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 PAXTON PITS NATURE RESERVE TO GODMANCHESTER (CHINESE BRIDGE) (HUNTINGDON)
At the entrance to Paxton Pits follow the path through the kissing gate, past the gravel pits on your left. (It’s worth stopping to take in the views and the variety of wildlife that thrives here, (I saw a kingfisher, heron, and a flock of long-tailed tits in the space of just a few minutes). After the pits, when the main track bends sharply left, look for a way mark on your right. Follow this grassy track along the riverbank for about a mile until you reach some moorings on your right and a gravel track. Follow the signs through the reserve, a lovely part of the walk which takes you through the meadow and between hedgerows. Keep right to follow the riverbank (with the river on your right and beyond that the railway line) through a wooded area and along the bank for about 2 miles/3.2 km. On a beautiful day, with the river gliding lazily past and cattle grazing on the banks, this is a lovely stretch of the Ouse. As you reach the Water Pumping Works (which takes water from the river to fill Grafham Water Reservoir about 4 miles/6.4 km away) you’ll see the steeple of Offord D’Arcy church on the other side of the river and soon after, the steeple of Offord Cluny church. From the Pumping Works, continue along the riverbank for about half a mile/0.8 km, then veer left, following the waymarks away from the riverbank across a meadow towards a bridge on your right. Once over the bridge, turn right, through fields, across another bridge and out onto the road near Offord Mill. Go through a metal kissing gate, turn left,cross the road, walk along the road for about 200 metres until you come to the main entrance to Buckden Marina. As you enter the marina, take the road to the left of the drive (this is clearly signposted on Marina signs) and follow the Ouse Valley waymarks through the marina and past some very impressive large wooden chalets. When the path meets the river, turn left onto a grassy track which you follow for 2 miles/3.2 km and which takes you past old gravel pits, farmland and eventually a golf course. After a small copse you come to a concrete track. Follow the track round to the right to meet Bromholme Lane, passing a small picnic site with tables. (If you turn right here you come to Brampton Mill pub, a former 18th century mill which still has its water wheel, visible through a viewing hole in the pub). To continue along the Ouse Valley, turn left at Bromholme Lane and walk for about 200 metres until you come to a track on your right with a footpath sign to Godmanchester and Huntingdon (there is an Ouse Valley Sign tucked away to the right of this track but not immediately noticeable). The track takes you through woodland and under the railway bridge to a kissing gate which leads into Portholme Meadow (this is grazing land heavily populated by cattle in the summer months, so please keep dogs under close control or on a lead). Walk more or less straight across the meadow towards the lock at Godmanchester. Follow the path over the lock and towards the Chinese Bridge. To go into Huntingdon, continue along the path until you come to Post Street Car Park. Walk through the Car Park, turn left on the road which leads you through Godmanchester to Huntingdon Bridge and into Huntingdon itself. | |||||||||
| This section of the walk ends here. Return to top of page. To continue along the Ouse Valley Way, go to next section: Huntingdon (Godmanchester) to St Ives Bridge | |||||||||
Detailed Map (pdf file)
Print Walk Instructions