As we missed out the last bit of our Woburn walk last week we decided to finish it off this week. As the whole walk was meant to be 8 miles and we walked 7 miles last week we didn’t expect this walk to be terribly long. We did get slightly lost last week and did about an extra mile in total (I think) so in theory this walk should have been about 2 miles… 3 tops. It was FIVE miles and no we did not get lost!

We started from the same car park in Woburn which is across the street from the Church. From the car park, we turned right. Very shortly down the road, next to the cottage, is a gate and then a right turn onto a public footpath. One of the great things about Woburn Abbey Estates is that they mark their paths with a yellow marker. We followed the footpath down to a little estate road with beautiful cottages on the right. Down the little road and we reached the stables.

We walked to the left of the stables and through to the yellow marker that pointed us across the fields. There were so many majestic stags and it was amazing how close we could be to them.

The paths cross the field pretty much just go parallel to the road and leads down the other end of the estate road. Just before the exit there is another footpath across the road that leads across more fields toward the safari park. Just keep following those yellow posts up the hill and to a road. You will see the fencing for the park in front of you while heading up that hill.

At the top of the hill is a road and you need to head right with the park fence on your left. Keep the fence on the left and you will come to a cattle grid. Maybe 50 metres after the cattle grid is another yellow marker where you need to turn left. Go down the hill and you will find yourself at the entrance to the safari park.

It is a bit difficult to see the next part of this walk. Cross the road and go between the building down a road perpendicular to the entrance road. There is a telephone box on your right and green mesh on fencing on the left. Look for the gate and walk down the path with fencing on both sides. You are walking through some of the park. Watch out for the elephants as they are on both sides of the path.

The path is clear with fences on both sides. Keep going and keep an eye out for more animals. We also say a rhino and wallabies, or so I am told as I had to take off my glasses do to the rain… was starting to look like a swim rather than a walk. There is a gate ahead but just go through it and follow that path. There is beautiful greenery surrounding you along this path but there was also an excess of rain and as a glasses wearer I was blind. This path goes all the way to the exit from the estate onto the road between Husband Crawley and Woburn.

The road between villages was busy and the views were non-spectacular. The estate wall was on the left and a road on the right. There were no views along here. In fact the sight lines were boring enough that my husband found a pattern of long side and short side bricks in that wall. We did at least get lucky that when there were puddles in the road next to us there were no cars. This was a bit of a long road as well but it lands right in Woburn.

At the end of the road you are in Woburn and just need to turn left to walk down through the centre of the village. It is a lovely village so I do recommend slowing down and enjoying yourself. At the next big junction you should be seeing the church down the left road so you can make your way back to your car.

The walk was great, if a bit wet. The weather could have been better but the scenery was so good. I kept taking pictures until the rain was heavy enough that I didn’t want to hurt my phone. Sorry if I am a bit low on pictures. Do enjoy the walk and get lots of your own pictures.