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Clophill and Haynes Circular

Bedfordshire Walk

County/Area - Bedfordshire

Author - Donald Morton

Length - 6.0 miles / 9.8 km    Ascent - 325 feet / 98 metres

Time - 3 hours 20 minutes    Grade - easy/mod

Maps Ordnance Survey Logo Anquet Maps Logo

Ordnance Survey Landranger 153Sheet Map1:50kBUY
Anquet OS Landranger 153Digital Map1:50kBUY

Walk Route Description

Photo from the walk - Clophill and Haynes Circular
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The ancient settlement of Clophill is situated at the junction of the A6 and the A507. The High Street runs parallel to the A507 and has many listed buildings and the new - 1848 - parish church. It is from this church that the walk commences (Grid Ref TL 090 382). Parking is possible on the High Street near the church.

Having parked walk to the church and find nearby Great Lane. From the High Street start off up Great Lane. Almost immediately turn left up Little Lane, which becomes a sunken lane and rises to a T-junction. Turn right to the next junction with Old Kiln Lane. Turn left and almost immediately right onto a bridleway. Once into the field turn left and follow the field break between two arable fields to a hedge gap. The bridleway continues straight on across a second arable field to another hedge gap. Having passed through this hedge gap, turn right along the field edge. After a few hundred yards and just before the hedge corner fork left at 45 degrees over an arable field. Having crossed a gravel track continue straight on diagonally over the next field to a finger post seen on the far side. This is at a road (Grid Ref TL085401).

Cross over and take what is now a footpath along the field edge, hedge (and stream) left. At the field corner turn left over a bridge over the stream and then right. After going through a hedge gap, cross another gravel track and follow the path diagonally right over the next field, aiming well to the left of a solitary tree, the top of which peeps over the horizon. The path comes to a stile after which the path goes straight on, over a field to another stile and then out through a wicket gate to the road (Grid Ref TL089411). Turn right and opposite a house called Fourways fork left on a footpath which runs in a straight line all the way to Haynes; as you rise up towards this village look back toward the left for a view of the large 18th Century mansion at Haynes Park. The footpath ends at a private road. Turn right and when the public road is reached turn left. At Northwood End Road turn right, and follow it until Hill Farm, on the right, is reached. (A little further on is the Greyhound PH.)

At Hill Farm the Greensand Ridge Walk is joined by turning right through the farm yard and onto a broad gravel track which swings left and descends to a road. Turn left and, where the road curves sharp left, turn right on a bridleway over a bridge. Follow the edge of Chicksands Wood uphill. At the field corner cross a bridge and continue along the edge of the woods as it winds SW until a bridge appears on the left. The way mark post has GSW logos and signs and you turn left here to go up the field edge; at the top of the rise there are extensive views to the S and SE. At the field corner continue following the field edge to a kissing gate. Walk down the pasture with a hedge left, through a kissing gate where the pasture becomes narrower, and through a final kissing gate to an enclosed green lane which comes out to a rough tarmac lane. This is the top of Old Church Lane (the vandalised ruins of the old - circa 1350 - church are soon seen on the left) which leads back to the High Street. Turn right to return to the new church.

Other walks nearby

Walk 2810 Haynes Circulareasy/mod7.0 miles
Walk 1985 Houghton Park Circulareasy4.0 miles
Walk 3115 Ampthill & Steppingley Circulareasy/mod9.0 miles
Walk 3513 Ampthill and Clophill Circularmoderate12.0 miles
Walk 2910 Hill walking from Hextonmoderate12.0 miles
Walk 1625 Hexton circular moderate13.0 miles
Walk 1679 Telegraph Hill & Pegsdon from Hexton easy5.0 miles
Walk 2714 Between Beeston and Old Wardeneasy/mod11.5 miles
Walk 2123 Everton & Potton moderate12.0 miles
Walk 3113 Sandy and Everton Circulareasy/mod7.5 miles

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