Been meaning to do this ride for sometime now, basically it’s a route that connects Woburn to Ivinghoe Beacon using the Grand Union.
I jumped on the GU at Linslade and rode out to the ‘Three Locks’ near Stoke Hammond. From there I went up and over to Woburn/Apsley Woods for a classic XC loop of the area.
I finished the loop by descending down to Ruhmere and onto the GU at Old Linslade.
I had a quick half at Grove Lock, a pub on the canal path.
From there it’s canal side singletrack all the way to Ivinghoe.
The juntion actually puts you about a mile from Ivinghoe, but it’s a fast road section anyway. At Ivinghoe you turn left onto a BW that spits you out at the base of the Beacon. The first section is road, but at the crossroads you go straight ahead and finish off all off road. However the off road route takes you right to the bottom again before climing it all once more further along.
From the top it’s a BW all the way to the cafe at the monument at Ashridge. You can grab a good coffee and cake here.
Then it’s all downhill again past the monument down to the road that puts you in front of Stocks Country Club, turn right and follow the road. Go over the Ridgeway footpath to the T junction with the windmill in front of you. From here it’s road through Ivinghoe back to the canal bridge you came off at.
Follow the canal back to where you got on and you’re done.
Very nice

Sounds lovely. I think I’ve ridden every part of that at some in the last 20 years. But never in one go like that……

I rarely ride anything in such a relaxed manner, certainly never ever stop. Not only did I have a drink I also sat on the grass on top of the Beacon chatting to another rider. Heres a piccy of the route up the back of the Beacon from last year.

Sounds like it was a nice ride.

Sounds great – if a bit long for someone with my level of fitness. Nevertheless, will get out a map and have a look – may give it a go some weekend when there’s not too much family stuff going on…

Are so it was on CX bike, so you haven’t been shopping

Yep still MTB’less. But actually that was from last year anyway.

The Fopster, you could do half. Linslade in Leighton Buzzard to Ivinghoe is best as it’s slightly wilder and hardly any fishermen.

Is that a new bike oldgit?

If memory serves me right, that wasn’t your steed in last season’s CX league – although this might be my memory (it’s my age you know 😥 )

That’s the crosser I’ve been racing the last two season on. However in your defence it was altered a bit for the three Peaks which I was training for when that was taken.