Page 62 - Phonebox Magazine September 2015

Phonebox Ramblings
A circular route via Aspley Guise
Avery pleasant ramble over the border in Bedfordshire:- Circular route via Aspley Guise.
This is an easy and interesting circular walk from the car park/lay by on the right along the A5130 about 1
kilometre after Woburn Sands, the entrance is at the top end of the lay-by.
Duration: circa 4.75 miles about 2 hours and mostly flat with a couple of ascents and descents.
There are plenty of refreshments in Woburn and Woburn Sands to suit all tastes and purses.
1. Behind you will be a gate from the lay-by, once through, turn immediately left on to a narrow path (this is sometimes used by cyclists). Follow this down to a T-junction on to a broad path, turn left here to a large gate to cross the A5130 (caution here). Cross the road and through the gate, keep straight on bearing slightly to the right. Do not take the path in to the wood but keep on the open track that runs to the outside of the woods that are now on your left. In two hundred metres or so turn right to pass through a hedge lined path with a house on your right at the end, cross over Aspley Lane and up a few steps to the right of another house.
2. Follow the path along the edge of a field and then follow it round to the left to where a path joins from the right, ignore this path but keep straight on to pass in front of Birchmoor Farm. Follow this broad path for nearly two kilometres, it will cross Horsepool Lane, shortly there will then be a metal gate in the left hand hedge, turn left here and climb up a hill with a hedge on your right through a wooden gate to another metal gate just slightly to your left in front of you. Go through this with houses to either side to another gate and then to join the Bedford Road.
3. Turn left and keep left, crossing Mount Pleasant and then in 50 metres or so cross over the road to enter a footpath that climbs to the right of Aspley House, at the top turn right into Church Street and walk to the church. Opposite is the entrance to a foot path that runs up to the left of the cemetery, follow this path with the house gardens on your left, the path turns right and then left to go through a gate in to a broad drive with derelict industrial properties, eventually passing the cricket ground and golf course entrance on your right.
4. The road West Hill will now be in front of you and straight across the road will be the entrance to a straight footpath between houses, follow this through to Woodside, slightly to your right and opposite is another footpath that leads in to Aspley Wood. Ignore the first perimeter path to the right just as you enter, in 10 metres or so there will be a cross roads of paths, turn right and follow this path as it rises and gently curves round to the left for about half a kilometre until it runs parallel with the A5130 and a large entrance gate on your right that led to the old Fullers Earth quarry.
5. Cross this quarry entrance road just inside the gate and go in to a narrow path (another cyclist path) and round a fallen tree, keep following the path for just under half a kilometre, until you come to a metal gate on your right. Go through and down some steps on to the footpath alongside the road, turn left here and walk towards Woburn you will soon see the lay-by with your car on the opposite side of the road (caution here when crossing).
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