Bucmil one

Verified Slow Way

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We walked this route from Buckingham to Milton Keynes on a very hot day. It was tough for a lot of reasons - much of it is exposed, there's a lot of overgrown segments, and even though it's mostly flat, there's a few good climbs and gentle undulations that add up.

Leaving Buckingham is very pleasant along paved greenways. Almost the whole way to Beachampton, the route follows the old canal, much of which was extremely overgrown in June. The footpath definitely existed, but it was quite stinging!! The crossing of the River Leck where the canal path goes near the the A422 is confusing and not 100% accurately plotted, but the path does exist and you are able to get through.

We stopped for a pleasant lunch in the churchyard in the village. (No tap for water, and the restaurant in the village is only open in the evenings...)

The second half of the walk had significantly better walking conditions, but was very hot without much shade. The final approach into Milton Keynes was cool and almost entirely traffic free, a great demonstration of what they set out to build in MK.

Generally well plotted, safe, and walkable, but not the easiest going on the day we walked! The route is green and often beautiful. On a day not so hot, it would have been perfectly manageable.

We walked from Buckingham to Milton Keynes.
Late start, delayed bus, yet we did convene,
In blazing sunshine (but perhaps stormy?)
To bid our farewell to Mr Tormey.

The path was pressed close with thorn and nettle
That stung our shins and tested our mettle.
Open fields deep grass that snagged at our boots
Tough work with see-saw stiles and trippy roots.

But sweet smells, sparkling rivers, locks long dry,
Some easy paths, scenic views, azure sky.
A stop, a graveyard where we laid to rest!
And so refreshed we continued our quest.

Unused to jungle and 30 degree heat
I flagged and had to admit defeat.
A route for cool weather and dif'rent season,
Might have been 5 star if not for that reason.

The rest carried on, yes!, they did not fail.
Therefore Bucmil was awarded a snail.

Leaving Buckingham was pleasant and easy; crossing the A413 was fine although I suppose it may be busy at times. I had high hopes of following the track of the disused Buckingham Canal, but sadly, although you could still see the shape of it, it was almost completely dry, and the towpath was very overgrown with shoulder-high (for me) nettles, sticky-grass and thistles for quite a long way. This was mid-June, so maybe it’s better at other times. The nature reserve section wasn’t too bad though, and there was a restored lock there with information and benches.
As others have mentioned, finding the route where it touches the A422 was a little tricky. After this there was a brief section of obvious former canal, but then we left it behind and followed the Ouse Valley Way instead, which involved long hay and wheat field crossings with virtually no visible path, until we reached Beachampton for our lunch break. Where the footpath emerges through a hedge, it was very overgrown, but it was signposted and it was in the position indicated on the map. I’m afraid I disagree with OwainJohn there.
The church provided welcome shade but there were no other facilities open here until 5pm. This is a shame, as the pub would have been a very convenient mid-route refreshment point. There were some rather nice houses on leaving Beachampton.
From here to the outskirts of Milton Keynes the paths were much, much easier. They were mostly well surfaced and clear, although very exposed to the hot sun that day.
Coming into Milton Keynes was a bit of a revelation for me. I’ve never been there before, and I was very pleasantly surprised by the dearth of cars. We were mostly walking pedestrian/cycle routes, but where we crossed the quiet roads there were underpasses or else the housing roads were block-paved and windy to discourage speeding.
Traffic noise gradually increased, but we underpassed Watling Street and overpassed the A5 and railway to reach the wide open square at the train and bus stations.

A safe and direct route that might have been more enjoyable on a cooler day at a less overgrown time of year. The section from Buckingham to Beachampton was a bit of a slog. Not too bad to follow from an orientation point of view (apart from finding the gap in the undergrowth to cross the River Leck) but overgrown paths and rickety stiles made it physically challenging to walk. We stopped in the shade of the churchyard at Beachampton, which we discovered does not have a potable water tap. The only pub on the route, a desi pub by the name of "Mowgli" did not open until 5:30pm, so lack of refreshments is a problem on this route. The route from there was generally on tracks and bridleway so made for much better going. The last section into Milton Keynes is a joyous exercise through a city built for Slow Ways. The lack of facilities and poor repair of the infrastructure loses this route 2 stars. I think there might be a better route via Thornborough, Nash and Whaddon. I shall plot and submit this as an alternative for someone to try. Stiles and steps. Cows, sheep and horses in fields.

Walked as part of a group from Buckingham to Milton Keynes. Hard work but rewarding. The route should be a good one and is for the most part, but the path along the old Buckingham arm of the Grand Union canal is somewhat neglected and there are a lot of nettles to negotiate, so those who wear shorts may regret it. Further on we encountered an uncut hayfield where there was little sign of a path. We also walked it on a very hot late spring/early summer day, so it was energy sapping. There are plenty of stiles and a few steps. There is a pub in Beachampton but it only opens in the evenings, even at weekends - the only other facilities en route are near the end points, though there are plenty of places where one can sit on benches or stiles.

There is a minor error in the GPX file right at the start - if you look closely you will see that it leaves High Street straight through a building - there are paths on either side of it and we chose the right/west side. We are soon in a pretty area of urban parkland on surfaced paths and the route, out of the town is easy to follow. Beyond the by-pass the path starts well, but before long we are following the line of the canal through a series of woods and field edges filled with high nettles and other minor obstacles (at one point I was caught in the ear by a thorn while concentrating on the nettles). It was clear that people still walk the path, as the line could always be followed easily except in the open pastures, but this section was far harder than I expected.

Where the old canal line meets the A422, the path line is easy to lose. Firstly the stile out of the field before the bridge is further west than one might expect, and is hidden from the entrance to the field. We cross the bridge on a path through the road's verge, and once again the way forward is not obvious - there is no sign to indicate that you have to go back up to the road and then head right almost immediately through a gap in the undergrowth under the trees. The path stays in the trees, then follows a raised earthwork out to the road to Thornton. Here we turn right, cross the Great Ouse (not much more than a stream here) and take the signposted path into the fields to the left.

The path to Beachampton is never hard to follow, but the first field felt endless because the hay was high and there was little sign of a trodden line heading in the right direction until we were some way into the field. Further on an arable field has to be crossed using tractor tracks that deviate significantly from the direct right of way line. Eventually we cross a grass field diagonally to reach a lane by the churchyard. We stopped here for a very necessary drinks/lunch break in the shade.

Beyond Beachampton the paths are good, mostly on a bridleway, with fine views. Eventually we climb to reach a line of trees along the top of a ridge, and we follow it right on a good path then left into the outer suburbs of Milton Keynes. The route into Milton Keynes is a bit of a magical mystery tour, but makes good use of the many urban paths and cycle tracks, and a few quiet residential streets, and all of the busier roads are crossed on underpasses and bridges. Much of this section is also greener than I expected.

Eventually we cross the A5 and the railway to emerge on the bus station square, where the meeting point is outside the rail station. A mostly enjoyable and pretty walk with good company.

A very enjoyable route, which I walked from MK to Buckingham. The MK section has a mostly ‘village’ or park feel. Straightforward to navigate once out in the countryside. Just after passing the church in Beachampton, the path passes through a gap in the hedge that is hard to spot and is some way further N than the map shows.

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