{"id":570,"date":"2012-12-22T09:04:03","date_gmt":"2012-12-22T09:04:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/?p=570"},"modified":"2012-12-22T09:55:41","modified_gmt":"2012-12-22T09:55:41","slug":"woburn-abbey-and-deer-park-bedfordshire","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/?p=570","title":{"rendered":"Woburn Abbey and deer park, Bedfordshire"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The three young horses had been made skittish by this morning\u2019s sharp wind, and they jostled each other and leaped off the ground as we crossed their field on the outskirts of Woburn.<script type=\"text\/javascript\">window.onload = setupZoom; function popwalk(walk) {var url = \"\/Walks\/amap.php?f=\"+walk; varwalkwindow=window.open(url,\"walkwin\",\"height=730,width=850,resizable=yes,scrollbars=yes\"); if (window.focus) {walkwindow.focus()}}<\/script>First published in: The Times <a href=\"javascript:popwalk('WoburnAbbey.gpx');\" rel=\"nozoom\" title=\"Click here to view a map for this walk in a new window\">Click here to view a map for this walk in a new window<\/a><\/script><br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8472\/8141575672_98b320e0c2.jpg\" title='field fungi'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8472\/8141575672_98b320e0c2_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8191\/8141550387_e2c78db073.jpg\" title='&#039;Granny&#039;s cakes&#039;'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8191\/8141550387_e2c78db073_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8324\/8141582962_3e804a680b.jpg\" title='fly agaric'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8324\/8141582962_3e804a680b_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8341\/8250016038_d3f2e8f849.jpg\" title='Horsemoor Farm'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8341\/8250016038_d3f2e8f849_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8057\/8248949211_22f7649e6c.jpg\" title='fly agaric gills'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8057\/8248949211_22f7649e6c_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8058\/8250019082_fdc5f7a520.jpg\" title='horse chestnut woods'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8058\/8250019082_fdc5f7a520_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8061\/8250020342_9b4de0cf86.jpg\" title='iridescent pond, Lowe&#039;s Wood'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8061\/8250020342_9b4de0cf86_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8205\/8248953759_9807f0e55d.jpg\" title='maple leaf'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8205\/8248953759_9807f0e55d_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8477\/8250022360_e1b38f4cf1.jpg\" title='log grin'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8477\/8250022360_e1b38f4cf1_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8064\/8248955521_8fd529302c.jpg\" title='burning bush'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8064\/8248955521_8fd529302c_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8347\/8250025816_3cf1a326fb.jpg\" title='Upper Drakeloe Pond 1'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8347\/8250025816_3cf1a326fb_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8206\/8248959349_2310ae67e1.jpg\" title='Woburn Abbey'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8206\/8248959349_2310ae67e1_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8477\/8250027328_99d0f2c85b.jpg\" title='red stag, Woburn park'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8477\/8250027328_99d0f2c85b_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8063\/8250028284_f742bff3c1.jpg\" title='Upper Drakeloe Pond 2'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8063\/8250028284_f742bff3c1_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8199\/8250029254_f7aefd74c5.jpg\" title='colours of early winter, Woburn Park'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8199\/8250029254_f7aefd74c5_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a> <a href=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8205\/8248956261_10bb9d74c1.jpg\" title='fields near Speedwell 1'><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/farm9.static.flickr.com\/8205\/8248956261_10bb9d74c1_s.jpg\" alt=\"picture\" \/><\/a><br \/>\nFacebook Link: <script src=\"http:\/\/connect.facebook.net\/en_US\/all.js#xfbml=1\"><\/script><fb:like href=\"http:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/wordpress\/?p=570\" layout=\"button_count\" show_faces=\"true\" width=\"200\" colorscheme=\"dark\"><\/fb:like><br \/>\nThere was a bite in the Bedfordshire air and a nip in our fingers today, with winter stealing in across the wooded countryside on a tide of gold and crimson.<\/p>\n<p>Enormous fungi sprouted in the thick clay of the ploughed fields. Along the way in Little Brickhill Copse and Buttermilk Wood \u2013 names redolent of the traditional brick-making and dairying of this low-rolling county \u2013 the scarlet caps of fly agaric, spotted white, gleamed in the shadows under the silver birch and pine trees. How many unsuspecting infants must have been tempted by those sweetie-resembling but deadly fungi; likewise the dense crowds of bell-caps called \u2018granny\u2019s cakes\u2019 that clustered so invitingly on the cut tree stumps. No wonder our forebears warned their children off the winter woods with tales of gingerbread houses and wicked old witches.<\/p>\n<p>We passed Hundreds Farm and went through woods of sweet chestnut, oak and birch where a golden rain of falling leaves slanted across the path and the iridescence in the pools betrayed the presence of iron in the greensand rock below. Then suddenly we were out of the trees and striding across open fields of grass tussocks. In one prairie-like pasture a crowd of young bullocks frolicked past with the wind in their tails, and we took refuge beside an old thorn tree in the centre of an ancient moated platform until they had cantered away.<\/p>\n<p>The peerage sucked its aristocratic teeth when the 13th Duke of Bedford opened his ancestral house of Woburn Abbey to the public in 1955, but the pioneering stately home proved a roaring success. We strolled the broad acres past the big white-faced pile of the mansion and on through the deer park. Woburn\u2019s famous herd of P\u00e8re David\u2019s deer, rescued from the brink of extinction by the 11th Duke, cropped the grass unconcernedly; and three magnificent red stags lay in close company, occasionally lifting their great heads to roar in a reminder that the rutting season was well and truly under way.<\/p>\n<p>Start: Woburn High Street, Beds, MK17 9PX (OS ref SP949331)<\/p>\n<p>Travel: Bus Service 10 (<a href=\"http:\/\/babus.org.uk\">babus.org.uk<\/a>), Leighton Buzzard to Milton Keynes<br \/>\nRoad \u2013 M1 Jct 12, then follow brown signs via Eversholt.  <\/p>\n<p>Walk (7\u00bd miles, easy, OS Explorer 192):<\/p>\n<p>Walk north up High Street (A4012, Bedford direction). Pass A4012\u2019s right turn to Bedford; in another 10 m, left (948334, fingerpost) along fenced path. Across fields through gates (black arrows\/BLA, \u2018Woburn Walk\u2019\/WW, yellow-topped posts\/YTP). In 3rd field, go half left to top left corner (941333, YTP). Left for 30 m past pond; right across footbridge (YTP); across field and through hedge gap (940333), on through hedge to left of Horsemoor Farm (937333). Left (WW) for 50 m; right (BLA) up woodland path and ahead for \u00bd mile to Hundreds Farm (928332).<\/p>\n<p>NB: If diversion round reservoir works is still in place, follow taped path through woods from 935333 to 930333; turn left here (3-finger post) to Hundreds Farm.<\/p>\n<p>Pass Hundreds Farm, following BLAs and YTPs. By notice \u2018To 10th Tee, Club House\u2019, keep ahead on sandy path. By notice \u2018To 6th Tee\u2019 fork left on woodland path, soon passing BLA post. Cross track (924328) and on to road (925327).<\/p>\n<p>Cross; right along path parallel to road (fingerpost). Ahead for 100 m; then left (\u2018Circular Walk\u2019\/CW, arrows and WW). On along woodland path. In \u2153 mile join Greensand Ridge Walk at junction of tracks (926321); ahead for nearly 1 mile to road (933311). Right along verge for 250 m; left along minor road (933308, \u2018Potsgrove\u2019) past house. In 50 m, left through kissing gate (fingerpost), across fields and through gates (BLA). NB There may be frisky bullocks running in these fields! In 2nd field, aim past old moat (939313), to turn left through kissing gate in hedge beyond a line of disused fence posts (942313). North up field edge with fence on left. In 300 m (943316), BA points half right across field, but don\u2019t go too far right! Better to keep ahead up fence\/hedge to end of field, then turn right to kissing gate half way along top hedge (944319). Go through; right (BLA) along hedge to YTP (945318); half left (BLA) across field to YTP (948319). Ahead across corner of next field; left across ditch (949320) and walk north over next field, aiming for small treetop on its own in a dip. At YTP (949324), right along hedge. Follow farm track round left bend; in another 20 m, left through holly hedge (952323) and on along raised bank; then follow hedge as it bends right (951324) and descends to A4012 (952326).<\/p>\n<p>Cross road; go left of Ivy Lodge (CW fingerpost); on along fenced path for \u2153 mile to deer gate (957326). Bear left (\u2018public footpath\u2019 fingerpost); follow track (YTPs) left of Shoulder of Mutton Pond (959330) and Horse Pond (960331). Bear left round Park Farm; ahead through gate (959333; BLA, \u2018Camping Centre\u2019). In 150 m drive bends right (957333, \u2018Camping Centre\u2019); keep ahead here on path among trees for \u2153 mile, past Upper Drakeloe Pond to road (952333). Left to A4012 (949331); right into Woburn.<\/p>\n<p>NB: Section from Potsgrove lane to A4012 unsuitable for dogs \u2013 cattle running free!<\/p>\n<p>Lunch\/Accommodation: Longs Inn, Bedford Street, Woburn MK17 9QB (01525-290219; <a href=\"http:\/\/longsinn.co.uk\">longsinn.co.uk<\/a>).<\/p>\n<p>Woburn Abbey: 01525-290333; <a href=\"http:\/\/woburn.co.uk\/abbey\">woburn.co.uk\/abbey<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Info: 01908-614638; <a href=\"http:\/\/destinationmiltonkeynes.co.uk\">destinationmiltonkeynes.co.uk<\/a><br \/>\n<A HREF=\"http:\/\/www.ramblers.org.uk\/\">www.ramblers.org.uk<\/A> <A HREF=\"http:\/\/www.satmap.com\/\">www.satmap.com<\/A> <A HREF=\"http:\/\/www.LogMyTrip.co.uk\/\">www.LogMyTrip.co.uk<\/A><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The three young horses had been made skittish by this morning\u2019s sharp wind, and they jostled each other and leaped off the ground as we crossed their field on the outskirts of Woburn.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-570","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-walks","category-3-id","post-seq-1","post-parity-odd","meta-position-corners","fix"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/570","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=570"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/570\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=570"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=570"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.christophersomerville.co.uk\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=570"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}