Warden Hill and Barton Hills (13km) Print

Warden Hill and Barton Hills Waypoint 1

Warden Hill and Barton Hills, Ride 12 in the Bedfordshire on Horseback series.Approximately 13km (8 miles) with options to shorten or extend using Warden Hill and lilley Hoo Ride. This ride in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is described clockwise but can be ridden in either direction. It includes less than 800m on road but half of this is on a busy B road in Barton-le-Clay ? this can be avoided by shortening the route but you will miss a super ride by Barton Hills. Car Park is reached from the A6 up Warden Hill Road (signed Cardinal Newman School and South Beds Golf Course), then left at the top of the road. The car park is small but there is plenty of room to manoeuvre (with consideration to drivers to/from the school and golf course). If the car park is full, the parking in Warden Hill Road is not restricted. From the car park (GR 087259), join track at the edge of the golf course and going left, follow the BW straight ahead until you reach the red brick club house. Join the hard track in front of the club house and follow it (part of the Icknield Way) gently up hill for approx 800m to a Bridleway (BW) crossroads. There is an Icknield Way information panel on the left

Warden Hill and Barton Hills Waypoint 2

Turn left here and through a small wooded area to head north towards the road. Ignore BW to left signed Icknield Way after about 800m and continue straight on, hedge on right. Just before the road the BW goes through the hedge and continues with hedge on left. Take care at the road as visibility to the left is restricted but is generally quiet outside peak hours. Turn left and then take the BW (signed) on your right between trees, heading north towards Barton-le-Clay. Two options to shorten: Either turn right at the road and follow the directions from 5 below; the BW to the right will be about 350m along the road. This shortens the ride by about 5km (3 miles) or take the BW towards Barton-le-Clay but after 1.5km when a hedgeline joins from right, turn right onto Countryside Stewardship BW (access to 01/07/2011) to BW at corner of Barton Hills nature reserve. Turn right here towards road and follow directions from end of 4. This cuts about 3km (2 miles) from the ride.

Warden Hill and Barton Hills Waypoint 3

Follow the BW past Jeremiahs tree, down hill past the disused pit until you meet a lane by Hill House Farm. This soon becomes a quiet residential road. Follow the road to a T junction with the main Barton-le-Clay to Hitchin road (quite busy), turn right and follow the road past the allotments for about 175m.

Warden Hill and Barton Hills Waypoint 4

Turn right into Church Road. About 80m after the church, turn left and follow BW around field edge. As you approach the boundary of the Barton Hills Nature Reserve, the BW bears left, uphill and around the nature reserve on a grassy track. As the track levels out, continue straight ahead (ignore BW to left) to the far corner of the reserve fencing. Turn right here and take this grassy track to BW junction at next fence corner. Turn left here. Continue until you meet the road (generally quite outside peak hours). Turn left heading towards Lilley.

Warden Hill and Barton Hills Waypoint 5

Take the BW to the right in about 50m (The Bunyan Trail). In about 1.5km, go straight across the Icknield Way. Option: Turn right onto the Icknield Way and return to the car park by retracing your route from Galley Hill. This will shorten the ride by about 1km.

Warden Hill and Barton Hills Waypoint 6

Continue straight on on a wide track for 600m to a BW (signed) to the right by a small copse of trees.

Warden Hill and Barton Hills Waypoint 7

Turn right here and take this grassy track uphill where it bears sharp left, go straight ahead, over the hill and across the golf course (take care). By the club house, turn left to return to the car park.