Download our Heathland Leaflet to guide you around the precious areas of heathland found at Rushmere Country Park and surrounding areas forming our Heathland Trail.

• The Heathland Trail follows the same route as the Central Bedfordshire Council Circular Route for Rushmere Country Park which you can download here
• The route is not currently signed on the ground, but it is hoped that it will be in the near future
• Route length is 4 miles/5.6km (1½ to 2 hours)
• This downloadable leaflethas been created to  help you learn more about the value of heathland, its conservation, management and role in the landscape.
• Why not explore the Oak Wood, Rammamere Heath, Shire Oak Heath and Lord’s Hill areas using the ‘alternative routes’ shown on the map?
• Or have fun exploring the Oak Wood Sculpture Trail 

Directions

1. From the Herons View Visitor Centre follow the main ‘carriage drive’ up the gentle hill away from the centre.
2. At the ‘Big Chair’ crossroads turn left and follow this path to the Greensand Ridge Walk on the edge of the woodland (see map for alternative routes).
3. Follow this path down the hill, past the pond and over the bridge. Continue on the main path bearing initially to the left, until you reach a crossroads.
4. Turn right on the bridleway and walk up the hill through Oak Wood. You will pass a number of paths but continue to follow the bridleway straight-on.
5. As you leave the wood, you pass a row of sandstone cottages to the left and paddocks overlooked by the old water-tower of Stockgrove House, to the right.
6. The bridleway brings you out onto Brickhill Road. Turn right onto the road taking care when crossing the road. On the next bend, at a small parking area, turn left onto the bridleway.
7. Follow the sandy path to the bottom of the hill and look out for a footpath turning off on the right (see map for an alternative additional loop to explore Rammamere Heath).
8. Take the footpath, cross the track and continue into the woodland, keeping the fence on the left. (Do not take the track that continues to the right. This is a private access track; the track that bears left is a permissive route into Rammamere Heath).
9. Follow the way marked route, to a kissing gate and continue through the meadow to the kissing gate opposite the Rushmere Country Park – Stockgrove (Brickhill Road) entrance. Take care when crossing the Road. At the Stockgrove entrance there are additional toilets and refreshments.
10. 20m to the left of the car park entrance, there is a pedestrian access point – go through the kissing gate into Rushmere Country Park. (At this point you have an option to take a shorter route, which returns to the Herons View Visitors Centre. For the short cut follow the path straight on, pink-topped posts mark the Woodpecker Trail).
11. To continue along the Heathland Trail follow the path on the left up the hill, keeping the fence to your left. Follow this path through a second kissing gate and continue to bear left until you reach the British Legion clubhouse, which is at the edge of the woods.
12. Go around to the front of the clubhouse and immediately turn right down another footpath. Keep straight on along this path and follow it across Shire Oak Heath and Lord’s Hill, down the steep slope and after crossing the small stream continue up the hill on the opposite side.
13. On emerging at the ‘Big Chair’ crossroads turn left to return to the Herons View Visitor Centre.

The Heathland Trail has been made possible as a result of funding from The Greensand Country Landscape Partnership which is led by the Bedfordshire Rural Communities Charity and local environment charity, The Greensand Trust, and is funded by the National Lottery Heritage Fund. It is made possible by National Lottery players; without them we couldn’t fund the project.