Step out for the Milton Keynes Festival of Walks and discover the great outdoors nearby

There are a wide variety of walks available, suitable for all ages and abilities, from the evening of Friday, May 11 until Sunday, May 13, taking in some of the stunning heritage and countryside around the city.

Walkers will need to sign in upon arrival at the walk and sign a declaration of good health. Wear proper clothing and footwear and carry adequate refreshments for the duration the outing.

Well behaved dogs on leads are welcome on some of the walks.

The walks programme is put on with thanks to The Parks Trust’s volunteers and staff and support from Milton Keynes Council and MK Health Walks programme.

The festival kicks off with a bat walk on Friday, May 11, at 9pm, at Elfield Park, for a 1.5 hour outing with a local enthusiast.

The cost is £2 per person and booking is essential online at www.theparkstrust.com

For further details email [email protected] or call 01908 255379.

The fun continues on Saturday, May 12 with a Woof Walk at 10am at Campbell Park. Ideal walk for well behaved dogs on leads covering 2-3 miles. £1 per dog.

Other walks cover the history of Newport Pagnell, heritage of Loughton Valley, a canal walk and a walk from Whaddon, plus much more.

Here are full details:

DATE AND TIME: Fri 11 May 2018, 9:00pm.

WALK TITLE: BAT WALK

WALK DESCRIPTION: Take a walk with a local bat enthusiast and discover these fascinating nocturnal creatures in the Nature Reserve.

Come prepared for countryside walking and uneven paths.

WALK LENGTH: 1.5 hours.

GRADING: 1 boot.

LOCATION: Elfield Park.

MEETING POINT/PARKING: Meet at Elfield Park, access from the National Bowl entrance off V4 Watling Street.

COST: £2/person.

BOOKING INFORMATION: Booking essential. Book online at www.theparkstrust.com

For further information please contact: [email protected]

01908 255379.

DATE AND TIME: Sat 12 May 2018, 10:00am.

WALK TITLE: WOOF WALK

WALK DESCRIPTION: Join The Parks Trust Rangers as they tour through the park with man’s best friend. Social led walks for dogs and their

owners through our ‘art park’ Campbell Park. Ideal walk for

well behaved dogs on leads.

WALK LENGTH: 1.5 hours/2-3 miles.

GRADING: 1 boot.

LOCATION: Campbell Park.

MEETING POINT/PARKING: Meet in the car park at Campbell Park Pavilion, Silbury Boulevard MK9 4AD.

COST: £1/dog.

BOOKING INFORMATION: Booking essential. Book online at www.theparkstrust.com

For further information please contact: [email protected]

01908 255379.

DATE AND TIME: Sat 12 May 2018, 10:00am.

WALK TITLE: HISTORY OF NEWPORT PAGNELL WALK

WALK DESCRIPTION: Discover some of the history of Newport Pagnell from the

civil war, runaway churchmen, James Bond, The Smiths, to the

M1 Motorway. Most of the walk will be on sidewalks, redways,

and footpaths, but come prepared for all weathers and bring

a packed lunch.

WALK LENGTH: 4-5 hours/4.5 miles.

GRADING: 2 boots.

LOCATION: Newport Pagnell.

MEETING POINT/PARKING: Meet outside the Swan Revived Hotel, High Street, Newport Pagnell. COST: Free.

BOOKING INFORMATION: Booking preferable. Book online at www.theparkstrust.com

For further information please contact: [email protected]

01908 255379.

DATE AND TIME: Sat 12 May 2018, 10:30am.

WALK TITLE: WATERHALL NATURE WALK

WALK DESCRIPTION: Nature walk in Waterhall Park, discover the wildlife and natural history that calls the park home.

WALK LENGTH: 2 miles.

GRADING: 1 boot.

LOCATION: Waterhall Park.

MEETING POINT/PARKING: Meet in the car park off Mill Lane, Water Eaton, Bletchley.

COST: £2/person.

BOOKING INFORMATION: Booking essential. Book online at www.theparkstrust.com

For further information please contact: [email protected]

01908 255379.

DATE AND TIME: Sat 12 May 2018, 11:00am.

WALK TITLE: OUSE VALLEY PARK AND COSGROVE WALK

WALK DESCRIPTION: Join this walk starting from Ouse Valley Park, then onto Manor Farm Earthworks to Cosgrove Leisure Park and discover the

Roman buildings and Old Wolverton medieval village returning to

the car park in the Ouse Valley.

WALK LENGTH: 3-3.5 hours/5 miles.

GRADING: 2 boots

LOCATION: Ouse Valley Park.

MEETING POINT/PARKING: Meet in the car park on Watermill Lane, Stratford Road, Wolverton Mill.

COST: Free.

BOOKING INFORMATION: Booking preferable. Book online at www.theparkstrust.com

For further information please contact: [email protected]

01908 255379.

DATE AND TIME: Sat 12 May 2018, 11:00am.

WALK TITLE: CALDECOTTE LAKE

WALK DESCRIPTION: Discover the wonders of Caldecotte Lake on this walk around the North and South lakes.

WALK LENGTH: 2 hours/4-5 miles.

GRADING: 2 boots.

LOCATION: Caldecotte Lake.

MEETING POINT/PARKING: Meet in the Windmill pub car park, Lakeside Grove, H10 Bletcham Way.

COST: Free.

BOOKING INFORMATION: Booking preferable. Book online at www.theparkstrust.com

For further information please contact: [email protected]

01908 255379.

DATE AND TIME: Sat 12 May 2018, 2:00pm.

WALK TITLE: HERITAGE OF LOUGHTON VALLEY

WALK DESCRIPTION: Starting at Bancroft’s Roman Villa tour the North Loughton Valley and discover the area’s rich history. Well behaved dogs on leads welcome.

WALK LENGTH: 1.5 hours/4 miles.

GRADING: 2 boots

LOCATION: North Loughton Valley.

MEETING POINT/PARKING: Meet in the Roman Villa car park, Constantine Way, Bancroft.

COST: £1/person.

BOOKING INFORMATION: Booking essential. Book online at www.theparkstrust.com

For further information please contact: [email protected]

01908 255379.

DATE AND TIME: Sat 12 May 2018, 2:00pm.

WALK TITLE: SATURDAY SWANS

WALK DESCRIPTION: Starting and finishing at the David Lloyd Club walk along the Grand Union Canal and discover the wonderful Gyosei Art Trail.

Walkers will be welcome to enjoy tea or coffee in the David Lloyd Club after the walk.

WALK LENGTH: 75 mins.

GRADING: 2 boots

LOCATION: Grand Union Canal.

MEETING POINT/PARKING: Meet at the David Lloyd Club reception, Livingstone Drive, Newlands, Milton Keynes, MK15 0DL. Walkers will be able to park, free of charge, in the secure David Lloyd car park whilst on the walk.

COST: Free.

BOOKING INFORMATION: Booking preferable. Book online at www.theparkstrust.com

For further information please contact: [email protected]

01908 255379.

DATE AND TIME: Sat 12 May 2018, 9:00pm.

WALK TITLE: BAT WALK

WALK DESCRIPTION: Join our second Bat Walk of the festival to discover these captivating nocturnal creatures in the Ouzel Valley.

WALK LENGTH: 2 hours.

GRADING: 1 boots

LOCATION: Walton Lake.

MEETING POINT/PARKING: Meet in the Walton Lake car park on Newport Road, Woughton Park.

COST: £2/person.

BOOKING INFORMATION: Booking essential. Book online at www.theparkstrust.com

For further information please contact: [email protected]

01908 255379.

DATE AND TIME: Sun 13 May 2018, 9:30am.

WALK TITLE: MK SOUTH & CALDECOTTE WALK

WALK DESCRIPTION: A stroll through Waterhall Park, Fenny Stratford, and along the Grand Union Canal and Caldecotte Lake south. Well behaved

dogs on leads welcome.

WALK LENGTH: 2 hours/4.6 miles.

GRADING: 2 boots

LOCATION: South Milton Keynes.

MEETING POINT/PARKING: Meet at the far end of Manor Fields Sports Ground. Entrance opposite Dobbies.

COST: Free.

BOOKING INFORMATION: Booking preferable. Book online at www.theparkstrust.com

For further information please contact: [email protected]

01908 255379.

DATE AND TIME: Sun 13 May 2018, 10:00am-4:00pm.

WALK TITLE: JF’S SQUARE WALK

WALK DESCRIPTION: A longer walk through some parts of Milton Keynes you possibly didn’t know were there. Start at The Hazeley Academy, along the

Swan’s Bridleway & North Bucks Way to ‘Bottledump Corner’, then

through Emerson Valley Linear Park and around Furzton Lake

(pub stop available). Walk will then go around the National Bowl

and through Loughton & back through Hazeley Wood. Well behaved dogs on leads are very welcome. Bring a packed lunch and come prepared for countryside walking.

WALK LENGTH: 5-6 hours/10 miles.

GRADING: 3 boots

LOCATION: Western Parks.

MEETING POINT/PARKING: Meet at the Hazeley Academy, V2 Tattenhoe Street, Grange Farm.

COST: Free.

BOOKING INFORMATION: Booking preferable. Book online at www.theparkstrust.com

For further information please contact: [email protected]

01908 255379.

DATE AND TIME: Sun 13 May 2018, 10:30am.

WALK TITLE: SHENLEY WOOD AND SHENLEY TOOT

WALK DESCRIPTION: Join this walk which tours through one of the city’s ancient woodlands, Shenley Wood. Discover the earthworks of Shenley Toot and see the Glastonbury Thorn. Well behaved dogs on leads are welcome on this walk.

WALK LENGTH: 4-5 miles.

GRADING: 2 boots

LOCATION: Shenley Wood.

MEETING POINT/PARKING: Meet in the car park on Merlewood Drive, V2 Tattenhoe Street.

COST: Free.

BOOKING INFORMATION: Booking preferable. Book online at www.theparkstrust.com

For further information please contact: [email protected]

01908 255379.

DATE AND TIME: Sun 13 May 2018, 10:30am.

WALK TITLE: CANAL WALK

WALK DESCRIPTION:

Join The Parks Trust for a walk along the Grand Union Canal up to Linford Manor Park where a canal boat will be waiting to return you back to Campbell Park.

WALK LENGTH: Walk 1.5 hours/2.6 miles. Canal boat ride: 30 mins.

GRADING: 2 boots

LOCATION: Campbell Park.

MEETING POINT/PARKING: Meet in the car park at Campbell Park Pavilion, Silbury Boulevard MK9 4AD.

COST: £3/person (includes canal boat ride).

BOOKING INFORMATION: Booking essential. Book online at www.theparkstrust.com

For further information please contact: [email protected]

01908 255379.

DATE AND TIME: Sun 13 May 2018, 11:00am.

WALK TITLE: WALK FROM WHADDON VILLAGE

WALK DESCRIPTION: Circular walk starting at Whaddon village and travelling along the North Bucks Way and part of the MK Boundary walk.

Discover the location of Snelshall Priory on the return.

WALK LENGTH: 4 miles.

GRADING: 2 boots

LOCATION: Whaddon and North Bucks Way.

MEETING POINT/PARKING: Park in Whaddon Village and meet at St Mary’s Church, Whaddon.

COST: Free.

BOOKING INFORMATION: Booking preferable. Book online at www.theparkstrust.com

For further information please contact: [email protected]

01908 255379.

DATE AND TIME: Sun 13 May 2018, 2:00pm.

WALK TITLE: THE OLD AND THE NEW

WALK DESCRIPTION: A walk of contrasts, from the modernity of Central Milton Keynes,

to Bradwell Abbey, the site of a 12th century Benedictine Priory,

an ancient woodland, a stream, a small lake, and two of the many

original villages that are now part of Milton Keynes.

Well behaved dogs on leads welcome.

WALK LENGTH: 6.6 miles.

GRADING: 3 boots

LOCATION: Central Milton Keynes and surrounding area.

MEETING POINT/PARKING: Meet in the car park at Lodge Lake, Bradwell Road off V4 Dansteed Way.

COST: Free.

BOOKING INFORMATION: Booking preferable. Book online at www.theparkstrust.com

For further information please contact: [email protected]

01908 255379.

Visit: www.theparkstrust.com