The Icknield Way

[lnr]

In March 2010 Mike and I went on a walk (as we often do) and picked a route from the local OS map from Great Chesterford to Linton - allowing us to get a train there, then visit Linton Zoo and get a bus home. We noticed on the walk that the route was waymarked as the Icknield Way, and decided to find out more. We bought ourselves a guide to the route from The Icknield Way Association's webpages, and over the last couple of years we've gradually been doing more sections, a day at a time, with the help of buses and trains - doing some sections West to East for convenience of transport. Finally this weekend we took a train to Cheddington in Buckinghamshire, and spent 3 days finishing it off. It may not have National Trail status, but it's still a great walk, and in places it's utterly lovely.

I've finally put together our maps and photos on one site, so here they are:

• March 2010: Great Chesterford to Linton
• April 2010: Great Chesterford to Royston
• July 2010: Royston to Baldock
• March 2011: Linton to Stetchworth
• March 2012: Stetchworth to Kentford
• March 2012: Kentford to Thetford
• April 2012: Ivinghoe Beacon to Baldock

It's been a fantastic three days finishing it off - the only trouble now is working out where to walk next!

Comments

[ceb.livejournal.com]

That looks like a lovely weekend :-)

[lnr]

Sounds like you've had a good one too :)

And yes, we had a great time - though quite tiring. Spending Monday spodding and eating Easter Eggs was definitely called for *grin*.

[bopeepsheep.livejournal.com]

Not to be particularly picky about it but ... you've walked the Icknield Way Path, not the Icknield Way. The actual Icknield Way (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Icknield_Way) continues into Oxfordshire, and I used to walk 6-15k sections of it yearly as a child for various fundraisers. (I also went to a school named after it, and lived appx 150 yards from it too, come to think of it...)

If you decide to continue and walk the rest of it at some point, I'd be very pleased to tackle a (short) section of it with you. :)

[lnr]

It's a good point - especially as in many places the modern footpath and bridleways do rather diverge from the original ancient route (which had branches and loops anyway).

There's definitely a possibility of us doing at least part of the national trails on the other parts of it at some point - being further from home does mean it needs rather more in the way of planning though. It would be lovely to see you.

[jane-somebody.livejournal.com]

Cool achievement! I'm very impressed. The Ivinghoe Beacon end is very much our old stomping ground when we lived in Aylesbury, and I agree there's some very nice countryside around there :-)

Next - Norfolk Coastal Path? Or have you already done that? How about aiming to do the whole Greater Ridgeway? :-)

[lnr]

Norfolk Coastal Path is certainly a possibility, though we've cycled much of the area in the past. Greater Ridgeway at *some* point definitely. Perhaps some more of the Pennine Way too. But the Pembroke Coast Path and Cleveland Way are both tempting too.

Luckily there's loads to choose from :)