Holiday Walking
Where next? The Great Glen Way from Fort William to Inverness: 93 miles of beauty, bring it on.
The oldest post mill in the Country?
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Standing proudly in the middle of a field in rural Bedfordshire is Stevington Windmill, built in 1770. It is a little nugget of history there for all to enjoy, quietly minding its own business, but I’m sure with many a story to tell us. It was badly damaged by storm in 1919 but restored by a local carpenter a couple of years later. It was still working commercially in 1936 and so is probably one of the last mills to be working in the uK. From then it fell into decline and decay. But this little building clearly inspires love and after a local campaign if was purchased and renovated by Bedfordshire County Council in 1951 as one of its five contribution to the Festival of Britain. Its sails were removed in 1996, but once again she was restored to her full beauty in 2004 being fully resailed.
The mill is now a listed building and is now one of the few surviving examples of a timber post mill. The structure had to be turned by the miller, using the tail pole at the rear, so the sails always face the wind. What makes it special? Apart from the fact that it is very beautiful, the mill is pretty much still in working order and is in amazing condition. And you can have a look inside. Get the key from the Royal George in Stevington, put it in the big heavy wooden door, turn and you are inside. No drama, there is not much to see except the millstone on the floor and the mill machinery above, but stand still a while and listen to the wind and imagine if you will a whole different world.
On returning the key to the pub, it is only polite to take a drink (good cider and beer by the way) and while you do, notice the names painted in gold around the low beams. These are from the villagers who paid £5 a pop at the turn of the millenium, funds from which went to pay for benches around the village.
This is a lovely Two Mill walk which takes in the water mill at Bromham and the windmill at Stevington. If you take your adventure on a Sunday or Bank Holiday Monday you can visit both, with the watermill being open on those days. The walk passes over some lovely rural paths, crosses the disused Stevington railway (which makes another lovely walk incidentally) and takes in some of the streets of Bromham itself. It’s about 5 miles in total and easy going.
Hollington Wood Map
Here is the map to the lovely Hollington Wood walk
I’ve heard the locals talk about the Bluebell Wood for many years and I love the sight of bluebells carpeting a forest floor, but I had never managed to seek out this secret place, until this year. It’s real name is Hollington Wood and it is a small, privately owned piece of ancient woodland that is thought to be part of Britain’s original wild woods. It is first recorded as Hollington Wood in 1641 and was part of a marriage settlement between Elizabeth Tyringham and John Backwell, but of course, it dates back much further than that. It was bought by George Solt in 1961 and it is now owned by his son and daughter in law, Philip and Hilary.
This little part of ancient britain is beautiful at anytime of year, but during May the carpet of bluebells (just beginning to show themselves when I visited last week) are stunning. I don’t know the Solt’s but they must be lovely people as they have established a permissive path through the middle of this woodland so sharing it with everyone and letting us all enjoy this creation of natural beauty.
Do head out during the early weeks of May to see this floorshow. But remember if you visit, that it is private, so respect the permissive path routes, keep your dogs on a lead, take nothing away except photos and memories and leave nothing there.
It seems like for future generations, this nugget of beauty may become bigger still. The Lions are currently working on a project alongside The Woodland Trust – the Trust are hoping to plant 6 million trees, in what has become known as the Jubilee Woods Project. The Trust has been given a plot of land near Olney and there are plans to expand Hollington Wood even further by planting over 14000 saplings. This would more than double the size of the existing area. The objective is to join Hollington to Seven Acre Covert a small woodland nearby. So far the Lions have been involved with a team planting around 500 trees. How magnificent will that be in years to come?
To reach the woods and combine into a nice local walk, take off over the river meadows, crossing the river and following the path first left, but then right over the cow fields. Check the map, there are a number of footpaths – your objective is to end up on Newton Road, where you then take the lane toward Echo Barn Cottage and other houses. Take the footpath off toward the wood. You can then walk all around the exterior or take the permissive path through the middle. When you are done, take the path South West away from the wood toward Emberton and the A509. Stop for a nice pint and a sandwich in the village of Emberton and make your way through the park back to Olney.
In our everyday busy lives we don’t always take the time to appreciate or even notice these beautiful things that are right on our doorstop. Go see this wood anytime of year, but see it now and you’ll be sure to be back next year!
Day Four: Blisworth to Cosgrove -10 miles
There wasn’t any variation in the weather today. One word. Drizzle. A seamless grey sky from one end to the other with the dampness making everything else look brown and drab. Amazing what a bit of sunshine can do to a place.
Nether the less, after weary day three we were back in form, fighting fit and have had a lovely day – about 10 miles in total. The first short stretch up to the Blisworth tunnel is thickly wooded and lovely to walk through. Here you have a choice, either take the longer footpath route across the fields or take the direct road into Stoke Bruerne. Fancying a break from the mud we went for Tarmac. It’s about two miles and the road is quiet.
Day Three: Weedon to Blisworth – 8 miles
Glad it was only eight miles today. Day three weariness has set it – one of those days when the legs and brain work in harmony, saying ‘are you sure you wouldn’t rather go for a nice ride in the car’.
In addition, as canal walking goes, it was tough. No towpath to speak of, just a grassy bank, covered with just enough slippery mud to make your ankles really work and occasionally a nasty camber to it too. Not horrible, but enough to make each one of those miles seem long.
Day two: Braunston to Weedon – 10 miles
A lovely 10 miles of canalside walking today with wintery sun accompanying us all the way despite the dubious forecast.
Our first stop was just minutes from our hotel at a shop by Braunston lock. Neil bought a map we didn’t need because the sign said ‘support your canalside shop – there are not many of us left’. Aaahh!
Day One: Rugby to Braunston – 11 miles
It’s that time of year again, the dead Christmas days between the big dinner and New Year when the Billingham’s walk the waterways. Last year we headed off from Milton Keynes, following the Grand Union Canal, towards London, wrapped up like Michelin men, protection against the -9 degree temperature with two inches of crisp white snow under our feet.
Sunday Brunch Walk One: Harrold Country Park from Olney
Distance – 15 miles
This is a lovely, easy going, but long walk out of Olney. The half way point takes you to Harrold country park, where if you time it to get there before noon, you can enjoy a fabulous breakfast overlooking the lake.
