Ouse Valley Way - Bedford to St Neots

A riverside walk along the Ouse Valley Way between Bedford and St Neots.
Despite the increasing urbanisation between Bedord and St Neots, the riverside sections of this walk provide some pleasant rambles. Particularly notable is the 15th century river bridge at Great Barford and the riverside parks at St Neots.

Technical sheet

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  • Walking
    Activity: Walking
  • ↔
    Distance: 27.04 km
  • ◔
    Calculated time: 7h 45 
  • ▲
    Difficulty: Difficult

  • ⚐
    Return to departure point: No
  • ↗
    Vertical gain: + 6 m
  • ↘
    Vertical drop: - 18 m

  • ▲
    Highest point: 33 m
  • ▼
    Lowest point: 14 m

Photos

Description

Start: Bedford Bus Station (MK40 1LJ) Grid ref. TL 047 498

(S) From Bedford Bus Station head out onto Greyfriars and turn left and continue for 400 yards. At the roundabout continue straight ahead and down to the riverside path. Turn left and follow the river.

(1) At the river bridge, cross over to the opposite bank and continue along the riverside path. Do not cross the footbridge by the weir but continue on the southern side of the channel. The path will eventually pass under a large road bridge after which there is a footbridge across the river. Take this and turn right immediately after. The path then crosses another footbridge and then follows the riverside.

(2) Just before the river meets a sluice take the path left that almost turns back on itself, through some woodland and into the country park. The crosses a small footbridge and then joins an asphalt path around the lake. As the path turns left to follow the lake boundary there is a footpath on the right. Take this and follow it through to the old railway track bed.

(3) Turn right and cross the river bridge and follow the track bed. Keep to this railway path bearing in mind that this is also a regularly used cycle path. It does take a diversion to get over the Bedford bypass but then continues on its straight course. There is a short stretch where the path deviates into some woodland which then returns back to the trackbed where it meets the lane into Willington.

The OS map is misleading here as it depicts the trackbed being the main route throughout which is clearly not the case.'Just keep following the path, then turn right back onto the trackbed at the Willington lane.

(4) Keep on the track bed, past the Danish Camp cafe until the path leads off to the left and alongside the river. Keep to this path and follow the route over the bridges where the Barford Mill once stood. The path then follows the river into the village of Great Barford with the Anchor pub at the road junction by the bridge. Follow New Road away from the pub.

(5) There is a footpath on the right, just past the sewage works, which leads back down to the river side. Follow the river until the path leads away onto Ford Lane. Continue up Ford Lane into the village of Roxton. Follow the road as it bends round to the right and leads through the High Street. At the pub, turn right onto School Lane.

(6) Then take the footpath on the left that leads along the back of the houses. This emerges out onto the old main Bedford road. Turn right then take the left across the road bridge over the new road. Keep to the road into Chawston and take the first right.

(7) After 200yds take the footpath on the left. This leads across a field and onto a track then continues straight ahead into a small area of modern housing. Continue straight ahead and turn right onto the road. This emerges onto the very busy A1 highway. There is a path on the right which leads to a footbridge across the highway.

(8) On the opposite side turn left and continue along the footpath. This follows the slip way down to a large roundabout. One needs to cross over to the road that leads into Eaton Socon. Be cautious when crossing as the roads are they are very busy and with fast-moving traffic. Continue on the road into Eaton Socon.

(9) Take School Lane down by the side of the church. Continue to the end where there is the River Mill pub on the left and to the right are the locks which provide the method to cross the river. Turn left and follow the opposite bank. Across the river is the site of Eaton Socon Castle. Continue along the riverside path, past the campsite, through some woodland and onto the access road to the campsite. The land opposite is said to be the site of a Roman Encampment.

(10) Turn left over the large footbridge and follow the riverside path through to the main St Neots River Bridge. Cross the river along B1428. The bus stop is alongside the market square. Just past this, on the left is New Street where the Pig and Falson pub can be found.(E)

Waypoints

  1. S : km 0 - alt. 32 m - Bedford Bus Station
  2. 1 : km 0.73 - alt. 29 m - River bridge
  3. 2 : km 4.1 - alt. 25 m - Sluice - Path left
  4. 3 : km 5.09 - alt. 26 m - Old railway track bed - River bridge
  5. 4 : km 8.79 - alt. 24 m - Danish Camp cafe
  6. 5 : km 12.1 - alt. 21 m - Sewage works - Footpath right
  7. 6 : km 17.67 - alt. 26 m - Footpath left
  8. 7 : km 19.58 - alt. 21 m - Footpath left
  9. 8 : km 21.54 - alt. 19 m - Footbridge across the highway
  10. 9 : km 23.99 - alt. 19 m - School Lane - Side of the church
  11. 10 : km 25.97 - alt. 18 m - Large footbridge
  12. E : km 27.04 - alt. 20 m - St Neots Marquet square

Practical information

Start: Bedford Bus Station (MK40 1LJ) Grid ref. TL 047 498

Transport : Stagecoach X5 Service linking Cambridge, St Neots, Bedford, Milton Keynes and Oxford. There is a regular coach service between St Neots and Bedford offered by Stagecoach's prestigious Oxford to Cambridge route.

Accommodation: Houghton Mill Campsite

Refreshments:
The Anchor Inn, Great Barford
Pig and Falcon, St Neots

Find more information and walks at Griffmonsters Great Walks here.

In the nearby area

The Eynesbury Giant
St Neots Priory

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The GPS track and description are the property of the author.