Steppingley Church Holy Halloween 26th October 2024

 Richard and Wendy led a 5.6 mile return walk from Flitwick following part of the St Katherine’s Way.
18 members enjoyed the walk with the beautiful colours of leaves in the woods and the sunshine.
Joan did particularly well to walk the first 3.6 mile route to the church.
We all managed a short coffee stop in the woods. Luckily it was not too muddy, but very pretty with all the colours of the leaves. Three members met us at the church.
Steppingley church hosted a Holy Halloween with the usual selection of lovely home made savouries and delicious cakes, plus hot and cold drinks. 

Members enjoying chatting as well as eating

 There was a raffle, pumpkin making and some of our members enjoyed climbing the bell tower & ringing the bells.

Sheila & Beryl ringing the bells

 

   On leaving around 3pm 14 members walked back to Flitwick.  

On the way back to Flitwick

They raised £475 pounds! Well done everyone, not just for supporting them, but for joining us and having a lovely time.

Thursday 17th October Wilstead walk led by Sheila & Mike Briggs

13 walkers met at the Bedford Rd. lay-by in Wilstead for this 6 mile walk. We walked through the village before turning left onto the Dragon Wood footpath going behind a school & some houses. Although the ground here was relatively flat we could see the Cardington Hangers in the distance so we stopped for a group photo.

The walkers with the green Hangers just visible in the background

We turned right to ascend Fir Tree Hill (not a fir tree in sight) before arriving at a bench where we stopped for a coffee break . Although we took a photo at this point sadly it disappeared into cyberspace. We continued past Firtree Hall & Firtree Hill Farm to Northwood End Farm where we turned left to join the John Bunyan Trail. This led downhill to Manor Farm where we left the JBT to continue along level ground crossing a brook several times. However on crossing it for the last time we encountered a flooded field which walked past keeping to the very edge where the water was shallower. Soon we left the flood & rejoined the path that we had walked previously in the morning. On reaching the road we tuned right, crossed Cotton End Rd near a mini roundabout before arriving at the Woolpack pub. Most of us entered the pub for well earned lunch.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lunch at the Woolpack

It made a welcome change to visit a pub for lunch as since Covid these opportunities have been sadly lacking. After lunch we walked the quarter of a mile back to our cars parked in the large lay-by.

Track of walk, walked in anti-clockwise direction.

Saturday 12th October Graveley walk led by Brenda

3 walkers started from the High St in Graveley on this 7 mile walk. The forecast was for a dry morning with rain starting after lunch. We left the High St & walked past several potential building sites fenced off with portable fences. We joined the Hertfordshire Way which we followed past Ten Acre Plantation & Manor Farm before stopping for a coffee break just opposite Tilekiln Wood. After our break we passed Tilekiln Farm & then left the Hertfordshire Way at Warren's Green. We then followed other paths past Park Wood to Damask Green where we stopped for our lunch on a bench. After lunch we walked past the Cricketer's Arms before turning left by some newish houses & then entering a long field. On our right were some inquisitive bullocks, but they seemed more interested in munching grass rather than us. Here the drizzle started but we carried on. We then passed How Wood before a long descent back to Graveley where we passed the church before entering the High St. We crossed to our cars glad that the rain was not serious. Back at our cars we remembered that we had not taken any photos so Tony took a photo of his 2 lady companions.

Brenda & Beryl who walked along with Tony R

Track of the walk, walked in anti-clockwise direction.

Thursday 10th October Westoning walk leb by Beryl

 

14 members met at Westoning Parish Church and set off walking the first part of the Flit Valley Walk.   It was a pleasant morning and we set off in high spirits at a gentle pace to suit all the walkers,  round the field alongside a newly erected fence.  It appears that the farm which has been empty for a while is now being farmed again. 
After a pavement road walk we arrived at the recently rebuilt gates of Flitwick Manor Park.   We circled the park taking in the woodland path through the Arboretum and the meadows.  

The 14 walkers in Flitwick Manor Park

We returned on a path in the woods alongside the A5120 and 11 of us sat down for coffee at Nuyard Garden Centre.   The staff made us very welcome and rearranged the tables for us.   Then two more members who were unable to do the walk joined us for coffee.  So all in all we had a very sociable morning.

Saturday 5th October, Kimpton walk led by Lynn

Despite a beautiful morning there were only 2 walkers on this 7 mile walk which commenced at The Boot in Kimpton. We left The Boot & crossed the High Street to leave it at the school boundary. We walked behind the recreation ground & then parallel to the B651 before crossing it at the top of  the hill. The track then led into Prior's Wood where we found a strange metal object firmly planted into the ground. Did it come from an alien spaceship?

Lynn & Tony at the strange metal object

We continued through the woods.

Priors Wood

We then passed the new church in Ayot St Lawrence & shortly afterwards stopped for a coffee & banana break. Later we passed the old church & the village pub before leaving the road on the Hertfordshire Way. which we followed to Codicote Bottom. Here we crossed the River Mimran & followed it upstream to pass Kimpton Mill & eventually join the drive to The Hoo at Duck Trap Wood.  We followed the drive for a short while crossing the ornamental bridge over a non- existent river. We left the drive through a gate on the left to climb past many chestnut trees.  This led us to cross the Hitchin Road at Cuckolds Cross,  We skirted several fields before entering a small wood.

Exit from the small wood

After its exit we overlooked Kimpton where we could see a view of the church. 

Kimpton church

We then walked downhill to arrive at The Boot where we were grateful to find they were still serving food which we had ordered before setting out. Tony was pleasantly surprised to find they served a decent bitter rather than simply lager as seems the norm nowadays. A great walk on a lovely day.

Track of walk, walked in anti-clockwise direction.