Introducing Katherine’s Walk

Our ‘Walk of the Month’ for October is Katherine’s Walk which takes in the Greensand Ridge and the countryside to the west of Ampthill and Flitwick. One of our fantastic volunteers, Dennis, walked the route recently and gave his highlights.

Wildlife Spot – Green Tiger Beetles at Cooper’s Hill

You’ll find interesting and varied wildlife when exploring Katherine’s Walk. Our pick of the wildlife spots is Cooper’s Hill, where you can spot iridescent Green Tiger Beetles, Minotaur Beetles, birds and reptiles amongst the heather and gorse. Also look out for Pet Piggies premises on point 10 of our walking map, where you can encounter micro pigs that have starred in TV programmes, films and advertisements!

History Spot – Katherine’s Cross

There’s so much history to see when exploring Katherine’s Walk. This walk is named after Katherine of Aragon, who was imprisoned on the Ampthill Estate during the annulment of her marriage to King Henry VIII in the early 16th Century. Katherine’s Cross (Listed Building: Grade II), is a significant feature within Ampthill Great Park and was erected in 1773 as a garden feature in Capability Brown’s new landscape.

Pit Stop – Wooden Hill Coffee

Wooden Hill Coffee makes the ideal stopping point (50m south of Point 6 on our #KatherinesWalk map leaflet). They serve award winning environmentally friendly coffee, and roast their own high quality Fairtrade coffee beans! For more information head to our interactive map and search the ‘Food&Drink’ options, and Zoom in to the Millbrook area (near Ampthill).