Our advertised walks are informally guided by our volunteers and follow the B&MK waymarker posts across the Bucks and Beds countryside. Every year we aim to walk a section of the planned route of the waterway between Milton Keynes and Bedford. Everyone is welcome to come along and learn about how the vision for a new 26km waterway, paths and parkland linking the 2 towns, and all the communities in between, is being realised.
Walks planned for 2012
Date |
Route |
Length |
Sun 19 February |
Willen Winter Weekend Walk followed by a pub lunch overlooking the lake. |
c. 3 miles |
Sun 25 March |
Bedford Underpass Circular Walk from Wootton to the purpose-built A421 underpass in Marston Vale and returning to the Black Horse Pub at Potters Cross, Wootton. See poster, below. |
c. 4 miles |
Sat 15 September |
Ridgmont Ramble as part of Bedfordshire Ramblers Walking festival. See poster, below. |
3-4 miles |
See Calendar of Events at the foot of this webpage for more details on these walks and the exhibitions we stage at local and regional fairs and festivals.
Planned events
Walks Completed in 2011
Broughton and Campbell Park
6 March 2011
A circular 3 mile walk from the Broughton Hotel via Pineham and Willen Lake to take a look at alternative route options at the western end of the planned waterway in Milton Keynes in the morning, followed by lunch at the start point.
Kempston Mill and Wootton
26 June 2011
A mostly urban walk of approximately 3 miles. Those of you who walked with us on this section of the proposed route in 2006 will be amazed at the changes; the Western bypass is complete and a section of the A421 is now a motorway. The walk weaves between the new roads and housing developments following the proposed waterway and Route 51 cycleway route. There are some busy roads, quieter on a Sunday and the occasional rough track. The endpoint for this walk is the Black Horse pub and pizzeria at Potters Cross, Wootton where you can stop for refreshments.
Ridgmont and Marston Vale
10 September 2011
The B&MK again led this walk, as part of the Bedfordshire Ramblers 3rd Annual Walking Festival, from Ridgmont Station to the Forest Centre at Marston Vale. 
The walk followed, as closely as possible, the planned route of a 5 mile section of the Bedford and Milton Keynes Waterway, including the cattle creep under the M1 motorway (right), a talk from Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity about the project to restore Ridgmont Station (left), and of course a trek over Brogborough Hill – a serious engineering challenge for the waterway designers.
Self-guided walks
If you would like to walk any of our previous routes yourself, maps and directions are available to download, below. We have given the most recent date that the Trust has led guided walks over these sections, as an indication of the accuracy of the information provided, but local developments can constantly change the availability and routing of permissive paths.
Route |
Length |
Map |
Notes |
Directions |
Last walked |
Broughton to Campbell Park via Milton Keynes Village |
4.5 miles |
12 Sep 2010 |
|||
Broughton to Campbell Park via Ouse Valley Park |
6 miles |
12 Sep 2010 |
|||
Ridgmont to the Forest Centre in Marston Vale |
5.5 miles |
--- |
11 Sep 2010 |
||
Bedford to Kempston Mill |
6 miles |
--- |
23 May 2010 |
As the route of the planned B&MK Waterway broadly follows the railway across Marston Vale, linear walks can readily use Ridgmont, Lidlington and Stewartby railways stations as start and end points.
Hear the talk
Interested in the proposed building of the Bedford & Milton Keynes Waterway? Our experienced team of speakers has so far undertaken over 150 presentations and spoken to nearly 4500 people.
If your group/organisation would like an illustrated talk on the latest developments, please contact the Trust’s Talks Organisers, John & Sally Gunning, who will provide a speaker to suit your needs.
They can be contacted by phone (01234 305925) or use the contact form - Click here
We look forward to hearing from you.
We would welcome new blood to join our team of speakers. Full training would be given and regular updating is produced on the B&MK website. If you are interested please contact us.
Talks schedule
DATE |
SPEAKER | GROUP | LOCATION | TIME |
17-Jan-11 |
David Fowler | Better Bedford | Gt. Denham | |
01-Feb-11 |
David Fowler | S Beds Farmers' Club | Tilsworth Golf club | 7:30pm (6:15pm meal) |
03-Mar-11 |
Paul Leech |
London Canal Museum | London Canal Museum | |
17-Mar-11 |
Hilary Goldsmith | Simply Forward | Cranfield University | 7:30pm |
06-Apr-11 |
Hilary Goldsmith | Wilts & Berks Canal Trust | E. Hanney Royal British Legion | 8:00pm |
20-Jun-11 |
Roger Crews | Bletchley Rotary Club | Mercure Hotel, Woughton on Green | 12:15 (lunch) |
18-Aug-11 |
Roger Crews | Herts Engineers L.C. | Welwyn Garden City | 2:00pm (12:00pm lunch) |
11-Oct-11 |
Hilary Goldsmith | Middx IWA |
Hillingdon Canal Club Uxbridge |
8:00pm |
01-Nov-11 |
David Fowler | Hearts Group | St. Mark's Bedford | |
24-Nov-11 |
Roger Crews |
Maulden History Society | ||
13-Dec-11 |
Hilary Goldsmith | Bedford Camera Club | Priory Methodist Church, Bedford | 7:30pm |
15-Feb-12 |
Roger Crews | Hatfield Rotary Club | tbc | |
22-Feb-12 |
David Fowler | NFU Ladies | Bromham Village Hall | |
08-Mar-12 |
Paul Leech |
Union of Catholic Mothers | St Mary's Church, Dunstable | 8:00pm |
10-Apr-12 |
David Fowler | Warley End W.I. | Cranfield | |
19-Apr-12 |
David Fowler | Institute of Civil Engineers | St. Albans | |
19-Apr-12 |
Hilary Goldsmith | Birmingham/Worcester IWA | Kingswinford, Stourbridge | 7:15pm |
23-May-12 |
David Fowler | MK U3A | Salvation Army Hall Conniburrow MK | 2:00pm |
18-Jun-12 |
Friends of Clapham Church | Fellowship Centre, Green Lane | 7:45pm | |
13-Sep-12 |
Hinxworth/Edworth W I |
Calendar of Events
Do come and join in on walks, hear our talks or visit the Trust stand at the following festivals and activities. Un-shaded events are open to all, events shaded yellow are for Trust members – click here to join us and support the waterway.
DATE |
EVENT |
Sun 19 Feb |
Willen Winter Weekend Walk followed by a pub lunch overlooking the lake. Meet at 11am in the free car park next to the Grand Union Canal MK9 4AD. |
| Mon 27 Feb | MK Members Update and Social |
| Weds 14 Mar | Projects Group |
| Sun 25 Mar | Bedford Underpass Circular Walk along a 4 mile section of the route to the purpose-built A421 underpass in Marston Vale. Meet 11:30am at the Black Horse Pub at Potters Cross, Wootton MK43 9JG. |
| Tues 24 Apr | Talks and Social Evening for Members & Supporters. See the talks team in action, and meet and mix with your fellow members. £2.50 per head includes tea or coffee and biscuits. 7-9pm at Box End Park, Kempston MK43 8RQ. |
| Sat 5 May |
Parks Trust May Day Festival. Come along 12-5pm to see/join in the activities next to the Grand Union Canal - Campbell Park, Milton Keynes MK9 4AD |
| Thurs 17 May | B&MK AGM with guest speaker. |
| Tues 22 May | Projects Group |
| Sat 2 – Tues 5 Jun | Crick Boat Show. Come and help on the B&MK stand or drop by and say hello at the biggest canal show of the year. |
| Sat 21 – Sun 22 Jul | Bedford River Festival on the Embankment and Mill Meadows. Visit the B&MK at the Waterspace Village to find out more about ideas for improvements in on and around the river. |
| Weds 25 Jul | Projects Group |
| Sat 28 Jul | Linslade Canal Festival. Visit the B&MK display stand at this annual festival with 100s of craft and demonstration stands in Tiddenfoot Waterside Park LU7 2AE. |
| Sat 1 – Sun 2 Sep | Woodworks. Visit the Trust stand at this weekend festival of wood craft, trees, machines, real ale, arena displays and fantastic folk and roots music at the Forest Centre and Millennium Country Park. |
| Sun 9 Sep | BBQ & Canal History Talks |
| Sat 15 Sep | Ridgmont Ramble as part of Bedfordshire Ramblers Walking festival. |
| Weds 3 Oct | Projects Group |
| Fri 2 Nov | 3rd Annual Partnership Conference |
| Weds 28 Nov | Projects Group |
| Fri 4 Jan 2013 |
Members New Year Social |
Please contact the Trust Project Office on 01908 302592 or use the contact form to register for or to find out more about any of the above events.
