The annual Bedfordshire Festival of Autumn Walks is back from 6 – 14 September, and promises to be even bigger and better than ever.
The event programme currently has over 40 walks, from exploring town centres to bird watching, a meditative silent walk to celebrate World Mindfulness Day (12 September) and also an introduction to map reading.
Organised by four rambling groups that make up Bedfordshire Ramblers, the annual event is a celebration of the beautiful Bedfordshire countryside and the joy of exploring it on foot.
Bedford Borough’s MPs, Mohammad Yasin and Richard Fuller have lent their support to his year’s event, as have the Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire and the Borough’s deputy mayor, who will be joining at least one of the walks in the programme.
For those who fancy a challenge, festival-goers can tackle the 40-mile Greensand Walk over two days. The 64km long route starts near the Bedfordshire boundary with Buckinghamshire at Leighton Buzzard, passes through Woburn, Ampthill and Sandy, before finishing at Gamlingay on the Cambridgeshire border.
You can find out more at the festival website at bedswalkfest.co.uk, but here are a selection of our highlights.
Saturday, 6 September @ 8am
Early Autumn Migrants Bird Walk – 3 miles
Marston Vale Forest Centre car park
This is a chance to say a last farewell to our summer migrant bird species as they make their way back to their winter destinations, including swallows, martins and warbler species, as well as our resident birds such as the song thrush, blackbird and red kite.
Sunday, 7 September @ 10am
A Topsy-Turvy Walk – 6.7 miles
Park in layby at west end of Turvey village, MK43 8EW
This circular walk explores the countryside and woodland to the south of Turvey.
Sunday, 7 September @ 11am
Life and Times of John Bunyan – 1.5 miles
Meet at the What’s On Hub in Silver Square
Discover the life and times of Bedford’s most famous son, the author of The Pilgrim’s Progress in walk of approx two hours with one of Bedford’s Tour Guides. Each walk costs £4 per adult or £2 for children over eight. All walks must be pre-booked at thehigginsbedford.org.uk
Wednesday, 10 September @ 2pm
Did You Know This about Bedford? – 3 miles
Meet at the cemetery chapel, Foster Hill Road, Bedford, MK41 7TD
A leisurely guided stroll in Bedford’s Victorian cemetery, seeing and hearing about Bedford’s Great, Good, Bad, Inspirational and downright strange residents since 1855. Even if you are Bedford born and bred, there will be tales new to you. The length of the walk depends on the number of questions asked!
All of the festival walks are featured on the Bedfordshire Ramblers website here.
