Marston Vale Timberland Trail

Lidlington Village 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 map. A link to this map is given below.

Route Map (PDF, 922kb)

Introduction

The complete 13 mile route is a full days walking, leaving the Forest centre in the morning heading west towards Lidlington and finally bringing you back around Stewartby Lake as the sun sets. Alternative shorter routes are given in the Route description.

Start/Finish Point

The complete route is a 13 mile circular walk starting from the Forest Centre at the Forest of Marston Vale. You can pick up the route at Stewartby station, or walk to the Forest Centre from Millbrook station. From Millbrook, follow the road to the right. Head through the third gate to the right into the Marston Vale Millennium Country Park. Follow the perimeter path to the Forest Centre.

You can buy tickets to Stewartby or Millbrook station on our website.

Access and General Information

Distance: 13 miles
Time: 7 hours
Surface types: You will encounter many variable surface types from hard, firm surfaces with stones no larger than 5mm, to hard, but variable surfaces with loose variable sized stones. The majority of the walk will take you across grass or uncultivated earth path, without ruts and cultivated ground (farmland). The stretch between Lidlington Scout hut and Ampthill Town Centre does not go across grass or uncultivated earth with ruts or cultivated ground (farmland). In dry conditions only beware of large cracks in the heavy soil going across the fields towards Lidlington.
Linear Gradients: From the Forest Centre to Lidlington Scout Hut the steepest linear gradient is 1:10 – 1:13, this section is fairly flat and starts to rise going through Lidlington. From Lidlington Scout Hut to Ampthill Town Centre the steepest linear gradient is greater than 1:6; this is going up Jackdaw Hill and descending down into Millbrook. From Ampthill Church back to the Forest Centre the steepest linear gradient is again 1:6, this is going through Kings Wood down to Glebe Meadow. The remaining part of the route has a variable linear gradient; from 1:6 – 1:9 to less than 1:18. .
Cross Falls: From the beginning of the walk to Lidlington scout hut there are little or no cross falls except in a few places. Through the fields going from Ampthill Church to the reservoir and down through Kings Wood the cross fall is steeper than 1:9. Also on Jackdaw Hill the cross fall is greater than 1:9, (this area could become slippery in wet conditions).
Width Restrictions: On the approach to Lidlington, over a fence either side of the railway line there are two “A” frame ladder stiles. They are 710mm wide and 5 steps high measuring 1600mm high in total. As you enter Ampthill Park there is a V shape step through stile, its step is 600mm high, its width is 440mm.
Steps: Approx. ¼ km before entering Ampthill Park; over a rail tunnel are 5 steps. The height of each step measures 200mm. There are also 4 steps going up Jackdaw Hill, each step measures 160mm high. All of the steps are well worn. There are 3 steps that take you directly on to the main road at Stewartby, each step is 130mm high. These steps can be avoided as a track bears left through trees onto a green adjacent to the road.
Barriers: There are four kissing gates (width less than 1000mm). Five kissing gates (width restriction 1000 – 1500mm). Four one-way opening gates (width greater than 750mm). One staggered barrier (minimum restriction more than 950mm) and three two-step stiles.Opposite Ampthill Church car park leading to a farm track there is another step through stile that has a width restriction of 460mm. There is also a sleeper bridge 920mm wide with a stile either end between the 1st and 2nd field after leaving the Church car park.
Refreshments: Cafe's at the Forest Centre and Ampthill Bakery. Shops in Lidlington, Ampthill and Stewartby.
Public Houses: Royal Oak and Green Man in Lidlington, Chequers in Millbrook, Queens Head, White Hart and Sun in Ampthill. Along the B530 (Ampthill to Bedford Road) is the Chequers.
Public Toilets: At the Forest Centre and at the main car park at Ampthill Park.
Picnic Tables: In the playground opposite Lidlington Church & adjacent to the Scout Hut. There are many picnic sites in Ampthill Park and at the Forest Centre. .
Seats: There are seats in the Millennium Park, in the playground opposite Lidlington Church, in Ampthill Park, in the centre of Ampthill and at the first roundabout in Stewartby.

Directions

The trail is clearly marked with waymarker discs. Waymark posts with yellow discs show footpaths. Blue discs show bridleways. In the country park, the surfaced paths are permissive paths and the discs are green on white. Other parts of the trail are public highways. You are allowed to be on every part of the indicated route. Please stay to the paths and keep dogs under close control. Crossing the flat, vale farmland can be hard going in winter months when the heavy clay will stick to your boots!

From the Timberland Trail map in front of the Forest Centre, follow the waymarkers onto the park trail. The waymarked trail will lead you out of the park via the kissing gate at the Jubilee Cottages footpath entrance. Cross Station Road and head towards Marston Church. Before the bridge, turn left beside the brook, to begin to cross the vale. Marston Church will now be to your right and the Greensand Ridge in front of you. The waymarked trail takes you diagonally across five fields and, take care, the Bedford to Bletchley railway before you enter Lidlington via The Grove. (The train station is a short walk off the trail, as are the shops, and the pubs.) Turn left into Lombard Street and cross the High Street towards the Scout Hut and begin the climb up Jackdaw Hill. This part of the walk takes you around Millbrook Proving Ground and onto Bedfordshire's premier route, The Greensand Ridge Walk. The highest point of the trail is on this section with stunning views across the vale.

From the Greensand Ridge car park, turn right, up Station Lane, stay ahead to follow the trail down Sandhill Close and right to join the footpath off Russell Grove to Ampthill. With the Church to the right, turn left at the top, pass Ossory Farm, around the field edge, left at the footpath T junction, then right and through the wood into Ampthill Park, past Katherine's Cross, with more spectacular views across the vale. Continue along the ridge of Ampthill park, follow the waymarked trail down to Russett's Lodge, turn right, and follow the path through the woods to Park Hill and on down the street, via Chapel Lane, and left onto Woburn Street. (Make time to browse the antique shops and exotic restaurants.)

At the roundabouts, cross over the old Market Place to Church Street. Stay ahead, turn left up Rectory Close, passing Ampthill church. (A visit is recommended.) Turn off right towards the cemetery, then left, keeping the holly hedge on your right. Then, diagonally across the grass field, over the bridge, continue the same diagonal line up and over the rise to the field corner and left onto Gas House Lane. Cross the cattle grid. After 30m, head diagonally right across the field, uphill, to the farm. From here, stay ahead, with the farm on your left, towards, then beside, the reservoir's big, grassy banks. At the concrete road, go left, and almost immediately right again onto the track, towards Kings Wood ahead. (You can detour to Houghton House.) Don't miss the fabulous views of the Chilterns to the right, and across the vale to the left.

We recommend taking the waymarked permissive path through the ancient woodland, downhill to the Glebe Meadow. Turn left along the bottom edge of the wood, and into the meadow. (A diversion to the pretty village of Houghton Conquest is an option from the Glebe Meadow, via Rectory Lane. The village has pubs and accommodation with a restaurant.) At the end of the meadow, the trail cuts across the corner of Kings Wood. The waymarked trail now takes you along field edges, with hedges first to the left, then to the right, before turning right towards How End, when you will see the chimneys ahead of you. Keep ahead, through How End to the B530. Turn right, keeping to the verge for about 100 metres, as far as the first foothpath sign on the other side of the road. Cross carefully.

Head across the field on the waymarked trail, to the hedge on the far side and turn right, keeping the hedge on your left. The trail continues towards the chimneys, over two bridges, before taking you over The Conveyor and through the tunnel, to turn immediately right beside the railway to Stewartby village. Take care when the footpath meets Stewartby Way, directly onto the road. Stop, and cross carefully.

Follow the trail left through Stewartby village, purpose-built in the 1930s by Sir Malcolm Stewart's London Brick Company, for its workers. Turn left past the Village Hall along Green Lane. Just past the Stewartby level crossing, enter the Marston Vale Millennium Country Park. (The quickest way back to the Centre is to turn left, past the back of the Sailing Club, and follow the Forest Centre signs.) The trail is waymarked to the right, down the east side of Stewartby Lake, which affords, at the end of the day, wonderful sunsets across the water.

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