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How to get there

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Start/finish points

The Forest Centre, Marston Moretaine, MK43 0PR

Explorer Maps 193 and 208

Length

6.5 miles

Accessibility

No steps or cross falls recorded.

Surface types – Ranging from hard and firm without stones to uneven cultivated ground.

Linear gradient – Steepest linear gradient is 1:6.

Barriers – Stile steps at the railway crossing are very restrictive and there are also stiles and a number of kissing gates.

Route description

1 - From the map board outside the Forest Centre walk past the cycle hire shed, through the pergola and turn right down a bridleway passing a picnic table and a waymark post (WMP), following the right hand grass track.  Continue forward past a field gate on the right, turn right at a WMP and right again over a wooden foot bridge. Continue ahead keeping a hedge on the right. There’s a bench after about 100m. Continue along a surfaced track parallel with the Marston Vale railway until you come to a wooden kissing gate that leads out of the Park and onto Station Lane and Millbrook Station.

2 - Cross over Station Lane to a surfaced bridleway running parallel with the railway line and continue for ¼ mile.  At the end of a surfaced path continue following permissive bridleway signs bearing away from railway. At the end of the track bear left by a WMP keeping bushes on your right and continue towards a road gate. Just before the road gate turn left onto another surfaced permissive path. At the end of this path turn left onto Marston Road and cross over the railway.

3 - Just past the level crossing continue along  a bridleway to Granary Wood. Follow a surfaced track through the young woodland that consists of oak, ash, birch and hawthorn.  Exit the track through a gate onto a footpath by the side of houses and at its end, continue straight ahead along Lombard Street to a T-junction. Turn left onto Church Street, uphill, passing shops on the right. Shortly after the shops take the narrow surfaced footpath leading right from Church Street. Continue to the end of this path crossing Whitehall. At the end of the path turn left on to Greensand Ridge and bear round to the right, to the end of a cul-de-sac and a footpath signpost between the last two houses and enter Folly Wood. 

4 - Follow the footpath across the grass fields of Folly Wood. At the first bench turn left onto a track sloping steeply upwards keeping to the right of the trees. Shortly after the finger post on the right, the track drops down. At this point bear right and follow a smaller track round the base of a mound and climb up to left end of a fence line at the top of the hill. Turn right here to a picnic site, viewpoint and information board.  Leave the picnic site by passing a bench and follow the track downhill, keeping a fence on your right. At a 3-way finger post follow the arrow pointing to a bench in front of some trees. Pass the bench and walk through a kissing gate into young woodland. Cross a track and climb some steps onto a waymarked path. Continue on this path, passing further WMPs and keeping trees on your right.  At WMP before ‘PRIVATE’ sign immediately bear right down four steps and follow the path through trees to WMP.  Follow the footpath straight down a hill keeping trees to your right following WMPs straight across a field towards the railway line.

5 - At a WMP do not cross the railway line. Rather, turn right and follow the field edge path back towards Lidlington. Cross a footbridge amongst trees and continue along a path parallel to the railway line eventually passing through a gate and along a track to Bye Road.  Follow Bye Road to Lidlington Station.Turn right at the station and then left into Lombard Street. Where the road bears right continue on into The Grove and retrace your earlier steps.  About 30 yards beyond the last lamp post turn left onto the track that leads across the railway line using ladder stiles.  Cross the cultivated field to a WMP within the field hedge.

6- For a shorter route follow the Timberland Trail signs back to the Forest Centre and Millennium Country Park via Marston Church with its separate tower.  For a longer route that will add 1 mile to your walk, from the hedge and waymark post continue about 15 yards into the field and follow the right hand path to the corner of the field and a WMP.  Continue across the field to the furthest corner and a WMP. Pass through the hedge and turn left keeping the hedge to your left. At a tree, cross the field heading towards a farm. Cross the footbridge and head towards a ‘Give Way’ sign on the main road (old A421) passing to the left of a pylon. 

7 - Cross the road carefully and head towards a finger posted footpath to the left of a large road route sign. Follow the path through three kissing gates and across a footbridge and some trees to a WMP. Walk across a cultivated field to the right of a pond and trees, following WMPs through a small gap in the hedge out onto a bridleway. Turn right down the bridleway onto a road and continue straight on.  Where the road bends to the left continue straight on past a gate and footpath sign to the end of a track. Cross the main road (old A421) to a WMP on a track directly opposite and walk along the track and through a woodland to exit onto Woburn Road towards Marston village. On entering the village turn right down a road called ‘The Green’ and follow it past some old cottages. Enter the church grounds and follow the path around to the right of the church. Exit through a gateway and cross over a bridge and follow the Timberland Trail signs back to the Forest Centre and the Millennium Country Park.

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