Little Paxton & River Ouse Circular

Cambridgeshire Walk

Maps

Ordnance Survey Explorer 225	Sheet Map	1:25k	BUY
Anquet OS Explorer 225	Digital Map	1:25k	BUY

Walk Route Description

Click image to see photo description.

This Cambridgeshire walk explores the Paxton Pit Nature Reserve combined with a section along the River Ouse using the Ouse Valley Way. The route uses footpaths and tracks with a short section along a quite county lane. Depending on the season, the nature reserve is host to a wide variety of birds and if you are lucky, you may see an Otter in the River Ouse.

The walk starts from the free car park at Paxton Pits Nature Reserve (grid ref. TL195629) which lies to the east of Little Paxton village. After parking walk east across a wooden footbridge. Continue ahead ignoring a gate signed to Weedy Lake and follow the 'Heron Trail'. Cross a road, head through metal gate and pass information boards. Pass an education centre on your right. Continue ahead on a clear stony track. You soon pass a hide on your left. Stay on the track as it veers left past farm buildings to reach a junction and fingerpost. Follow the path signed to the Ouse Valley Way.

The clear path follows the River Ouse (on your right) past moorings and through a metal gate. Reaching a path junction where the Heron Trail goes left (grid ref. TL203639) continue ahead on a grassy path (signed Ouse Valley Way). You now have just over two kilometres of pleasant walking beside the river. Reaching a path junction (TL214661), turn left leaving the riverside path. Continue along a fenced path, cross a bridge, pass a substation, and then bear right past a small reservoir used by Anglian Water. Go through a metal gate and turn left (grid ref. TL211664). Walk ahead and continue to reach a surfaced track. Turn left onto a footpath with views across the watery landscape to your left. After one kilometre you reach a track.

Turn left signed to Diddington along a farm track. You soon reach a metalled road passing houses on your right. Where the road bends right with a thatched cottage on your left, leave the road and follow a track to a gate and fingerpost (grid ref. TL195655). Go half left (signed to Paxton Pits) across the field. Pass through the hedge and bear right to the next fingerpost. Turn left, cross an access track and veer right across a small bridge into a small wood (grid ref. TL200651).

Continue through the wood and exit through a gate. Walk across the field and turn left over a concrete culvert over a stream. Immediately turn right (fingerpost). Keep ahead towards Broughton Lodge Farm. Pass through a gate to the right of the farm and continue across a track to a fingerpost opposite. Pass through trees following the fingerposts. Reaching a quarry track (TL197641) turn left along the track and enter the nature reserve again. Pass through a gate on the right and continue along the path which runs parallel to the track (track on your right). Keep ahead along the path to reach woodland. Turn right signed to Rory’s Wood and then left at the lake to follow the track back to the car park used at the start.

Walk GradingMore Cambridgeshire Walks

Other walks nearby

Walk 3271	Grafham Water Circular	easy/mod	8.7 miles
Walk 2133	Graffham Water	easy/mod	7.8 miles
Walk 2123	Everton & Potton	moderate	12.0 miles
Walk 2305	Gamlingay, Tetworth & Everton from Potton	easy/mod	9.5 miles
Walk 2477	Alconbury Weston & Buckworth Circular	easy	6.9 miles
Walk 3113	Sandy and Everton Circular	easy/mod	7.5 miles
Walk 3741	St. Ives, Houghton & the Hemingfords	easy	5.6 miles
Walk 2714	Between Beeston and Old Warden	easy/mod	11.5 miles
Walk 1963	Elsworth & Conington	moderate	10.1 miles
Walk 3605	Shelton & Yelden from Upper Dean	easy/mod	7.5 miles

Recommended Books & eBooks

No suggestions for this area.