Carlton (10.5km) Print

Waypoint 1
Carlton waypoint 1
Carlton, Ride 5 in the Bedfordshire on Horseback series. Approximately 10.5km (6.5 miles) with option to shorten to 7km (4.5 miles). This ride offers lots of grassy tracks with few hard surfaces and only about 100m of roadwork on a quiet county lane. However there are a lot of gates, some of which may require you to dismount and you will probably encounter some livestock in fields. The route is described anticlockwise but can be ridden in either direction. Start at the Emmaus Village Carlton (GR 955544) shown as St Margaret?s School on map. Continue down the track through the Village, heading south. The track turns into a grassy bridleway (BW) straight ahead. Bear right across a field and through a large gap in the hedge to a signed BW junction and gate at field edge.


Waypoint 2
Carlton waypoint 2
Continue straight ahead on grassy track across next field and through signed BW gate. Continue straight on to cattle grid and gate.


Waypoint 3
Carlton waypoint 3
Turn left up tarmac drive towards Great Oaks Farm (passing through a gate next to another cattle grid). After the farmhouse the track becomes grassy once more. Through a gate (signed) and straight on between hedges then across a field on grassy track. Option: Turn left by short post down then up, and on your left is the BW gate. Head slightly left across field towards waymark post. Follow BW with hedge on your right to junction with footpath at field edge. Turn right here to pass through BW gate and then left shortly after through (signed) gap in hedge. Continue down BW with hedge on right to a wooden bridge. Cross and turn right. Follow track up to field end, turn sharp right (signed) then left (signed) and into field.Through BW gate on left and straight on to BW gate by New Barns Farm (fence on your left)- rejoin directions from waypoint 11. This shortens the route by about 3km (2 miles).


Waypoint 4
Carlton waypoint 4
Through yet another gate (signed) and straight on, on grassy track, to a gate on the right hand side of the track (signed). Through this gate and follow field edge track (watch out for rabbit holes). Continue straight on until you reach a bridge over disused railway track.


Waypoint 5
Carlton waypoint 5
Cross the bridge, then turn left and through a tall gate (this may have a chain but should not be locked) into parkland with llamas and deer. Straight ahead to waymark post, then aim right. Find another high gate in fence at corner before the tennis court. Turn left here through the gate and then straight ahead on a gravel path alongside the perimeter wall and then onto grassy track.


Waypoint 6
Carlton waypoint 6
At corner by gate on left, turn right (signed) and head for waymark post in front of barn. At this post turn left, and through BW gate (signed) to pass in front of farmhouse (barking dogs) and on to a grassy track.


Waypoint 7
Carlton waypoint 7
After about 80m on this track look out for turn to left, do not go straight ahead into woodland. Follow the track with trees on your right, fence on left to Moat Farm. The BW bears left by the barn and continues through two gates to another railway bridge.


Waypoint 8
Carlton waypoint 8
Immediately after crossing the bridge, turn left and then sharp right onto a grassy track through recently planted woodland. Continue along this BW through another gate. At the edge of the woodland, with hedge on left, go through gap in hedge and immediately right along grassy headland.


Waypoint 9
Carlton waypoint 9
Continue on this BW alongside two fields. In the third field, turn right about half way along (signed).


Waypoint 10
Carlton waypoint 10
Follow this field edge track to the end and then through gap in hedge. Turn sharp left then immediately right. Follow this signed BW (which kinks left and right at one point) to a BW gate. After this gate, head diagonally right across this field to a BW gate in the far right corner by New Barns Farm.


Waypoint 11
Carlton waypoint 11
Through gate and farmyard to the farm drive. Continue down this drive for about 1.5km to New Barns Farm House (a bungalow on your right).


Waypoint 12
Carlton waypoint 12
Just after this house, turn left onto a wide grassy bridleway between two hedges. At the end of this section, bear right along country lane between farmhouses for 120m to BW (signed) on your left.


Waypoint 13
Carlton waypoint 13
Turn left here. Through the gate, follow the grassy track uphill to another gate in the top left corner of field. Turn right through this gate (signed) and follow the BW uphill and then down to field edge, across the next field to the far left corner.


Waypoint 14
Carlton waypoint 14
Turn right at this corner and follow headland and signs round past the derelict Bagden Farm. After the Farm, follow grassy headland to the BW signpost at far field edge. Turn right here to return to your starting point.