Page 54 - Phonebox Magazine February 2010

Random Rambles
Continuing our series of random rambles
This is an easy circular walk clockwise from Newport Pagnell via Bury Park, Quarry Hall Farm and Lathbury.
Duration: circa 3 miles about 1 hour 45 minutes and mostly flat with 2 or 3 stiles.
There are no refreshments en-route but plenty to suit all tastes back in Newport Pagnell.
1 Park in the long stay car park behind the Medical Centre, proceed to the main gate in to Bury Field and head across the this open common land to the top left hand corner. Go through the gate into Lakes Lane- this starts off as a made up road but eventually becomes a rough track after Kickles Farm and the riding school.
2 At the end of Lakes Lane go through the gate, and with the fence on your right and the lake on your left head towards the river, these lakes and waterways support wild fowl and herons etc. Bear left at the river and cross over the bridge proceed to the next bridge and cross this also. Once across head diagonally to the right to a stile, climb the stile and walk straight across the field to a gate and stile, this leads on to a track this passes the site of a disused stone quarry on your left.
3 At the end of this track turn left and with a hedge on your right proceed to a stile in the top right hand corner in to the farmyard at Quarry Hall Farm. Keep straight on through the yard past all of the buildings on your right, at the end of these buildings there is a gate turn right here and walk down on to the made up road passing houses on your right.
4 About 50 yards from the end and the road main road (B526) turn right through a gate into a field, follow the right hand perimeter of the field towards Lathbury- towards the end of this section there are small waymark arrows on the fences for directions, the field path eventually proceeds between houses to Church Lane just east of the church.
5 Cross Church Lane into another path between house to a kissing gate and then into a field. Follow this path diagonally left to a black metal kissing gate that crosses the drive to Lathbury Park, cross the drive to another black kissing gate and then continue diagonally left to a wooden kissing gate/stile in the corner of this field.
6 You are now joining the B526 Newport Pagnell to Northampton road near Woad Corner. Keep right and head into Newport Pagnell crossing the two bridges, caution here as the path is quite narrow. At the mini roundabout on the edge of town you have a choice, either to follow the main road through the town centre back to the car park via the shops and café etc, alternatively turn sharp right down Mill Street at the end of which is a kissing gate that leads back into Bury Field, keeping left will take you back to the car park.
7 However if you wish to extend the walk for another 40 minutes or so keep right after the kissing gate and walk anticlockwise around the perimeter of Bury Park by the new riverside walk and then back round to the car park.
We hope that you have enjoyed this walk, the beauty of circular walks is that they can always be done in both directions which always gives different views and aspects to the terrain and scenery.
Also doing the walks during different seasons always gives a changing interest to your morning or afternoon out.
Please remember to close all gates after you and to take any litter home.
It should be noted that between points 2 – 4 and 5 – 6 there is the possibility of cattle so dogs should be kept on a lead at this time.
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