Harrold and Odell

 

Summary

Harrold is a pleasant village in north Bedfordshire to which I have some connection, my grandmother's family on my father's side hailing from there. The country park is worth a visit and indeed a quick stroll around the lake may be enough to slake your thirst for a walk. We once saw an otter in its waters but despite several revisits, have yet to repeat the experience.

Statistics

Start:Harrold Country Park, Carlton Road MK43 7DS

Map: OS Explorer 208, Bedford and St Neots

Parking: Free at the country park - although donations are requested

Distance: 7.2km (about 4.5 miles)

Refreshments: The Bell at Odell 

The Walk

Leave the country park by the main exit and turn left towards Carlton. Cross the old bridge that is Grade II listed and still has some of its original medieval structure and continue for a short way until you see the footpath sign on your left. Take this and cross the field, which begins to go uphill and past the old church of St Nicholas, which is now The Chellington Centre, a residential centre for young people. Go through the old church yard and onto the track that leaves the centre and joins Felmersham Road. Turn left here and walk a couple of hundred metres past some houses and right at the footpath sign soon after the end of the stone wall. 

It's a pretty straight walk for the next kilometre or so. You'll pass some woods on your right and a ruin of a stone barn on your left. At a T junction of footpaths, turn left and again keep walking straight on for about 400 metres, passing some trees on your left. As the trees end you need to make a left on the footpath and follow the hedgerow on your right hand side. Keep going all the way until you find yourself back on Felmersham Road with a large house to your right.

Turn right on the road and follow this for a couple of hundred metres. There's a footpath sign on the left hand side of the road which you need to follow. keeping the hedgerow to your right, make your way along the field boundary to a small wood. Walk through here and across the bridge spanning the Great Ouse. Bear right and then left into Mill Lane. This passes the Bell Inn into Horsefair Lane. Walk all the way along here and into Harrold Country Park which is where you started. 

Notes and Musings

The village of Harrold is mentioned in the Domesday Book and archeology has produced finds from over 4,500 years ago. The village itself has one or two curiosities, including a lock-up on its green that was once used to detain drunks and other miscreants. Legend has it that Paul McCartney premiered "Hey Jude" at the Oakley Arms pub in June 1968, inviting the locals to sing along. Na na na nana na na...!

Odell is a small village with a population of only a few hundred but, like Harrold, has an interesting connection to the world of rock music. In 1981, an up and coming band called U2 played a few songs in an afternoon slot at the Greenbelt festival that was held at the farm opposite The Bell. Although I was at that festival, I missed their show, preferring to spend my time at the pub instead! I wonder what ever became of them? Speaking of The Bell, it was once owned by a character named Gordon Bennett which amused me as a youngster. Odell used to have another pub called The Mad Dog, now a private residence, and I remember it having a merry-go-round in the garden which would doubtless now fall foul of health and safety regulations.