The Marston Vale Timberland Trail Introduction The complete 13 mile route is a full days walking, leaving the Forest centre in the morning heading west towards Lidlington and finally bringing you back around Stewartby Lake as the sun sets. Alternative shorter routes are given in the Route description. Please note - the car park at the Forest Centre closes at 4pm every day until 25th March. After this date, it is open from 10am until 6pm. How To Get There by Passenger Transport BY BUS - The Forest of Marston Vale is on the bus routes between Bedford, Woburn and Milton Keynes. Telephone Bedfordshire Bus Information Line : 01234 228337, 8.30am – 5pm open 5 days a week or Travel Line 0870 6082608. BY TRAIN – Stewartby Railway Station, on the Bedford to London Thameslink line, is less than 1 mile from The Forest of Marston Vale. For timetable information, please telephone National Rail Enquiries 08457 484950. Click here for National Rail Enquiries website How to Get There by Car Approximately 4 miles North East from junction 13 of the M1 or from Bedford follow signs for The Forest of Marston Vale from the A421 through Marston Moretaine. The Forest Centre is situated between Marston Moretaine and Stewartby. Start/Finish Point The complete route is a 13 mile circular walk starting from the Forest Centre at the Forest of Marston Vale. Grid Ref TL005416. Access and General Information Distance: 13 miles Time: 7 hours Access Information Surface types: You will encounter many variable surface types from hard, firm surfaces with stones no larger than 5mm, to hard, but variable surfaces with loose variable sized stones. The majority of the walk will take you across grass or uncultivated earth path, without ruts and cultivated ground (farmland). The stretch between Lidlington Scout hut and Ampthill Town Centre does not go across grass or uncultivated earth with ruts or cultivated ground (farmland). In dry conditions only beware of large cracks in the heavy soil going across the fields towards Lidlington. Linear Gradients: From the Forest Centre to Lidlington Scout Hut the steepest linear gradient is 1:10 – 1:13, this section is fairly flat and starts to rise going through Lidlington. From Lidlington Scout Hut to Ampthill Town Centre the steepest linear gradient is greater than 1:6; this is going up Jackdaw Hill and descending down into Millbrook. From Ampthill Church back to the Forest Centre the steepest linear gradient is again 1:6, this is going through Kings Wood down to Glebe Meadow. The remaining part of the route has a variable linear gradient; from 1:6 – 1:9 to less than 1:18. . Cross Falls: From the beginning of the walk to Lidlington scout hut there are little or no cross falls except in a few places. Through the fields going from Ampthill Church to the reservoir and down through Kings Wood the cross fall is steeper than 1:9. Also on Jackdaw Hill the cross fall is greater than 1:9, (this area could become slippery in wet conditions). Width Restrictions: On the approach to Lidlington, over a fence either side of the railway line there are two “A” frame ladder stiles. They are 710mm wide and 5 steps high measuring 1600mm high in total. As you enter Ampthill Park there is a V shape step through stile, its step is 600mm high, its width is 440mm. Steps: Approx. ¼ km before entering Ampthill Park; over a rail tunnel are 5 steps. The height of each step measures 200mm. There are also 4 steps going up Jackdaw Hill, each step measures 160mm high. All of the steps are well worn. There are 3 steps that take you directly on to the main road at Stewartby, each step is 130mm high. These steps can be avoided as a track bears left through trees onto a green adjacent to the road. Barriers: There are four kissing gates (width less than 1000mm). Five kissing gates (width restriction 1000 – 1500mm). Four one-way opening gates (width greater than 750mm). One staggered barrier (minimum restriction more than 950mm) and three two-step stiles.Opposite Ampthill Church car park leading to a farm track there is another step through stile that has a width restriction of 460mm. There is also a sleeper bridge 920mm wide with a stile either end between the 1st and 2nd field after leaving the Church car park. Refreshments: Cafe's at the Forest Centre and Ampthill Bakery. Shops in Lidlington, Ampthill and Stewartby. Public Houses: Royal Oak and Green Man in Lidlington, Chequers in Millbrook, Queens Head, White Hart and Sun in Ampthill. Along the B530 (Ampthill to Bedford Road) is the Chequers. Public Toilets: At the Forest Centre and at the main car park at Ampthill Park. Picnic Tables: In the playground opposite Lidlington Church & adjacent to the Scout Hut. There are many picnic sites in Ampthill Park and at the Forest Centre. . Seats: There are seats in the Millennium Park, in the playground opposite Lidlington Church, in Ampthill Park, in the centre of Ampthill and at the first roundabout in Stewartby. Map and Route Details The Route map, Route instructions and alternative shorter walks can be obtained by clicking on the link below. Click here for Timberland Trail route and map More About Lidlington To discover more about the village of Lidlington, visit the website Acknowledgements The leaflet was produced by the Forest of Marston Vale with funding from Timberland, The Countryside Agency and Bedfordshire County Council.