Today I took on the Parks Trust 30 mile cycle challenge with 10 riders from my cycling group. The route offers the very best of the beautiful parklands that Milton Keynes has to offer. It passes no less than 5 lakes, follows the canal, brooks and rivers and even includes a pretty path through a nature reserve. Onward past grazing sheep and a short climb to the highest point in Milton Keynes which affords a fantastic view over the expansive green spaces in Milton Keynes.
Check out my route on Komoot
The route officially starts in Willen lake. Although we started in Broughton, headed down along Broughton Brook to Caldecotte Brook around the first of the lakes, Caldecotte Lake, then through the Ouzel valley, up hospital Hill to Furzton Lake. We then followed a section of the millennium route past TearDrop Lakes, Loughton Valley Park & Lodge Lake, before we reconnect with the Grand Union Canal all the way to Wolverton through Ouzel Valley Park and then through a beautiful wetland nature reserve. After this, we join the railway walk briefly before we go through Stanton Low Park and onward to the Manor house and grounds of Linford Manor before reconnecting with the grand union canal. We then have a nice little steep climb, dodging grazing sheep as we head up through Campbell Park to the highest point of Milton Keynes (the Light Pyramid) before a very fast descent down to our coffee stop at Campbell wharf. The final 5 miles takes us around Willen Lake, then back through the Ouzel Valley Park and Broughton Brook linear Park.
The route was absolutely idyllic with a little bit of everything and certainly the best Milton Keynes green spaces has to offer. The paths and trails were easy and we really only had one short sharp climb up to the light pyramid in Campbell Park, but the views at the top are definitely worth it!
I could not recommend this route more highly and can't wait to do it again in the Summer. 😎🚴♀️
Nature reserve at Stony Stratford
Light pyramid at top of Campbell Park
Views over MK
Canal - fallen tree added some challenge
One of Mk's colourful dinosaurs
Campbell Wharf