Clapham and Twinwood (16km) Print

Clapham and Twinwood Waypoint 1
Clapham and Twinwood, Ride 4 in the Bedfordshire on Horseback series. Approximately 16km (10 miles) with options to shorten. Ride described anti-clockwise, but can be ridden either way. The ride is mostly field headlands and farm tracks, which can be muddy in winter. The two short sections of roadwork are on quiet country lanes (both of which can be omitted). Parking is available in a Council car park on the verge by Brown?s Wood. From Clapham take the Twinwood Road, signed to Yarl?s Wood IDC; the car park is on the left hand side by the wood about 800m up this road. Start from Brown?s Wood car park (GR 025545). Head down the road, back towards Clapham on the Bridleway (BW) on the opposite verge (left side of road). Just before traffic sign warning of bend, take BW (signed) to left.

Clapham and Twinwood Waypoint 2
Follow this BW up the side of the field and continue between hedges and around field to track crossing BW. Continue straight on here, between hedges, then on around field, down past Twinwood on your left and up to buildings. Follow round buildings to track.

Clapham and Twinwood Waypoint 3
Turn left here onto track and follow it for about 800m, past communication mast on your left and The Gatehouse on your right. Go straight on through gateway and look out for cross-field BW slightly to your left. Follow this BW across field to BW junction at field edge. Option: Proceed straight on here with hedge on your right and follow directions from 7 below. This shortens the ride by about 4km (2® miles).

Clapham and Twinwood Waypoint 4
Turn right here and then quickly right again (hedge on your left). Follow this BW for about 800m past small wood on your left to gap in hedge and BW to left (signed). Turn left here.

Clapham and Twinwood Waypoint 5
Follow BW to a BW junction; turn left (not straight on) and go past another small copse towards Highfield Farm. On reaching farm, turn right and then left past buildings to reach quiet country road.

Clapham and Twinwood Waypoint 6
Turn left on road and proceed about 400m to BW on left (signed) towards Outfields Farm. Follow this BW to large area of concrete by ditch; bear slightly right, following track. Proceed along track (you may use the verge to right) back to BW junction at 4.

Clapham and Twinwood Waypoint 7
Turn right with hedge on your right. Carry straight on along headland until you reach corner with tree with blue BW arrows painted on it. Option: turn left before going down towards bridge and follow BW with ditch on your right until you meet a track. Continue straight on on track to Pig Farm and follow directions from 15 below. This shortens the route by 5km (3 miles).

Clapham and Twinwood Waypoint 8
Straight on down to wooden bridge over ditch. Then turn right (signed). Follow field headland round to the left and then through a gap in hedge to right in about 50m (signed). Go through gap and bear left.

Clapham and Twinwood Waypoint 9
Follow this BW with hedge on left slightly uphill to the next BW sign at end of hedge. Turn left here and continue straight on until gap in hedge ahead. Go through gap and turn right. Option: Go through gap and continue straight ahead across next field to track. Turn right towards Rutter?s Farm but turn left in about 100m onto track with hedge on left. Rejoin directions at waypoint 13,(this shortens the ride by about 2km (1® miles).

Clapham and Twinwood Waypoint 10
In about 80m go through gap in hedge on right and continue 800m round field with ditch and bank on your left (take care on this section as there are rabbit holes in the bank). After this field, the BW continues with ditch and hedge on left and fence on right (more holes and quite narrow) to emerge to the road just north of Red Gate Farm.

Clapham and Twinwood Waypoint 11
Turn left along road (generally quiet, but some HGVs), uphill and then down past farmhouse to BW (signed) on your left.

Clapham and Twinwood Waypoint 12
Follow this BW up grassy track to gateway. Turn left (signed) through gateway and then right around field edge. At the end of this field turn left and then right (signed) after 80m. Follow BW straight on past Rutter\'s Farm on right to track junction. Turn left onto track and follow this track for about 300m to BW to right (hedge on left).

Clapham and Twinwood Waypoint 13
Turn right onto this track, which becomes grassy and follow it to end of hedge. Bear right on headland, with Yarl\'s Wood on your right and then bear left at perimeter fence.

Clapham and Twinwood Waypoint 14
Follow BW until you reach a small brick building in the headland. Turn right here through gap in hedge and then left on headland until you meet a track. At track turn right towards Pig Farm.

Clapham and Twinwood Waypoint 15
Straight on past Pig Farm and Biogas plant on your right following track (you may ride on the verge to left initially and then to right after Biogas plant). At fence under pylons, go straight on down BW with fences on both sides to road. Turn left here and follow the BW on verge back to your starting point.