North Bedfordshire Ramble ~ Griffmonsters Great Walks

Monday, 14 February 2022

North Bedfordshire Ramble

Author: Griffmonster | Monday, 14 February 2022 | No comments |

North Bedfordshire Ramble

A day long pub crawl and ramble around the area of Bedfordshire that borders Northamptonshire

The tracks, lanes and footpaths around this area of Bedfordshire provided many pub crawl in the past and this was a revisitof the area, the pubs and the people

NOTE

This is a walk summary intended to provide the user with just the essential information in order to navigate the walk route. Fully detailed information notes, refreshment stops and walk features are not included in this. A full write up will be included in the near future.

North Bedfordshire Ramble - Essential Information

Walk Statistics (calculated from GPX):

Start location: Sharnbrook
End location: Higham Ferrers
Distance: miles ( km)
Total Gain: ft ( metre)
Total Descent: ft ( metre)
Min Height: ft ( metre)
Max Height: ft ( metre)
Walk Time:
Walk Grade: Medium
Terrain: Footpath, Road

Maps:

The following maps and services can assist in navigating this route. There are links to printed maps and links to downloadable GPX route data for importing into navigational software and apps.

Ordnance Survey Explorer Map: OS Explorer 208 - Bedford & St Neots
Ordnance Survey Explorer Map: OS Explorer 224 - Corby, Kettering & Wellingborough
GPX Route File

Route Verification Details

Date of Walk: 22/08/2009
Walk Time: 10:30:00 to 23:59:00
Walkers: Griff, Kat
Weather Conditions: Warm, mainly sunny

Walk Notes

This was the sort of long distance ramble the Rushden Boys would do back in the 1980s. A glorification of the pubs and inns around North Bedfordshire. Something for those long lazy summer days when youthful exuberance allowed us to walk without caring and drink until the pubs closed.

The logistics involved taking the Rushden to Bedford bus and either alight at the A6 Sharnbrook turn, or if the bus went through the villages, Sharnbrook itself. This maximised the time time in the countryside although it usually entailed a walk back into town after bus services had completed their daily routine.

One mystery from this specific walk was the strange lights witnessed as we left Odell at the start of the long trek back. Three orange lights slowly lifted in the distance from the ground and slowly headed upwards. Then three more a minute later, then another three a minute later. We never did find out what they were. Certainly not an aeroplane as they were way too slow, gracefully heading upwards more like an airship but this was after 11pm and completely dark. A presumption was that these had lifted off from the old RAE Airfield at Thurleigh but after researching it was found the airfield was being used to store surplus unsold vehicles.