Page 74 - Phonebox Magazine August 2011

Rambling away to Woburn
Walk no. 4
Woburn – a short walk from Aspley Heath car park
This is another easy and interesting circular walk from the car park at Aspley Heath, mostly in woodland.
Turn right off the A5130 between Woburn Sands and Woburn in to Longslade Lane, the car park is on the right shortly after Longslade Cottage also on your right hand side.
Duration: Just under 3 miles about 1 hour 30 minutes and mostly flat with a couple of slight ascents and descents.
There are no refreshments en route but plenty in Woburn and Woburn Sands to suit all tastes and purses.
1. Park in either of the two parking areas within this gated car park, however our walk starts at the back of the first parking area, follow the path up through the trees, at the cross way of paths carry straight on, and again over the next crossways then follow the path down hill and then to the left at the T junction.
2. Shortly where the path forks take the right hand trail uphill to where it crosses the main riding through the woods, cross over here and follow the path round to the left and go through the gate and then take a sharp right on to a made up track with properties on your left. Ignore the first path off to the left but take the larger second lane the “Narrow Path” through to Church Road, turn right and cross over here down to Bishops Walk where we turn left before the church, this small road eventually becomes a path past houses that descends down steps by a garden on your right.
3. At the bottom of the steps turn left up the lane and through an old kissing gate, you now turn right through a farm gate into a field, proceed into the field but head slightly diagonally left to the left of a small fenced off group of trees here you will find the wonderful “Eagle “seat carved in memory of Paul White a local councillor. You continue now to follow the path across the field and go through a new kissing gate and turn left back in to the woodland and turn left.
4. Follow this path until it bears right to a five path crossways take the right hand fork immediately opposite you and proceed up this path for about fifty yards or so to a path that goes off to the left but immediately bears right, follow this until it joins a large cross path and turn right towards a fence, turn left before the fence and proceed up to another cross ways where you turn left.
5. The path now climbs for a short way and then descends with a golf coarse on your right to join the unmade road from the top of Church Road Aspley Heath, cross over this road to a stile and climb up the small hill to a T junction and turn right, this wide path bears round to the left and takes you back to the two parking areas where you started.
We hope that you have enjoyed this walk, the beauty of circular walks is that they can always be done in both directions, this always gives different views and aspects to the terrain and scenery, in spring there will be Bluebells and Primroses in some parts of these woods.
Walking in different seasons always gives a changing aspect 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 there is the possibility of cattle and sheep in some of the fields so dogs should be kept on a lead at this time.
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