The John Bunyan Trail (14) Cranfield & Wootton Green

We are back in Cranfield for this, the 14th 'circular' walk of the John Bunyan trail. We are walking in the direction of Wootton Wood and Wootton Green Farm. Wootton Green Farm was listed by English Heritage in August 1987 as Grade II, of special interest. It dates from the early 19th century. is built of a local mottled red brick with an old clay tiled roof. The dovecote was listed at the same time and dates from the 18th century. It is also built of red brick with an old clay tiled roof. We continue in a clockwise direction passing Shelton Farm. It will be quite a short stretch on the ''Bunyan''  trail in comparison to the overall length of the walk. It is going to be a walk to enjoy as the sun is shining bright on an otherwise cold day. Certainly the best day of the week by far. In terms of points of interest, I suspect that they will be fairly minimal today looking at the route. There should be some nice countryside to enjoy along the way though.

 

In the distance you can see the Power Station at Bromborough, and hopefully the net zero emissions belching out. Our walk hits a bit of a stumbling block. There seems to be some clearance work going on. As a result the footbridge is now not accessible.We make a slight detour and soon get back on track. A good thing really as the footpath exit was even more grown over than the other end. 

Footpath, what footpath?

We continue towards an area called 'Marston Thrift'. Marston Thrift is the remnant of a much larger area of woodland which has existed since the time of the Domesday Book. The 56 hectare woodland has traditionally been managed by coppicing, which continues on a smaller scale today. Unlike the complete 'butchering' witnessed previously. The wood is important for wildlife, attracting a variety of butterflies including the rare Black Hairstreak and birds such as the Black Cap and Chiff Chaff. It is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and a designated Local Nature Reserve.

 

Looking across the valley

The site is ash and maple woodland on heavy clay, a habitat which has become scarce in lowland England. It also has areas of damp grassland, and a grassland valley. There are still visible patches of the overnight frost where the sun hasn't reached.

The wood amazingly survived brick-making which until recently made a moonscape of the Marston Vale, and is right next to land filled clay-pits. 

 

Having climbed steeply we progress through to Rectory Wood. a vast area of new woodland and scrub extending all the way to Cranfield.  This has a well-laid-out network of hard and soft paths, with seats and picnic tables and some wide views.  Marston Thrift and Rectory Wood are well worth a visit at any time of year. We leave the woodlands via 'Tartlett End'. Sadly no Tartletts of any variety were in evidence today. The walk back to Cranfield was mainly through a built up area , with little of interest in truth. We did though pass the Church of St Peter and St Paul which we saw on a previous walk.

 

The life of John Bunyan is paralleled by that of 'William Wheeler'. He was Pastor at the church before leaving due to a 'conflict of principles'. He became a 'dissenter', and then the first Minister of the Baptist Church in 1660. In late 1664 or early 1665 he was sent to the County Gaol at the same time 'Bunyan was there, and the same reason. 

Another lovely wander taking in the Bunyan Trail , coming in today at 8.6 miles (18,536 steps) I estimate another 6 possible legs remaining of the walk. 

Hollowell & Ravensthorpe Reservoir New Year Walk

From the giddy heights of 28 degrees in the Canaries to a temperature of just above freezing! This walk is is something of a rude awakening. It is a late start so will be fairly short , but nevertheless an interesting one I'm sure.

Starting point is the village of Hollowell. Very close to Hollowell Reservoir, a 140-acre (0.57 km²) reservoir between Northampton and Market Harborough and just north of the village. The villages name means 'hollow spring/stream'. We take a nice footpath around some well maintained paddocks and get back on the road towards Guilsborough.  Saint Ethelreda's Church is a good landmark. The oldest part of the current church is the tower which was built during the first half of the 13th century. 

 

Hollowell Reservoir in the distance

Blue skies, green fields

From the Church we take the road downhill towards Ravensthorpe. Passing the garden, nursery and cafe of Coton Manor Garden. Closed now until February when it open for 3 weekends for you to see Snowdrops and Hellebores. It was originally laid out in the 1920’s by the grandparents of the present owner. The garden has been developed and extended by successive generations capitalising on its natural setting, attractive views and abundant water. The 17th century manor house acts as a central focus for the garden, its walls supporting many roses and shrubs.

The end of January usually heralds the start of the snowdrop season, coinciding with the flowering of hellebores and crocus. All these flowers stand up gallantly to snow and icy conditions which frequently occur at this time of year.
From my experience a good time to visit is mid Spring , when Bluebell Wood is usually in full flower from about the last week of April until the middle of May.  Elsewhere tulips are in full bloom, the Water Garden becomes increasingly colourful and species and tree Paeonies reveal their exotic and ephemeral flowers.We continue towards Ravensthorpe Reservoir. 

It's always an enjoyable 'lap' around Ravensthorpe Reservoir, whatever the season. Known locally as 'Northamptonsire's  Hidden Gem' is a two mile circular track and perfect for a 45 minute relaxing stroll. The well-established rich woodland, which surrounds the reservoir, provides a haven for birds and wildlife so the chances of spotting nature in its natural setting while out on a stroll are high!During the winter months, be on the lookout for wildfowl species and if you are visiting in spring or autumn you might catch sight of ospreys and dragonflies.We complete the circuit and double back up the hill towards Coton. This time taking the right hand side road back towards Hollowell. 

There are some nice views looking back down towards the reservoir. At the top of the road we pick up the footpath that will take us into Hollowell via the back of the church and our starting point.

It has been a lovely little walk coming in at a total distance of 5.5 miles.

Maspalomas (Gran Canaria) Lighthouse Walk

Our third visit to Gran Canaria, and I still haven't managed to walk to the Lighthouse at Maspalomas. Time to put that right I think! I did a trial run earlier in the week getting as far as the Hotel Riu in Maspalomas.The helpful Concierge informed me that the Lighthouse was a further 45 minutes away, across the sand dunes.With the temperatures around 26 degrees plus walking there and back was an unlikely option. I'm estimating somewhere between 4-5 hours. The best option was to try and get a bus at least some of the way, if not all the way. I boarded the number 30 bus to Maspalomas. Unfortunately there were a few communication issues.The driver didn't seem to like the idea of going to the Lighthouse. The bus was going to the airport I believe? According to my research the number 30 was the correct bus. Feeling adventurous, I got on anyway to see where It might take me. 

Things initially seemed to be going quite well. We seemed to be heading in roughly the right direction. We got to Maspalomas and then seemed to be heading back on ourselves. I made the executive decision to bale out. Thankfully I saw the reassuring sight of the hotel I visited previously. The avenue leads right down to the sands. The Maspalomas Dune system is a unique wild place in the Canary Islands due to its beauty and range of ecosystems. Its 400 hectares, protected by the Canarian government as a Nature Reserve of special value. The path is marked out by staked posts that keep you away from the high dunes.

The dunes have been protected as a nature reserve since 1987. These is a school of thought that they originates from the sands of the Sahara. Brought across the Atlantic on the Sirocco winds. A nice romantic thought, they are though formed by sand from the now subdued marine shelf, when it was laid dry during the last ice age, and then shaped by the winds. The dunes are an important Ecosystem. Providing habitat for a variety of plants and animals. In the distance I get my first sighting of the Lighthouse, or Faro as they are called in Spanish and Portuguese. 

It is a really beautiful area with wide stretches of sand leading to the dunes. The area is well known for water sports such as , Wind Surfing, Kite Surfing and Paddle boarding. There are also a large number of surfers in the water too. Known as ”El Faro de Maspalomas' to the locals, the lighthouse started being built in 1861 and took 28 years to complete. Once completed, the lighthouse first shone its light in 1890. It helped guide steam boats on routes between Europe, Africa and America as it could be seen for 19 nautical miles.Nowadays it's a distinctive land mark in Maspalomas as it marks a point where the sands of Maspalomas stop and Playa Del Ingles begins.

It is the tallest masonry lighthouse in the Canaries, it still works and is still active. 

It's time to turn around and take the long walk back to San Augustin. It's very straightforward walking in the surf all the way. In some areas it is like a pilgrimage  with so many people walking in both directions. It's all very pleasant though and I am glad to have finally got to the Lighthouse. In total 6.75 miles walked (14,134 steps). 

Gran Canaria - Christmas 2025

Dawn breaks on another holiday to the beautiful San Augustin in Gran Canaria. Our hotel room on the eighth floor provides the perfect vantage point to see the sun rise and set.  

A delayed flight saw us arrive later than expected. Initial signs at the airport were not good. Masses of holiday makers struggling to get in to passport control. There was a freshness in the foreboding cloudy skies. This isn't quite what we had in mind for our sunshine escape. Eventually we clear the airport and arrive out our hotel. Reassuringly things looked pretty much the same since we were last there. After quickly putting our bags down we made for the restaurant, and a bite to eat. The food here is of the highest quality, with loads of choices to suit the most discerning of palates. San Augustin is a quiet resort , however there is plenty there if you know where to look. If that still isn't enough then nearby lively resorts Playa Del Ingles and Maspalomas are within walking distance.

  The sun has risen , a few beach and hotel photos.

View from the sun terrace

A hoopoe(Left)

The hotel has a real Christmas feel to it. As we approach Christmas Eve the hotel transforms for the Gala Dinner. The food is unbelievable, and a great night is had.

 

The company was excellent too! Great to catch up with these two characters (Jack and Craig) from Plymouth.