Ouse Valley Walk: Paxton Pits & Heron Trail (7.5 miles/12km - Leisurely, Booking Required)

This walk is for up to 25 people, including the leader.

A fairly flat walk around Paxton Pits Nature Reserve with plenty of wildlife spotting particularly along the River Great Ouse where you can spot some herons and many other ornithological creatures along the way.

We will begin our walk from Paxton Pits Visitor Centre Car Park along the Heron Trail where early into the walk, we have the option to stop at a viewpoint along Heronry South Lake where as well as the grey heron, you may be able to spot nightingales, kingfishers and if you’re lucky, cormorants.

We will then continue past Little Paxton Quarry, an archaeological and geological site containing remains of activity over 400,000 years including those of Iron, Roman and Saxon age. After this, we will leave the Heron Trail and walk past Broughton Lodge Farmhouse, a Grade II listed building made of red bricks then walk through a small section of the village of Diddington. We will then walk towards the River Great Ouse and eventually join the Ouse Valley Trail and hopefully spot some more herons and maybe even an otter. Shortly after walking along the river for some time, we will reach our lunch stop where you can take in some nice views across Heronry North Lake.

We will finish off the rest of the walk continuing along the Ouse Valley Trail whilst returning to part of the Heron Trail. Meanwhile, we will pass Mooring Meadow which includes the site of an old farm abandoned during the early 60’s before it became gravel pits. We will then pass Dodder Fen which includes a wide variety of plants and insects like butterflies.

After a long stroll along the Great Meadow, a rather flat Texas plain like landscape, we will pass Cloudy Lake then reach a small section of the Meadow Trail. Around Rudd Lake you may be able to spot several species of wild orchids. Finally, we will arrive back to the visitor centre.

Once we return to the Visitor Centre, you are welcome to join us for a pub stop at the Anchor. It’s about a 5-10 minute walk from the visitor centre but parking is available at the pub stop so you are welcome to move your vehicle there.

Dogs are welcome on a lead (we will be passing livestock).

For information about walking with the group, including our dog policy, please visit the Stag Walkers website.

Booking your place: If you would like to join, you must book in advance using the Stag Walkers Meetup group - see Notes for how to book & what to bring. If you are unable to attend, please cancel your booking so that someone else can take your place.

Please do not turn up for a walk without booking, as places are limited.

Unless you opt in to further communications, we will only use contact information you provide to get in touch about the walk.

Please car-share or use public transport if possible. To offer a lift or ask for one from a fellow walker, please use the Meetup event page.