Thursday 27th June Maulden > Kings Wood led by Tony M.

This 6 mile walk had 16 walkers and started from the George pub in Maulden.
Leaving the car park, we made our way up to and through the church, then joining the track taking us towards Green End, with views over Maulden & surrounding countryside.

We followed one of the trails through Maulden Woods passing by Clayhill cottage's & joining the Greensand Ridge.

 We came to a memorable stone, where we were reliably informed by the leader was Dick Turpin's horse ( believe that if you will! )

The Stone

On towards Limbersey Lane, where some road walking was required.
We then turned to walk through Brickhill Pastures & on into Kings Wood, where we stopped for a well earned coffee break.

Suitably refreshed, we joined the trail leading us down to Kings Farm, still unoccupied & boarded up.
Once again on towards the highlight of the day a couple of donkeys in their paddock, (without their kiss me quick hats on )
Joining the back streets of Maulden, we arrived back at the George for the end of a very enjoyable walk.
On a very warm, humid & sunny day.   -  Regards  Anthony Price

Thursday 20th June College Lake walks

 Fourteen walkers met at College Lakes.

 6 members joined Beryl for a longer harder walk.  We walked along the Grand Union canal & around Tringford & Marsworth reservoirs built to feed the canal, There were plenty of mallard in evidence.

Tony P,  Cathy, Kate, Jean S, Beryl & Tony R on the longer walk

  

8 members had a really enjoyable walk at their own pace. Lots of chat and several stops admiring the scenery. 

 

 Once the orchids were spotted there was great excitement. 

 

Mike & Nita looking over the lake

The weather could not have been better, blue skies and not too hot.

Yvonne and I were very pleased that we all managed to do the full circuit. 

Sandra, Penny, Mike & Anna

 When we got back to the Centre the other group were there before us. 

Brenda, Joan & Vivienne joined us there and there was plenty of  catching up to do seeing  friends that we had not seen for a while. 

Yvonne and I intend to put on the programme a similar walk on the next programme.

 

 

Saturday 15th June Walk with Londeon Blind Walkers - Leagrave to Harlington

This 6 mile walk was led by Beryl & commenced at Leagrave station where the Blind Walkers arrived by train from London. TRC members had previously arrived on a train from Harlington. Unfortunately the weather was very wet. Twenty walkers left the station via the car park where we stopped for a photo.

Beryl with her "brolly" guiding the walkers

With difficulty due to faulty traffic lights we crossed many roads at the Horseshoes roundabout to follow the Upper Lea Valley walk past Wauluds Bank. This led to a footpath between two giant housing estates, Sundon Park & Marsh Farm. There were many tree roots here which were successfully negotiated by all. Eventually we reached open fields with much wheat growing. Soon we were walking through grassland which had been cut making the walking more difficult. We arrived at Manor Rd which we crossed and followed for a short distance before turning off again towards Upper Sundon. The rain abated and we stopped for a picnic at the recreation ground. 

Several members crossed the road to the Red Lion to use their facilities. After our picnic we took the track by the side of the pub towards Harlington. We avoided the old sewage works and followed the old road through the wood. Unfortunately due to the previous rain the ground was very slippery & great care had to be taken. At the bottom of the hill we turned left & then followed the railway towards Harlington. Due to building work the best footpath was closed & we had to pass through Harlington Spinney which again was very slippery. Eventually we again arrived at open fields & we followed to path behind Pilgrim's Way houses to reach the road. We continued up Sundon Road & crossed Bury Orchard to pass the village shops. soon afterwards we reached our goal at the Chairman's house where tea & cakes awaited us. As the weather had much improved we were able to sit out in the garden.
It was all over too quickly as the blind walkers had to catch their train back to London from Harlington station.

Map showing track of walk, walked south to north

Thursday13th June Great Linford walk led by Tony R

16 walkers met at the Stonepit Field car park in Milton Keynes to start the walk at 10.15. We walked across Stonepit Field to join the Swan's Way, which was the old railway track from Newport Pagnell to Wolverton. We walked past an old station with its raised platform to reach Grafton Street. Here we turned left and left again to reach Wolverton Windmill where we had a water stop and many removed their outer layer.

The group at Wolverton Windmill

We left the windmill and crossed the Grand Union canal by means of the Millennium Bridge. To the left we could see the canal crossing Grafton Street by means of the famous aqueduct however we followed the canal in the opposite direction. We walked along the canal towpath for about 3/4 of a mile. We then left the towpath and turned into Joan's Piece, an area of woodland recently acquired by the Park's Trust.
After about 600 yards we left Joan's Piece to rejoin the canal towpath, but almost immediately left it through a gate into Stanton Low Park. We followed the path cut through the grass to the ruins of St Peter's church where we stopped for a coffee break.

In the ruins of St Peter's church

We left the church and continued to walk through the park until we reached the surfaced track which we crossed to lead  back to the canal. We rejoined the towpath for just over a mile passing many parked narrow boats, some being worked on until we reached a footbridge near the Gifford Park pub. We crossed the footbridge to bring us into another meadow with cut paths. We followed the signpost to Great Linford to reach the Marsh Drive which we crossed to enter into Great Linford Manor park. We saw the giant horseshoes before stopping at the wooden sheep.

The walkers and the sheep.

We then walked down to the ponds where we found benches to have our picnic. Several mallards visited in the hope of titbits, but were sadly disappointed. On the other side of the ponds we saw several vehicles drive into the park to help the setting up of a food festival to be held that evening. Unfortunately we had to depart to make our way past St Andrew's church and the "quarry" back to the canal and hence the car park, passing the half stone circle on the way. Everyone said how much they enjoyed the walk as it was a new area to most of them. The distance was measured as just over 6 miles with no mud and no stiles. Thanks to Ruth for helping me reccy the walk. Tony R.