Stewartby Lake to Houghton House

As I’ve explained in the top level description, I didn’t have high expectations for the Marston Vale Timberland Trail. However this afternoon’s walk was enjoyable and interesting; perfect for a warm Sunday afternoon. I drove to our destination for today, the car park for Houghton House at TL037393. My problem was that there was only one parking space remaining when I got there and it wasn’t the easiest to get my car into. However people were coming and going all the time, so I was able to move my car to a better space before Richard arrived. I then sat and waited and noticed a wedding car, presumably visiting Houghton House for photographs; Richard’s problem was that he then encountered the bridal car as he drove down the single track concrete drive to Houghton House! Fortunately there was a free space for him to park when he arrived.

In Richard’s car, we drove back to Stewartby Lake. For anyone who is inspired by this description on Jordanwalks to walk the Marston Vale Timberland Trail, I should point out that the right-hand turn from the track to Houghton House onto the B530 Ampthill to Bedford road is rather a blind turning, so take care. Also, note that the gates to the car park at the Marston Vale Forest Centre are reported as being locked at 5pm, which is not much use when you are starting a 5+ mile walk after 3pm as we did today. Fortunately there is plenty of alternative parking close to the lake, with the added advantage that it is free (though parking at the Forest Centre isn’t expensive). We parked in the big lay-by by the turning to Marston Moretaine from the former route of the A421, at TL003427.

The route around Stewartby Lake was quite busy, with families of walkers and cyclists. There was also sailing on the lake and, as always, good views over the lake to the four remaining brickworking chimneys as well as to a wind turbine – both chimneys and wind turbine act as landmarks in this area.

After following the route to the north-west and north-east of the lake we parted company with the route we’ve followed previously which continues around the lake, today staying on the road past Kimberley Sixth Form College and some waste ground with another good view of the chimneys. Then we crossed the railway line and walked into Stewartby, a model village, originally built for the workers of the London Brick Company. The name “Stewartby” came from the Stewart family, directors of London Brick Company from 1900; Sir Malcolm Stewart amalgamated the London Brick Compay with the local Forders Company in 1920. The village sits in the shadow of the four remaining chimneys (which were scheduled for demolition when the brickworks closed, but are now under a preservation order) but it is a fascinating and not unattractive place.

We continued alongside the railway, looking for a way across the line, and we were just beginning to think that the route must have altered when we spotted an underpass. We stopped to check that this was the correct route and in doing so spotted a deer a short distance ahead of us; amazing to see in a landscape which has been so industrial within our lifetime.

The other side of the railway line we crossed some scrub land and then crops, now with good views to the Greensand Ridge with both Houghton House and Ampthill Park House visible from time to time in the distance. We took an incorrect turning on one occasion (where are the signs when you need them? - there always seem to be plenty when you know where you are going) but we realised quickly and found the correct route, across a field of oilseed rape and across the B530 (the road we’d driven along earlier).

We were now getting quite close to Houghton House, but the route doesn’t go straight there, rather taking a left hand turn after passing the attractive Field Farm, and climbing up to King’s Wood. As we climbed onto the ridge, there were views to the nearby village of Houghton Conquest, but we didn’t take the path leading to the village, instead continuing around King’s Wood.

The path is shown on the OS maps (the transition from Explorer Sheet 208 to Explorer Sheet 193 to the south happens here) as circumnavigating three sides of the wood, heading first east, the south, then south-west, but when we reached the eastern extremity of the wood (which is the eastern extremity of the whole route) we discovered the route was signposted through the ancient woodland. This route, which turned out to be a permissive path, recommended by the Marston Vale Timberland Trail leaflet, was absolutely delightful.

We eventually emerged from the trees, noticing that the route in the opposite direction is still signposted around the wood. No-doubt that would be pleasant too, but it couldn’t be as nice as the route we had taken. We were close to Houghton House, but first of all had to negotiate the slightly tricky bit of route-finding past the reservoir and farm which confused us when on the Greensand Ridge Walk; essentially you keep straight ahead, but it still didn’t feel as clear as it might.

We reached the northern escarpment of the Greensand Ridge with the car park in front of us and Houghton House, catching the late afternoon sunshine, to our right. Houghton House was built around 1615 for Mary Herbert, Dowager Countess of Pembroke, apparently as a hunting lodge (…it’s a pretty big and elaborate hunting lodge). More famously, it was also apparently the inspiration for the House of the Palace Beautiful in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress.

The car park was very much less busy and we had a straightforward drive back to the other car and thence the short distance to the Bedford South Premier Inn.

Following leg