us then enjoyed some very welcome, very tasty, hot food in the pub.