CIRCULAR CYCLE RIDES The Jubilee Way – Mix of On/Off Road A 34km (21 mile) circular cycle ride amongst • At the T-junction, on the bend, turn right onto Barton the rolling hills of the Greensand Ridge and Road (signposted Barton) and follow this straight road, rising in the south to the spectacular chalk up the hill until you reach the village of Higham Gobion scenery of Pegsdon and Hexton Hills. Shefford with its attractive church. is a historic coaching town while the hilltop • Turn left just past the church and follow the small lane church of Shillington can be seen from miles past Manor Farm, on the left, and into the village of around. Part of the route follows the Icknield Hexton. Turn right at the T-junction, past The Raven Way; possibly the oldest road in Britain dating PH, and stop at the crossroads by the large, iron, lamp. back to Neolithic times it linked Norfolk and its fl int mines with south and central England. In • Go straight across here (keeping a careful watch on traffi c travelling in both directions) and head up the 1808 a wooden telegraph station was built on steep climb up Gravel Hill and Fairy Hole. Continue, on top of Telegraph Hill, as part of a chain, by the a straight, slight downhill to the sharp right-hand bend, Admiralty to link London with Great Yarmouth. where you turn left off the metalled road and onto the off-road route of the Icknield Way at Treasures Grove. • Start from Shefford and cycle along the High Street towards the west, with the church on your left. After • Follow the wide, ancient Icknield Way through woods approx 900m turn left down Campton Road then fork and up the steep chalk grassland of Telegraph Hill left and under the underpass under the A507 Shefford with good views from the top. Follow the bridle track bypass. Come up the other side and into the village of up and over the back of Pegsdon Hills then follow the Campton and along the road called ‘Greenway’. Icknield Way as it descends as a long downhill track towards the B655. Stop at the main road (by a small • Continue past All Saints Church and at the T-junction car park) and very carefully, turn right and cycle along turn right, along Gravenhurst Road, towards Upper the road for a short distance (250m) then turn left off Gravenhurst. Continue past Highlands Lodge on the road onto the bridleway along the fi eld edge with the right and up the hill into the village of Upper Tingley Field Plantation on your left. Gravenhurst. Follow several bends and, just before the church, turn left into Shillington Road towards • Continue to follow the bridleway round to the right Shillington. where it broadens into a wide green lane (Wood Lane), skirts the rear of Knocking Knoll Long Barrow, and • Follow the road down the hill and over the River Hit carries on down the slope into Hertfordshire and into then into Bury End, Shillington. Turn right into Bury the village of Pirton. Road, past the terraced houses and cottages and then turn right over the stream into Hanscombe End Road. • At the metalled Hitchin to Shillington Road go straight Follow the road, past Northley Farm and then bear left across (look out for traffi c) and along Great Green past Hanscombe End Farm, on your left. lane. Bear left round the village green and past the Motte and Bailey PH then bear right into Crab Tree Lane and past the church. At the T-junction turn right into the High Street. Go past The Fox PH and the village pond (on your right), then turn left into Royal Oak Lane. • At the T-junction bear left into West Lane, past Remember when cycling: Rectory Farm and out of the village. Follow the lane • Please DO NOT cycle on footpaths. towards Shillington, past the splendid Pirton Hall, • Always keep to the waymarked routes and do not on the right, then down the hill into the village of enter private land. Shillington. • Always ride in single fi le when roads are narrow and • At the T-junction, in Apsley End, on the sharp bend, never ride more than two abreast. turn right and head along the High Road into the • Make sure you are visible to others. village centre. Cycle past Bowles Garage, on the left, • Always use lights after dark or in poor visibility. and follow the road up Marquis Hill and out of the • Plan your route according to the weather and village. daylight hours. • Be aware of animals, other cyclists, pedestrians, horse • Now follow the long, straight road past Tyne Hill Farm riders and car drivers when cycling. and into the village of Lower Stondon. At the mini- roundabout turn left and up the hill along Hillside • Keep your speed down and give way to walkers and Road and into Upper Stondon. other path users. • Be polite and considerate towards landowners and • Follow the road out of the village, around the bends farmers. and at the water tower continue straight ahead into • Keep away from farm machinery or farm/forestry Meppershall. Continue on the road into Rectory Road operations. and bear left past Rectory Farm. Leave the village on Campton Road and follow this road past the small Meppershall Airfi eld, Standalone Farm and into Campton. • Turn right into Campton and follow the Greenway Contact us... back through the village and under the underpass and by telephone: 0300 300 8305 back to your start in Shefford. by email: [email protected] on the web: www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/travelling/ your-travel-choices/cycling Shortcuts/additions Write to Central Bedfordshire Council, Priory House, Monks • From the T-junction in Hexton (before The Raven Walk, Chicksands, Shefford, PH), turn left (instead of right) and follow the Bedfordshire SG17 5TQ winding tarmac lane (Mill Lane) until the cottage and folly is reached. At this point the track turns into a bridlepath. After approximately 800m the track once again becomes a metalled lane. • Continue on the lane past Bury Farm and then turn left at the T-junction towards Shillington. As you enter Shillington (Apsley End) cycle past Shillington Manor (on the right) and the Musgrave Arms (on the left). Continue to the T-junction on the sharp bend where you turn right and re-join the full route and head into the village centre. OS Map: Explorer 193 Jubilee cycle route Shefford P Campton Meppershall Upper Gravenhurst Upper Bury End Stondon Shillington Lower Stondon Apsley End Higham Gobion Pirton Jubilee cycle route 24km (15 mile) Full cycle route Hexton Family cycle route Off road section P Start point Viewpoint P Car park Toilets Public house or café Steep hill 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 ScaleCopyright. 1:27500 Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Central Bedfordshire Council. 100049029 2012..