Ivel Valley Group

Walking in the Ivel Valley

The Ivel Valley Walkers was founded in 1984. We currently have well over 350 members, many of whom walk with us on a regular basis. Members of other local groups in the area become affiliated to us, knowing they will get midweek walks and can join in with our social activities. 

Bedfordshire is not flat, it has steep sided escarpments along the Chiltern & Greensand hills and meanderings of the Great Ouse, Ivel & Lea river valleys. The countryside is truly varied.  

We welcome new people onto our walks and invite them to try a walk or two to see how friendly we are. Many go on to become members of Ivel Valley Walkers and the other groups in the area who we support.  

Our walking community

We provide some 190 walks throughout the year and in our programme you will find: 

• Every Sunday - A full day’s walk of around 12 miles, with alternate weekends being two half-day walks of about 7 and 5 miles.. On these days people can walk just in the morning or afternoon or walk both. There is almost always a pub stop at lunchtime and we bring our own food if staying all day. 
• Every Wednesday: A morning walk of about 7 miles, usually followed by the option of a pub lunch. 
• Alternate Thursdays: A slower paced walk (we call them Ambles) of between 4-5 miles. 
• Alternate Tuesdays: A long mid-week walk of between 10-13 miles, conducted at a brisk pace and shorter stops, finishing mid-afternoon. We bring food and drinks for the whole day as a pub or cafe stop is not expected. 
• Alternate Fridays: A bus walk of about 7 miles accessed by public transport and sometimes a linear walk. 

Seasonal changes and Events on the Ivel Valley Walkers programme include: 

• Some Thursdays from May-August: Informative/interest walks between 2-5 miles 
• From May-August: An evening walk of 4 miles once a fortnight. 
• Twice-yearly, coach trips to walk in lovely places further afield. 
• Holidays away at least twice a year, staying in whatever accommodation suits each person. Often this is one long weekend of 3-nights and one 5-night mid-week break. We have had City breaks during the week too. 
• Social events are numerous such as Mulled Wine rambles, meals out, barn dances, barbecues etc.