CIRCULAR CYCLE RIDES – Mix of On/Off Road

This 23km (14mile) ride is on the warm, well- • After the last house on the left, the bridleway turns drained soils of south . The left through the Wildlife Trust’s Sallowsprings Nature chalk downs are rich in wildlife and history Reserve. Follow the bridleway around the edge of the with exhilarating views. Downs is reserve to come back onto Sallowsprings Road opposite the side entrance to Whipsnade Tree Bedfordshire’s highest point at 243m (797ft) cathedral. with stunning views over the Vale of and beyond. Listen to the singing skylarks, • Follow the bridleway along the side of the Tree watch the gliders and kites and feel alive in Cathedral until you reach the road and the Tree the wind and sunshine. To the north are the Cathedral car park. Bear right here and follow the lanes with their old quarry workings roadway round to its junction with the B4540. Turn right onto the road (busy road – take care) and, after a and a plethora of wide, green lanes giving good few yards, turn left into the now traffi c-free off-road riding. At Studham and Whipsnade are Lane. two of the many Chiltern Commons and their open grasslands, history and majestic beech • Continue along Studham Lane and take the signposted trees. Everywhere, keep an eye out for red kites bridleway, on the right, which runs alongside the and buzzards overhead. fence. At the junction fork left through a small wood then continue straight along • Starting at the Chilterns Gateway Centre (you will the bridleway running along fi eld edges. Turn left into need to pay to park here), take the surfaced multi-user Mason’s Plantation. And follow the edge of the wood route to the Windcatcher down the slope in front of along the bridleway to its junction with Church Road. the Centre. From here, bear left to the waymarker for the Ridgeway link which follows a path along the top • Turn right onto Church Road and continue along it, edge of . around the bend, until you reach Dunstable Road near the War Memorial and Red Lion PH. Carefully • Continue along the Ridgeway link route through a cross Dunstable Road at the crossroads and continue metal bridlegate until you reach a second bridlegate straight along Road with allotments to in the corner of the . Turn left through this your left and Studham Common to your right. At the gate and proceed towards the metalled road that leads junction with Byslips Road turn left and continue up towards Chute Farm. the hill past Hill Farm and alongside Dedmansey Wood to the crossroads with Buckwood Road (to ) • Cross straight over the road (keeping an eye out for and Buckwood Lane. vehicles) and continue along the bridleway and at the fork by the Telecommunications mast take the right • Turn left into Buckwood Lane and continue along it hand bridleway and continue along Sallowsprings Road then turn right into Dovehouse Lane. Continue along past Evergreen Lodge. the lane past Shortgrove Manor Farm and Dovehouse Farm to Common Road, Kensworth. Turn left onto Common Road and, at the left-hand bend in the road, turn right (with care) to continue into Common Road • At the T-junction turn left along the green lane near Kensworth Common. Continue straight along and up the slope (keep away from the edge of Common Road, ignoring all roads to the left and the chalk cliff). Continue over the top and down straight along Lane past Isle of Wight the other side then bear left then right. This Farm, the tall radio masts and the Kensworth Quarry brings you back to the Sustrans surfaced route. entrance, to reach the B4541 at the top of Dunstable From here follow the route back over the B489 Downs at Robertson Corner. (with care) up the side of the Downs and onto the multi-user route and back to the Chilterns • Turn left here onto the B4541 and continue along Gateway Centre for a well-deserved cup of tea it for a short distance (watching out for fast traffi c) and a cake! before turning right into the entrance road to the Chilterns Gateway Centre and car park. OS Map: Explorer 181, 182, 192 and 193.

• Take a well-deserved break at the Chilterns Gateway Centre here! Remember when cycling: • Now head down again to the Windcatcher but this • Please DO NOT cycle on footpaths. time bear right along the surfaced multi-user route • Always keep to the waymarked routes and do not and follow it along the top of Dunstable Downs enter private land. and down the slope off the Downs along the old • Always ride in single fi le when roads are narrow droveway. and never ride more than two abreast. • Make sure you are visible to others. • Continue along the cycleway and turn left around the foot of the Downs and make use of the Pegasus • Always use lights after dark or in poor visibility. crossing over the B489 Tring Road. Or make careful • Plan your route according to the weather and use of the roundabout at the foot of the Downs and daylight hours. head straight across the roundabout to the small car • Be aware of animals, other cyclists, pedestrians, park adjacent to the block of fl ats at the start of the horse riders and car drivers when cycling. green lane (BOAT 4). • Keep your speed down and give way to walkers and other path users. • From here cycle along the green lane alongside the row of tall beeches to your right. This is part of • Be polite and considerate towards landowners and Sustrans Route . . . linking to the Sewell Greenway. farmers. Turn right and follow the bridleway along the • Keep away from farm machinery or farm/forestry fi eld edge, past the important Scheduled Ancient operations. Monument of Maiden Bower, to the Sewell Greenway (Sustrans Route 6) the old railway track. Follow this route all the way until just before the bridge crossing the A505 and turn left off the cyclepath and down Contact us... the bridleway (BW51). Cycle along the bridleway then by telephone: 0300 300 88085 carry straight over at the crossroads and carry on by email: [email protected] past the limeworks. on the web: wwww.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/travelling/ your-travel-choices/cycling • Follow the bridleway (BOAT 45) up the slope with Write to Council, Priory House, the lime works on your right. Continue past the Monks Walk, , Shefford, Wildlife Trust’s Totternhoe Chalk Quarry nature Bedfordshire SG17 5TQ reserve with its chalk downland habitat and rich diversity of wildlife. Whipsnade cycle route Sustrans NCR 6

Dunstable P Totternhoe

Eaton Bray

P P

Whipsnade P Kensworth

Whipsnade Zoo Whipsnade cycle route Total length 23 km (14 miles)

Whipsnade cycle route

Start point Viewpoint Studham P Car park Toilets

Picnic area Viewpoint

Public house or cafe P P All maps are reproduced from Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Offi ce. © Crown Copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution ScaleScaScSorcac civilalele 1:275001:2proceedings.275075750500 Central Bedfordshire Council. 100049029 2012.

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