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.

Saturday 28th September - Chairman's Garden Party

The afternoon was bright & sunny but not very warm, especially when a cloud arrived, However we had a good turnout with 32 people + 2 grandchildren in both the garden & in the house. There were a great many cakes provided by members and much tea & coffee make by the wonderful committee ladies. I would like to thank everyone for their contributions,

It was great to see so many people obviously enjoying themselves after our floods.

Just a small portion of the cakes on offer

Linda, Keith  & Mary

Richard, Tony P, Bob, Neal & Celia

The kitchen ladies, Yvonne, Nita, Brenda, Beryl & Celia

Vivienne talking to Anna

Cynthia & Penny

Joan & a happy Nita

Ramblers in the mirror

Mary, Liz, Yvonne & Cathy

Cathy, Liz, Geoff & James

Thursday 19th September Whitwell - Hitch Wood 7 miles led by Tony P

This 7 mile walk started from the village recreation ground, where we made our way along the field margins and down into the village.
Crossing the road we carried onto and over the river Mimram, on our way up to the Bury.

Walking down the drive we climbed up through the an avenue of trees giving a lovely view of the house at Bury farm behind us.

Joining the track at the top of the tree avenue we continued onto East Hill farm, where a well earned coffee break was taken by the duck pond.
After some road walking, we joined the tracks leading us through the houses at Langley End, 

There following the track through, we crossed the road and were soon entering Hitch Wood and looking for a nice spot to have our picnic break in the dapple shade.

 

Suitably refreshed, carried on through the woods following the tracks past Pinfold & Foxhole woods, eventually joining with the track that would bring us out at the large house at Staganhoe.

Continuing through Chalkeys & Little Bury Wood we came to the Whitwell living theatre.
Passing through, we were nearly at the end of the walk, when we passed Emily's tea shop which luckily for us was open, so a bonus stop was taken for tea & cakes, and very enjoyable they were too.
Upon leaving the tea shop, we once again crossed over the river, then through the village, climbing back up the footpath through the houses and back to the cars.
For what was a lovely walk enjoyed by all, on a nice sunny day.

Track of walk, walked in anti-clockwise direction

 

Thursday 12th September 6.5 mile walk from Toddington to Tingrith & back

This walk was part of the BEDS AUTUMN FESTIVAL OF WALKS & it had 15 walkers. We started by leaving Toddington Village Hall car park & followed a footpath to Park Road which we crossed to enter Long Lane. Very soon we left the road &followed a footpath through fields that had been harvested & roughly ploughed. We walked along this footpath for just over 1.5 miles before crossing Long Lane. Just under half a mile more brought us to Tingrith with its red telephone box, now a "book storage". We crossed the High Street and had a coffee stop in the old bus shelter, sadly now no buses.

Coffee stop at the old bus shelter.

 After our stop we walked up Church Road & continued past the church to a kissing gate which led into a sheep field. Here we stopped for a group photo.

Group photo

We continued through field for about half a mile before crossing Tingrith Road to a new footpath leading alongside woodland.

The footpath alongside the woodland.

After about three quarters of a mile we crossed a farm track into another field of long grass. 

 

Field with long grass.

 We walked across this field to enter Daintry Wood climbing all the way. After this wood we walked through a couple of gates before stopping for lunch by a seat we had installed over 20 years ago.

Lunch stop with the threatening sky

After lunch we continued along the hedge line, crossing another farm track & passing a paddock with several friendly horses, through another gate into parkland by Toddington Park House. We crossed the drive to enter another newly ploughed field. We walked for about half a mile across this long field to arrive at Park Road, which we crossed onto another footpath which led into a housing estate in Toddington. After few more roads we were soon back at the car park just as rain commenced.  We thought the timing was great as we had all enjoyed a dry walk.

Thursday 5th September Flaunden walk led by Richard W

6 intrepid walkers met by the Flaunden telephone box on a damp & misty morning. We walked down the road , past the The Green Dragon pub before leaving the road at a sharp bend. We walked almost due south along a track, much used by horses, before entering a wood. On leaving the wood we followed a path which led to a bridge over the surprising full River Chess..We crossed the bridge and followed a path which led to Chenies Manor where we stopped for a group photo.

The group outside Chenies Manor.

We then went into the porch of Chenies church where we stopped for a coffee break.  About this time we were warned by a lady dog walker of a flood ahead, but being hardened walkers we pressed onwards. After re-crossing the river we found the flood through which we waded without problems.
Soon afterwards we stopped for our picnic and all managed to sit on one bench. A kind lady took our photo.

Tony P, Richard W, Beryl, Wendy, Tony R & Kate

Suitably refreshed we made our way back to Flaunden where we were all pleased to see our cars having walked 7 miles

Thursday 29th August Clophill / Chicksands Woods

This 7 mile walk was led by Tony P with 13 walkers
Meeting just off back lane on a nice bright sunny morning, we made our way along the lane past the Stone Jug, before turning onto the Slade, taking us up out of Clophill towards Kiln Farm. Turning left onto the footpaths we headed through the fields onto Great Lane, for some road walking before joining up with the Greensand Ridge before entering Chicksands Woods.

Through the woods we made our way down to Appley Corner, passing the Obelisk on Long Drive, where a well earned lunch break was taken in the glorious sunshine.

 Back on the track on the other side of the woods, we started to make our way back to Great Lane.

Taking the permissive track back and across a newly ploughed field, we turned an walked through the small stables and were soon back in Clophill for the end of what was a very enjoyable walk on a nice bright sunny morning with a gentle breeze.

Track of walk

Thursday 22nd August Pegsdon Hill walk 3.4 miles led by Debbie & Nick

After looking at the weather forecast, we were not expecting many to join us, but we were joined by 9 walkers prepared to brave the elements !!  We left  Pegsdon in the dry & walked over the hills where we all walked to the top of Deacon hill for our coffee & snack stop.  

Facing into the wind at the top of Deacon Hill

 

At the top of Deacon Hill

The walk leaders (Debbie & Nick)

The weather turned here & was not very pleasant for our stop but it didn’t last long. We continued along the ridge and then down back into Pegsdon. The total elevation of the walk was 575 ft.
Thank you for joining us,    Debbie & Nick

Track of walk, walked in clockwise direction

Thursday 25th July Pirton Circular led by John & Janet

13 people set off from Pirton village on a warm but cloudy morning. We walked on a wide track for a mile past Tingley Wood and then down by the side  of a field and crossed the B655 to pick up the Icknield Way with Deacon Hill to our right. We had a coffee stop on some convenient logs. 

John D, Liz, Beryl, Judith with John Y, Sue, Debbie, Wendy & Tony R

Brenda, Pete, Tony P with the leaders John Y & Janet

Debbie, Wendy, Janet & Sue having lunch

We then walked on towards Telegraph Hill. A steepish hill opened out to fields then on to Little Offley where we stopped for lunch sitting on a variety of bricks and concrete slabs at a suitable height.

The others at lunch

On past Wellbury House which is an orthodox Jewish school. We passed paddocks and saw 6 beautiful foals - the ladies spent more time oohing and aahing  than the men! 

Mum & Foal

 Then crossing the B655 again and up a fairly steep hill with great views at the top. 

The group on their way to the steep hill

We rejoined the original track and back into Pirton. We saw a variety of birds including kites, pheasant chicks , guinea fowl and a heron. A varied 6.3 mile walk that everyone enjoyed.

Track of the walk, walked in anti-clockwise direction