Page 38 - Phonebox Magazine October 2014

Phonebox Ramblings
A rural and urban circular ramble from Old Wolverton via Stony Stratford.
This is an easy circular walk and features canal and riverside walks and the parklands of the Milton Keynes Parklands Trust, as well as the historic town of Stony Stratford.
Duration: circa 4.75 miles about 2.5 hours and mostly flat on prepared paths. Park at the small car park along the Old Wolverton Road which is by the canal bridge near to The Galleon pub, MK12 5NL.
There are a variety of refreshments in Stony Stratford as well as The Galleon on your return to the car park.
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On leaving the car park turn right to the canal bridge, descend down on to the right hand towpath with fields on your right. In about half a mile the “Iron Trunk” aqueduct is reached, (this was originally built in 1811 to replace an old brick version which had collapsed, to bridge the River Great Ouse) it was renovated and improved in 2012 and also returned to it’s original colour scheme. As you approach the aqueduct, there is a path down to the right, at the foot of the path turn left and; keeping your head down, go through the horse tunnel to the west side of the canal.
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2. Keeping the river on your right proceed through various fields, the entrance to Stratford Mill will be on your right, please ignore this. At the next junction of paths turn left to the bridge that carries the A5 (this was built in the late 1970’s and originally called the A5 D (diversion), it’s task was to take all of the through traffic from the old A5:- Roman road Watling Street, which ran up from Fenny Stratford to Old Stratford) take the left hand path and go under the road. The path bears round to the right tracking parallel to the road, on reaching the T junction of paths by the river turn left.
3. Keep the river on your right and follow the path round to the left and eventually out of the woodlands to cross the Towcester Road. Go through the gate and then turn right, again keeping the river on your right follow the path round to the left until it crosses a foot bridge. Take the right hand fork and continue to follow the river path around the Millfield, ignore paths off to the left and right and then pass the weir on your right. The path now bends round to the left and then we turn right over another bridge.
4. Once over the bridge the path turns right, and shortly there is a path off to the left between houses, this leads through to Ousebank Way. Keep left here and follow the path round to the left and then right in to Oxford Street and then left in to Silver Street. At the Market Square turn right, and keeping the parking area on your left proceed through to the High Street, cross the road and turn right here.
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