Walk route map available to download here.
An attractive walk largely over arable fields so it is good when the ground is dry, but difficult after recent ploughing. The first part is over land managed by Heathcote Farms who normally keep the paths clear of crops, some fields later in the route are in ‘set aside’ which can make the path more difficult to negotiate. In good weather with firm ground allow about 2 hours for the walk.
How To Get There By Public Transport
BY BUS – Telephone Bedfordshire Bus Information Line : 01234 228337, 8.30am – 5pm open 5 days a week or Travel Line 0870 6082608.
BY TRAIN – For timetable information, please telephone National Rail Enquiries 08457 484950
Click here for the National Rail Enquiries website
How To Get There By Car
The A5120 passes through Toddington which is just under a mile south west of junction 12 of the M1.
There is restricted and unrestricted on-street parking around the centre of Toddington and Harlington. Harlington Station car park is chargeable.
Access and General Information
Length: 4¾ mile (8 km)
Time: 2 hours
Access Information:
Surface Types: You will walk across cultivated farmland.
Linear Gradients: The steepest linear gradient is steeper than 1:6.
Cross Falls: You will encounter cross falls 1:9 and steeper.
Width Restrictions: None recorded.
Steps: None recorded.
Barriers: There is one 2-way opening gate with a width of greater than 750mm, five kissing gates with a restriction of less than 1000mm, four 1-step stiles, seven 2-step stiles and one staggered barrier with a minimum restriction of less than 950mm.
Refreshments: There are pubs, shops and cafes in Toddington and pubs in Harlington village centre.
Public Toilets None recorded.
Picnic Tables: None recorded.
Seats There are seats at Toddington village green.
Route Information
1. From the old pump on the village green, set off down Conger Lane past the Oddfellows Arms, at the Griffin farm entrance go through the kissing gate. Walk along the side of the field, through the next metal gate keeping Griffin farm on your left and Conger hill on your right.
2. Go through the wooden kissing gate following the path past the cemetery on your right. Turn right along Harlington Road, after about 100m, carefully cross the road and turn left down a footpath (TOD34) marked by a figure post beside a house named Glenside.
3. Go between the houses, from the stagger & waymark post aim for a waymark post at the end of the hedge on your right.
4. Follow the hedge around to the right for about 20m to a waymark post in the hedge line. Now turn left across the field aiming for the opposite diagonal corner, where you might be able to see a waymark post.
5. Cross the stile, follow the path between the fence and the hedge, then cross the bridge, keeping in the same direction towards the gap in the hedge, here our path is crossed by another path.
6. Continue in the same direction towards the corner of the field, the motorway and another waymark post. As you get closer, you will see the subway under the motorway. Go through the subway.
7. From the subway aim for the right of the pylon and the group of trees just over the brow of the hill. The 1999 OS maps incorrectly show several paths; these paths have been rationalised into this one path.
8. As you approach the trees, keep the trees/hedge on your left and the fenced paddocks on your right. Follow the waymark posts. Cross over the triangle of grass of the Redhills farm drive. Follow the second drive past a pair of large intimidating gates to a security hut, turn right over the ditch into the field. Head left across the field, you may just see a waymark post in the far hedge line, just to the right of the tallest tree in that hedge.
9. Cross over the two sleeper bridges, and turn right beyond the second hedge. For some reason the official path (WES17) runs along the field edge rather than as a green lane hedges as you might expect. After a short distance there is a gap in the hedge to take you into the lay-by. Turn left and walk through the lay-by, where the lay-by joins the A5120 cross over the road to a finger post on the other side.
10. A stile takes you away from the road to a concrete and railed bridge (HAR2) over the river Flit. On the horizon you can see Harlington church, below which is a gap in the hedge, cross the field and go through the gap in the hedge, where the path then veers to the right. Aim for the double poles supporting an electricity transformer, the path goes through the hedgerow into Toddington Road.
11. Turn left along Toddington Road towards Harlington Station, at the railway bridge carefully cross the road and the railway bridge. The station entrance is on the west side of the bridge. [If you need some sustenance, continue along this road to the cross road, and turn right to find a pub.]
12. Just after the entrance to the station goods yard and before the houses off to the right is a tarmac path. Follow this path keeping houses on your left and the goods/haulage yard on the right, when the tarmac path goes to the left, keep to the right along the gravel path (HAR24). The path emerges at an overgrown and frequently dry pond, go around the pond, and through a tunnel beneath the railway.
13. Go through the anti-bike device on the other side of the tunnel, follow the path (HAR3) across the (temporary until 2014) haul road then head diagonally left across the field to a gap in the trees and a waymark post on the brow of the hill. Keep going straight across this ex-quarry keeping the pylon to your right and go up the earthen ramp to another waymark post hidden in the hedge at the top of the hill. The 1999 OS maps are incorrect as the previous temporary diversion around the quarry has expired.
14. From this waymark post (TOD54), go diagonally left to the right of a flag pole beyond the brow of the hill, where you will see another waymark post. The flag pole indicates a clay pigeon shooting range beyond the bank of earth on your left, beyond the motorway you can see the tower of Toddington St George church on top of the hill and some houses on Luton Road, Toddington.
15. Follow the farm track down the hill. Before you reach the farm buildings the path turns left at a waymark post across the field, follow the waymark posts to the left of the imposing farm fence, through the bridleway gate adjacent to the very large farm gate. We join the Icknield Way path back into Toddington. The 1999 OS maps are again incorrect as these paths have also been rationalised.
16. Follow the farm drive onto the motorway bridge. Be particularly careful of any traffic as the bridge is narrow, drivers don’t expect to see walkers, and may be travelling at motorway speeds!
17. On the other side of the bridge the access road to the northbound services goes off to the left, shortly after that is a path (TOD54) leaving by a stile on your left. In the field turn right and follow the field boundary keeping the hedge on your right. About halfway along this hedge is a waymark post, turn right crossing a bridge and stile. The fields for the remainder of the walk may have horses or sheep grazing, so keep dogs under close control.
18. Walk straight across the field keeping the fence on your left. Cross the stile and the road, known incongruously as the ‘the bridleway’. Although traffic goes quickly, there is good visibility at this location. Cross the stile into the field to commence your ascent into Toddington, keeping the hedge on your right, crossing the next stile there is now a fence on your left, although this is regularly cut, it can get overgrown.
19. Crossing two more stiles and two bridges takes you through a small wooded area to the top of the hill and to a waymark post. Turn right here between the electric fence and the hedge and appreciate the view of the church. By the cemetery take the wide path to the left, keeping the cemetery to your right. To your left you have a view across to Sharpenhoe Clappers and the distant tower blocks of Luton.
20. At the corner of the cemetery turn right, keeping the cemetery on your right. Either through the farm gate or the adjacent kissing gate, there is a stile on the left which takes to another stile with Conger Hill on your right. Continue to the kissing gate leading back to Conger Lane, on the other side of the road is a finger post indicating the distances of the long distance walks passing near by. Turn right and return to the old pump on the village green, or the Oddfellows Arms for a well deserved drink!
Starting from Harlington Station
Come out of the station building, turn right up the station access road, then turn right over the railway bridge, and continue from step 12.
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