We did two walks on 23rd and 24th October, both of about 9 miles and lasting about 5 hours including pub stops.

Saturday was a bit greyer than Sunday, but the circular the walk from Silsoe to Higham Gobian and Pulloxhill was still a good one, which included 2 pubs, one for ale and another for tea. We did manage to find some very sticky mud in some of the fields though!

Wrest Park House. We drove here and then parked in the park's carpark.


The nice thing about walking this time of the year is it doesn't get too hot and the leaves are beginning to change so there are some beautiful colours to be seen.

It wasn't all mud, really it wasn't, just a few of the fields weighted down our boots and changed the colour of the dog.

One of the aforesaid muddy fields. We felt we had deserved our drink by the time we arrived at Pulloxhill on the otherside of the hill!



Here we are outside Higham Gobian Church after stopping for a break on the benches in the Churchyard.

OK so the fields were a bit muddy, but the views were still worth the trouble, this one is near Sharpenhoe Clappers.


A beautiful bright autumnal Sunday, with 12 walkers enjoying the views between Dunstable and Totternhoe and also the joys of some of our local pubs!
We had 12 walkers on both our walks and you may notice that some of them are the same, however there were 18 different people involved over the 2 days.

Looking over Totternhoe

Posing on top of Totternoe Castle hill.The central defensive position within the castle, the motte, is a conical earthen mound about 5 metres tall, set on the highest point on the spur overlooking the Ouzel valley and crowned by a concrete Ordnance Survey triangulation point (BN S4552).

The view over Totternhoe Quarry

Who could resist admiring the view from the top of the Castle mound? The earthworks of Castle Hill are remains of a late 11th or early 12th century motte and bailey castle. It was probably only used for a short period and was once known as the castle of Eglemont (Eagle Mount).


The video is of the panoramic view from the Castle Hill Mound Totternhoe. Its surprising what you can find only a few miles from Dunstable. If you want to see more pictures check out our photo albums......

For those of you who missed it - A Sunday October Ramble

If you thought, "not another Woburn Walk" on Sunday you missed a real treat. 16 of us went, it was a bit grey to start off but the sun came out. The trees are just starting to turn and the rutting season was in full swing going through the grounds of Woburn. Here are a few photos for the benefit of those of you who missed this fantastic seasonal walk.

Woburn as seen from one of the many footpaths through the grounds

Only 2 of many lusty stags vieing for leadership of the herds.


Not the best specimen, but one of the best photos!

Another gentleman on the lookout for a spare hind or two!


Time for a quick cuppa

Our group walking by the side of the lake.

Just look at the number of wildfowl on Woburn's lake

Press the arrow to view. Just a small sample of the sights and sounds in Worburn at this time of the year!

YORK August 2010

Just a short blog about our trip to York over the August Bank holiday. 13 of us went for the weekend and a couple of us moved on to Naburn 5 miles south for a couple of days. For more photos look at the photos section of the Dunstablebogtrotters.co.uk website.


York YHA was originally the home of the Rowntrees. A nice hostel with one of the best breakfasts we have experienced whilst hostelling.



The Hostel reception area



Walking along the York Walls



The Shambles well known picturesque area of York.



Group photo


Some of us went to Evensong in York Minster. What a beautiful Cathedral



The crowd outside the Minster waiting for the Ghost Walk, which some us went on


Again some of us (not all) took advantage of the free entry to the National Railway museum



Admiring the bridge and garden near Rievaulx



Walking along the Ouse from the Hostel to York.



There was an amazing double rainbow after a shower


The Ouse just coming into York


The rear of York YHA


Naburn Station right on the Sustrans Track where you can camp and also get teas cake sand icecreams etc. at weekends. Just South of York on the cycle track this bit is called the Solar Way as there are all the planets at scale distance starting from the sun over 10 miles to Selby.

THE MOUTH

On Monday 9th August 19 us bowled up to the Mouth Chinese Restaurant in Dunstable for an excellent eat as much as you like meal. The starters and 2nd course were nearly a meal in themselves and then we could order as much as we liked from their full menu. It was well cooked, the staff were friendly and a good time was had by all. We are not all about walking, most of us do walk, some more than others, but some members do just come to the socials, be it the local pub, meals or a picnic on the Downs. We are always happy to see new (and not so new) faces on walks or socials.

Indeed if you would like to see something in one our our programmes we are always open to suggestions. Better still anyone can volunteer to organise an activity or walk they would like to do!

BARTON HILL FARM VISIT

At the End of June we were treated to a visit to Barton Hill Farm between Streatley and Lilley. The Shaw family, invite people to a conducted tour of their property, showing them what it means to be a conservation farm and giving an insight into modern farming and the flora, fauna, birds and beautiful wild flowers. They have been accepted into two significant environmental schemes: Natural England Entry and Higher Level Stewardship. They actively encourage and manage areas of chalk downland.

Here we are (23 of us) before starting the walk learning about the huge machines and what they can do.

This one of their amazing views, this is Sharpenhoe Clappers
This view is overlooking Barton le Clay
Here are Wizz and Brian explaining to us just what we are looking at.
This is what we were looking at, Barton Springs.

This is vipers bugloss. They have a large part of their land where it grows wild.


This is the sort of flora you get on the verges of your fields if you let nature take its course rather than swamp it in herbicides. These are pyramid orchids amongst other things.

The Shaws take round the visitors giving information and answering questions and then provide them with refreshments asking the participants to give a donation to charity at the end if they so wish. For those of you that missed it, perhaps we can do it again next year as everyone said they thoroughly enjoyed it. The sunset there was something to behold in 1999!

Short Chiltern Way Walk

On Wednesday 6th June we decided to join in the Chiltern Way Walking Festival by running a short circular walk from Dunstable Downs visitor Centre.

Several of the Bogrotters went, joined by a few people from the Chiltern Society.

This is a lane which is part of the Chiltern Way going towards Whipsnade.

This is a field very close to Studham



Here we are on the Common at Studham having a break with the usual dilema of whether or not to go in the pub for coffee, or something stronger. We do suggest you bring at least some water and something to eat in case we don't find somewhere appropriate to stop.

Here we are in Whipsnade heading towards the Hunters Lodge. Even though this was a short walk some of the walkers decided to catch the bus back from here, some dropped in for lunch, others a quick drink, and others were in a hurry and walked straight back. Provided the leader knows what you are doing so we don't lose anyone this is OK.

As you can see there were a good number for a weekday walk. We are now putting on several short, and also some longer midweek walks in the region of 15 miles which are obviously taken at a faster pace. However, if you contact the walk leader he should be able to tell you whether it is feasible to only do part of the walk, meet them along the way and/or catch the bus back. (some people have been known to arrange for their other halves to meet them at the pub so they get a lift back!)

THE BEST ANSWER IS IF IN DOUBT ASK, we will try to tell you if we know the walk is going to be particularly difficult with lots of stiles, huge hills etc. or not suitable for taking a dog on. It is only polite to ask before bringing your dog anyway.

Helping the Friends of Studham Common

Last January we decided to help the Friends of Studham Common with their annual Big Bash to do lots of planting, shrub clearance and other jobs necessary to maintain Studham Common(s) at their best for flora, fauna, and indeed visitors who want to see the great diversity of plant and animal life there.Their aim is to conserve, maintain, improve and promote Studham Common as a haven for wildlife and a place to be enjoyed and appreciated by all.

They have less intensive work days virtually every month and 13 bogtrotters decided to join in and help again in June.

Here we are unloading the tools ready to start clearing brambles and braken.


This is some of the bracken which grows so thick and tall it doesn't allow other grasses and plants to thrive.

Here are some of us strimming and clearing the offending bracken from one small area

Here is the area once we have cleared it all away so that the natural flora can flourish

Then Charles kindly took us for a walk round the common showing us what they were trying to achieve and pointing out some of the hundreds of species of plants there.

After a few hours graft the Friends kindly provided a good lunch for the workers out of the back of a car!


This is the glorious hay meadow which is part of the Studham common full of wild flowers.


This is one of the wild orchids amongst the other flowers to be found in June.


We even had 2 new members who had never seen us before, let alone been on a walk with us, who kindly decided it was a great idea to spend their Saturday morning helping, and of course they had to come to the pub in Studham with some of us for a quick drink (or in some cases several which lasted the rest of the afternoon!!) We are now looking forward to seeing Tony and Ester on a walk. If you want to learn more about the Friends of Studham Common you can visit www.foscomm.org/
There are also some more photos on their site.