Green Gateway
This information has
been provided courtesy of Let's Go. Simply log
onto their website for more information.
This description should be read in conjunction with the route maps.
A link to these maps is given below.
Area Map
(PDF, 110kb)
Buttons Ramsey Map (JPG, 75kb)
Ridgeway Wood Map (JPG, 59kb)
Van Dieman's Land Map (JPG, 48kb)
Introduction
Bedfordshire's Green Gateway is a major initiative by the Forest of
Marston Vale to create a swathe of woodland and green space between
the expanding communities of Wootton and Kempston. It consists of
three areas of land purchased by the Forest of Marston Vale which
is being planted with trees to create new areas of community
woodland for walkers, cyclists, horse riders and relaxing. Linked
by public footpaths are the three new woodlands of Buttons Ramsey,
Ridgeway Wood and Van Diemen’s Land.
Start/Finish Point
The Green Gateway is a short bus ride from Bedford St Johns
station. You can plan your journey by using the below journey
planner. The start point is in the
Bedford PlusBus zone.
You can buy tickets to Bedford St Johns station on our
website.
Access and General Information
None
Directions
Buttons Ramsey
Formerly an arable field, Buttons Ramsey is an 8 hectare new
community woodland, planted over the winter of 2004/2005 by the
Forest of Marston Vale with the help of local people and school
children. It is available for everyone to enjoy.
Over 14,400 native trees and shrubs have been planted here, grown
from seed collected mainly by local children from ancient woodlands
in the area, such as nearby Kempston Wood.
The unusual name Buttons Ramsey has an historic association with
the site, dating back centuries to when Ramsey Abbey in
Huntingdonshire had influence in the area. It was felt to be too
good a name to remain hidden in the history books!
Ridgeway Wood
Formerly part of a farmed field, Ridgeway Wood is a 13.5 hectare
new community woodland. It was planted over the winter of 2004/5 by
the Forest of Marston Vale and designed with the help of local
people. It is here for everyone to enjoy!
Nearly 19,000 native trees and shrubs have been planted here.
Species planted include oak, ash, field maple and hazel. To the
north of the site, are two small grazed fields which have not been
planted due to their historic importance. They retain 'ridge and
furrow' earthworks resulting from medieval ploughing.
The name Ridgeway, chosen by local people, has a long association
with the site, pre-dating the Enclosure Act of 1804, when this land
was part of a much larger 'open field system' with the name
Ridgeway Field.
Van Diemen's Land
Formerly a farmed field, this area of community woodland was
planted by the Forest of Marston Vale and local people over three
years starting in the winter of 2001. It's here for everyone to
enjoy!
Over 9,000 native trees and shrubs have been planted here, such as
oak, ash, field maple and hazel. The farmland was made available
for planting as a consequence of the development of warehouses on
the site of the former Marsh Leys Farm, which can now be seen on
the other side of the A421.
The origin of the name Van Diemen's Land is not certain but we know
that it used to be fashionable to name newly acquired land after
places, events or people that were in the news at the time. The
field may have been given its unusual name around the time the
British first occupied Tasmania in 1803. At that time Tasmania was
known as Van Diemen's Land and was a penal colony.
The Kill
Another 6 hectares land has recently been added to the Green
Gateway. The area is known as 'The Kill' and lies to the south of
Buttons Ramsey. 4.75 hectares will be planted with trees and the
varied planting mix consists of Pendunculate Oak, Ash, Field Maple,
Silver Birch, Wild Cherry, Crab Apple, Rowan and Aspen and White
Willow, plus some woody shrubs. The rest of the area will be left
as ridge and furrow pasture and a wide forest track will run
through the site.
The area is called The Kill as that is the field name of part of
the land that has been planted. It is not known how the name came
into being.
Wiles Wood
South east of Ridgeway Wood lies the new woodland Wiles Wood, named
after the family who farmed the land before it was acquired by the
Marston Vale Trust. In total 11 hectares of new native woodland
will be planted with an area of high ground left as open
space.
Weather Forecast
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