Page 38 - Phonebox Magazine February 2014

Phonebox Walk
Graham Edwards
Ramble from Harrold, to Chellington and Odell
1 Return to the front entrance of the park and cross the road and then turn left and proceed to the Harrold Bridge, take great caution crossing here (there is a pedestrian controlled button system that operates the lights to help) when you get to the causeway there is a signed entrance into the field across a ditch on the left hand side of the road. The path now heads diagonally right through a gate and then towards the church building you can see on the hill, this was St Nicholas’s Church but is now the Chellington Centre, a residential retreat. Continue up the hill but gradually keep to the centre of the field and look for a gap in the fence in front of you the path now bears right to the Felmersham Road. Turn left then immediately right on to a path to the left of farm buildings at Hill Farm.
2 There is soon a metal kissing gate on your left, go through this and turn right, follow this path with the hedge on your right for over a kilometre, first through a metal gate and then to a stile passing Freer’s Wood on your right. Shortly after the woods is an offset cross roads of paths, at the gate turn left and then almost immediately right over a stile (almost straight on really) and keeping the hedge on your right continue on for about 200 metres or so and at a T-junction of paths turn left and then almost immediately at another T-junction turns right, keeping Monks Wood on your right.
3 In 250 metres or so the path turns left (with West End farm on the right), keeping the hedge on your right follow the right-hand perimeter of three fields (for nearly a kilometre) as it bends round to the right to a gate. There are good views across the valley to Bedford, to the right of these fields. Once through the gate turn left towards Green’s Spinney keeping the hedge on your left, turn left at the spinney through a narrow gap in the hedge and then soon turn right through another narrow gap in the hedge, now with the spinney on your right.
4Once past the spinney the path passes through the hedge and immediately bears diagonally left and then at the end of this field, at a cross road of paths, keep straight on in to the next field and then continues straight down the hill on a track through four fields to join the Carlton Road near Daisy Bank. Caution on the road, cross over and turn left, in 100 metres or so turn right through a gate (there is a gap at the left) keeping the hedge on your right follow the path into a small spinney with a bridge over the Ouse as the path bears round to the right and then left to become Mill Lane.
5 The lane now emerges near the main road through Odell by the pub, the walk could be extended here to follow the road round to the right and to visit All Saints Church, (which occasionally has the church tower open, tea, cake and biscuits are also served). Odell Great Park is also worth a visit in spring for the bluebells and primroses, this was featured in an earlier walk. Don’t take the main road to the left, but the road sharp left into Horsefair Lane (the Ouse Valley Way) that eventually leads back in to country park. Shortly after leaving the housing, the “optional” lakeside perimeter path leads off to the right with fine views of the island and soon to return to the wardens hut and the tearoom at the park entrance. If you have parked in the overflow car park keep on round to the left. If you wish to continue straight to the car parks then keep straight on.
This is another great walk, anti-clockwise from the Harrold Odell Country Park.
Duration: circa 5.5 - 6.5 miles, about three hours, starts with a small climb and then a gradual descent back to the far end of the park, there are three stiles, then excellent views across to Bedford and the surrounding villages.
The walk can be extended by taking the path round the northern side of the lakes rather than returning to the cars via the overflow car park (part of the Ouse Valley Way).
There are refreshments en-route at the public house in Odell or afterwards in the Teazels Café in the country park warden’s lodge.
We hope that you will enjoy this walk, the small climb at the start gives great views particularly on a clear day.
We would also like to thank our good friends Linda and Ron Newbold for showing us this super walk on a fine autumn Saturday.
It should be noted that there is the possibility of sheep, horses and various farm animals on this walk so dogs should be kept on a lead at this time.
The idea behind these occasional walks is to encourage us to visit our neighbouring villages and to enjoy their surrounding countryside; the different seasons can greatly effect the scenery, with delightful
flowers in the meadows and woodlands in spring time, wild fruit in autumn and crisp clear frosty days in winter can often increase the distance you can see as well as blowing away those winter cobwebs. Reversing the walks can also give different views that you might miss in one direction and adds another walk to your repertoire. All of our walks can be traced using the Ordnance Survey Explorer Maps No’s: 192/207/208/223/224 these contain a wealth of information for planning walks within the Phonebox catchment area. We hope that you enjoy this walk, please remember to close all gates after you and to take any litter home.
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38 Phonebox Magazine