Whittlesford - Sawston Loop (2.8 miles)

This is an easy little circular walk with plenty of options to extend out into either village if you wish.

I started on The Lawn in Whittlesford but of course it can be started anywhere on the route.

There are two road (Sawston by-pass) and two rail crossings and care should be taken at these points.

Starting at the pavilion on The Lawn take the road past some bungalows until you come to a path on your left.  Following the path go through the churchyard.

At the end of the churchyard take a right turn.  This is a designated cycle route so keep an eye out for cyclists.  Follow the path until you reach the river (Granta) on your right and eventually come to a blue bridge.

Looking back toward Whittlesford from the cycle bridge over the River Granta

Cross the bridge and continue, bearing left on a track and then right as you reach the railway crossing. Cross the railway then bear right and cross the road at the designated crossing then carry on straight into Sawston.

Carry on until you come to a fork in the road and here bear right down Mill Lane.  Continue on.  You will pass a fire station on your right and some allotments and a rec.  Continue on until you come out in the centre of the village.

Turn right and follow the main road.  Continue on past shops and pubs until you reach a footpath sign on your right.  Take the narrow footpath and follow until you once again reach the by-pass and the railway again.  Cross both.

Once over the railway continue straight on crossing a white iron bridge.  Follow the path past some fields and a pill box on your right.  Continue on the roadway up a small slope and then on the path past the primary school.

Continue until you reach The Lawn again and turn right following this road back to the pavilion.

My route was 2.8 miles

See the route on mapometer

Terrain: Easy flat, mostly tarmac.

Habitat: fields, woodland, river, urban

Facilities: Shops, pubs and restaurants in Sawston (on route), shop and pub in Whittlesford (off route)

Whittlesford Village Loop (2 miles)

Whittlesford is my old home village so I know it well.  On this particular day I was intending to take North Road in a northerly direction but as it was a northerly cold wind and had started to sleet I changed my mind and took the walk the other way round.  I have given the directions as I walked below but as is often the case there are lots of small variations on the map.  The walk starts off at the village green (The Lawn), passes the village church, through the village and on into the Millennium Wood before turning back towards the church.

There is parking on The Lawn off of the main road but I started my route from the pavilion on the other side.

1.  With the pavilion on your left take the road on the right passing some bungalows.  When you reach a large tree on your left take the left hand path and go straight ahead bearing right for the church.

St Mary's & St Andrew's Church, Whittlesford, Cambridgeshire

2.  Go through the church yard of St Mary's and St Andrew's and follow the path ahead  For this walk ignore the path on the right, keep going forward passing the cemetery. Follow this wider pathway (known locally as The Baulks) to the gateway at the end.

3.  You are now on the main road - North Road.  It is here that I decided to change direction around the loop so I turned left, followed the path, crossed the road at The Tickell pub and turned right onto the High Street.

4.  Go past the shop and on up the High Street, following the road as it bears round to the right.

5.  Take a turning on your right called Vicarage Lane and walk to the end.  The road becomes a footpath.  Follow this path straight across the field until you come to the edge of the Millennium Wood.

Catkins in Millennium Wood, Whittlesford

6.  There are three possible paths around and through the wood, all link up to each other but I took the middle path through the trees.  Follow this past a bench on your left and bear right. Follow until you come out of the trees with a farm on your left and the main road in front of you.

Millennium Wood, Whittlesford, Cambridgeshire

7.  Cross the road to the path and go right.  Follow the path passing The Bees in the Wall pub, and then the village sign until you come to the end of The Baulks again.

Village Sign, North Rd, Whittlesford

8.  Turn left up The Baulks and continue until you come to a small pathway on your right before reaching the cemetery.  Take this pathway until you come to a gap.  You can either go straight on or turn right and follow the roadway.  Either way you will come out on Church Lane.  Take a left and walk up the road alongside a red brick wall.  When you come to the end go right, then left and you are back at the bungalows and the pavilion is in front of you.

My route was 2 miles
See the route on mapometer.com
Terrain: Flat, tarmac, grass track, gravel through the churchyard.
Habitat: Grass, fields, woodland
Facilities: No public toilets on route. Shop on High Street, pubs - The Tickell and The Bees in the Wall.