Flilut one

Verified Slow Way

Verified by 100.00% of reviewers

Walked from Flitwick to Luton. Mostly a good route, but at times badly let down by careless GPX plotting, particularly at the quieter northern end and in Flitwick, where it takes two impossible shortcuts. I am just about willing to verify this one, but that is a borderline decision and I may change my mind. Much of the walk is very enjoyable.

Note that I have created a better plotted version as FliLut two, and would urge potential walkers to use that GPX file instead of this one. I will submit a detailed review with pictures there. There may be scope for a third version - for me it would have been more attractive to take in the summits of Galley Hill and Warden Hill, and I don't know whether there are better routes between Flitwick and Barton-le-Clay, possibly via Pulloxhill.

The route is described as Flitwick to Luton but the gpx file is Luton to Flitwick. Along with two Goodgym members I walked this starting from Luton on a fine cold sunny day towards the end of February. Conditions were dry for this time of the year as there had been relatively little recent rainfall. All but a couple of hundred metres were dry enough, although slightly sticky in parts, for basic trainers or trail shoes.
The paths are well signed and the routes conforms accurately to the gpx file. A couple of minor navigation errors on my part were due to being in good company with associated lapses of attention - chatty walking companions! There are multiple path options close to the route as you leave Luton and mistakes are easily rectified without having to retrace steps. I would agree with the previous reviewer that the chalk hill views and landscape are stunning. Overall the walk is a nice mix of open ground, dirt lanes between hedgerows, and patches of woodland with wild flowers. A number of wooden bridges crossing low lying wet land on the final approach to Flitwick make an interesting variation. There is reason to proceed with caution on the short stretch of the Harlington Sharpenhoe road where even light traffic travels at speed around a sharp bend. This was noted in the previous review and we didn't locate any obvious detour options. However the OS map does offer an alternative which takes a route called the John Bunyan trail northward to Pulloxhill. We didn't investigate this but I may do so in the future. Another point to note is on the route turning north west from Higham Bury towards Hermitage Lane which meets the Westoning Road. The footpath between Higham Bury and Hermitage lane is overgrown in a way that would appear to be intentional obstruction. An obviously well used alternative runs the length of the lane at the field edge to the west of the lane, and on the way you pass an encampment complete with small but not unfriendly dogs on the loose. It is clearly visible on Google maps so has presumably been established for some time. After passing this you can easily get back onto Hermitage Lane and to the Westoning Road as per the route.

Very well planned route with little on-road walking. Route into Luton skirts attractive chalk hills and minimises walking through suburbs. Good views over open farmland from Flitwick to Barton and chalk hill country from Barton to Luton, although there are long stretches on green lanes with high hedges on both sides. Short on-road section at Mill End on the busy Harlington - Barton road includes a dangerous blind bend with no pavement and little room for pedestrians, but there is no obvious alternative route to avoid it.

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