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How to get there

Click here for details about how to get to the Forest Centre

Start/finish points

The Forest Centre, Marston Moretaine, MK43 0PR

Explorer Maps 193 and 208

Length

8 - 14 miles (depending on detours)

Accessibility

No steps or cross falls recorded.

Surface types – Ranging from hard tracks, to sand tracks, to grass paths.

Linear gradient – Some steep hills (which you go up and not down)

Barriers – Pegasus crossing between points 8 and 9 on the map. Please note - riders of nervous horses should avoid these by taking the shorter, 8 mile option.

Route description

1. Park in the grassed overflow car park adjacent to the roundabout. Follow the circular horse trail clockwise to Millbrook Forest Centre to Centre Parcs via Lidlington and Millbrook Maps This promoted route is not waymarked and the leaflet map is basic so purchasing an ordnance survey map is strongly recommended whenever venturing into the countryside. Explorer Maps 193 & 208 cover this ride. Station. If you wish to avoid riding past the wind turbine then turn left at the node and follow the horse trail in an anti-clockwise direction.

2 - Leave the horse trail and country park via the horse stile and cross Station Road but please note the level crossing to your left and the possibility of queuing traffic. Cross the road and access the permissive bridleway via the post and rail horse corral. Follow the waymarked path adjacent to the Bletchley railway line and exit onto Marston Road. Cross the level crossing and towards another permissive bridleway (BW) that will lead you to Lidlington. Watch out for rabbit holes in the sand track next to the harder surface. 

3 - Turn left (signed as a cycle route) up Lombard Street to the junction with the High Street, turning right (straight ahead is the Greensand Ridge (GSR) BW that you will return on). Head up the High Street past

4 - Near the top of the hill, take the BW track on your left towards South View Farm. When you reach a four way signpost, turn left following signs for the Greensand Ridge BW and head up the driveway in front of Jackdaw Hill House. Note: do not go straight ahead at the four way post. Past Jackdaw Hill House access the BW via the field gate and continue along the woodland track that negotiates the Greensand Ridge. 

5 - After approx ¼ mile you will come to a BW junction. If you continue ahead following the GSR signs you can shorten the route to about 8 miles thus avoiding the fast A507 Woburn Road crossing at point 6. If you take the shorter route then please go to Point 11. To ride the whole route leave the GSR BW by turning right along the newly opened BW (if you get to a pond you have gone too far) heading straight ahead at first track crossing and turn left at the second. Do not take any tracks on your right except where the wood meets the golf course and you have no other option.

6 - When you reach the crossing at the A507 please wait in the horse corral until safe to cross. This is an extremely busy & fast road. Once across the road, take the BW on your right to follow the Center Parcs perimeter BW in an anti-clockwise direction, turning left after 1/2 mile on to sandy byway known as Gypsy Lane. Alternatively, if you prefer a shorter ride turn left and then follow the perimeter BW to the Pegasus crossing at the roundabout – this will reduce your ride to about 10 miles.

7 - After 3/4 mile, leave Gypsy Lane and follow the Center Parcs perimeter BW by turning left along a wide straight path over a metal dropped horse ‘hop’ gate. Notes 8

8 - Continue along the woodland edge BW, turning left at the next BW junction. At the garden centre, ride three sides of its perimeter by turning left and then right twice to the A507 Pegasus crossing by the roundabout. Cross the busy road & turn left for approx 70 yards and take the BW on your right through the woodland that leads out onto Sandhill Close. 9

9 - At the end of the BW, turn left along Sandhill Close through Millbrook village. The road has a series of road humps which slows traffic along this section of road. At the end of this road and at the junction turn left along Station Lane. After 150 yards at the bottom of the hill, turn left at the Greensand Ridge BW and small car park adjacent to Millbrook Proving Ground.

10 - This BW follows the edge of Millbrook Proving Ground and some sections of the golf course. There are some steep sections along this part of the ride. There is a mounting block at the top and bottom of the steepest hill. At the top of the hill you will pass several benches on one side and a golf ‘T’ on the other. Take the right fork at the junction just past this. 200 yards along this track take the next ‘sharp’ right turn (almost doubling back on yourself) to a BW junction.

11 - If you have taken the short cut from point 5, turn left when you get to the T junction of tracks. Continue following signs for the GSR BW back to The High Street in Lidlington. Cross the High Street and down Lombard Street and retrace your outward route back to the Forest Centre.

Pit stops/points of interest

There are toilets and benches at the Forest Centre.

The Forest Centre

The Green Man

Acknowledgments

Forest Volunteers

Central Bedfordshire Council

Bedford Borough Council

The British Horse Society

Funded by Natural England as part of the Paths for Communities Project