NCR 51
Encyclopedia
National Cycle Route 51 is an English
long distance cycle route running broadly east-west connecting Colchester and the port of Harwich
to Oxford
via Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge
.
Links to:
Forms part of the North Sea Cycle Route
.
| Wivenhoe
| Great Oakley
| Harwich
This section runs from Colchester
and National Cycle Route 1 to Harwich
, where a seasonal foot ferry can be caught to Suffolk where the route continues.
For much of its length it is also the route of the North Sea Cycle Route
, although this branches off at a park in Dovercourt
to head to the Harwich International Port
at Parkeston
where there is access via ferry to Europe.
At Harwich
the signs indicate the route is 22 miles to Colchester, 3 to the International Port and 1 to Dovercourt
. The North Sea Cycle Route
junction is 1 mile along the route from Harwich
to Colchester
. As at the 31st January 2009 the signpost at this junction had been twisted so the signs aren't pointing in the correct direction; the route to Colchester should be down the slope to the promenade, the route to Harwich should be up the slope through the park and the route to the International Port should be along the level route that joins the nearby roads.
| Felixstowe
| Nacton
| Ipswich
The route from Harwich
to Felixstowe
uses the Harwich Harbour Ferry
(summer only, check timetable) to Langard Point offering an impressive view of The Port of Felixstowe
.
On the Felixstowe side the ferry lands near Landguard Fort
which is rich with history. The route then heads along the sea front into the centre of Old Felixstowe
itself, a Victorian
seaside town.
From Felixstowe the route heads out of town though a residential area and then mainly along minor roads towards Ipswich. There is an 1400 metre section of the official route takes one along a dedicated cycletrack very close to the A14. For this section there is an alternative route that uses a narrow single track road further away from the A14 which is also used by motorists and buses. The route then heads through Statton Hall, Levington and Nacton into Ipswich via Landseer Park, Holywells Park and the new waterfront area, where the routes crosses National Cycle Route 1.
Alternatively from Felixstowe one can take the RCR41 up the coast through the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
.
| Needham Market
| Stowmarket
| Woolpit
| Tostock
| Thurston
| Bury St Edmunds
This section of the route uses quiet roads passing the entrance to the Museum of East Anglian Life
in Stowmarket
, the village of Shelland
and then through Thurston
using a couple of off-road sections and finally into Bury St Edmunds using another section of off-road good cycle track running parallel with the road.
From late 2008/early 2009 part a section for the route west of Stowmarket will re-routed to take advantage changes to the A14 and will use a section of road that currently forms to Eastbound carriageway of the A14 at Haughley Bends and which will be turned into a traffic free route for cylists, walkers and horse riders as shown on the official map of the works.
| Cambridge
Links to NCR 11
at Burwell and Cambridge
| Girton
| Swavesey
| Huntingdon
| Bedford
NCR 51 leaves Cambridge on the Huntingdon Road, routing north via Girton, Oakington, Longstanton, Swavesey, to Huntingon.
NCR 51 diversion at Longstanton to Swavesey . At Huntingdon, it meets with NCR 6
for connections to Alconbury
and Peterborough
NCR 51 is undefined between Huntingdon and Sandy
Between Sandy and Bedford, the off-road route follows the old Varsity Line
converted railway, past Willington
and the wetlands around Priory Marina, before arriving at the outskirts of Bedford where it follows the south bank of the River Great Ouse
through parkland to the south end of Bedford Bridge. There is a bike shop with bike hire at Priory Marina.
| Cranfield
| Milton Keynes
From Bedford, the route follows the north bank of the River Great Ouse through town, passing under County Bridge at Prebend Street, and following a surfaced path along the river before crossing the river into Kempston at a footbridge.
This section is prone to flooding, and an alternative cycle route is available by crossing County Bridge and following Prebend Street south to the Bedford Road cycleway.
NCR 51 follows a split cycle path (pedestrians/cycles separated by solid white line) through Kempston
, past a supermarket, and through alleyways to Ridgeway School
.
From the limits of Kempston, there is a well-marked route on roads, crossing the Bedford western bypass (under construction as of 2008), via Wootton
to Marston Moretaine
The route travels through the Forest of Marston Vale
(bike hire in the Forest centre) where there is a cycleway connecting with Millbrook railway station
.
From the Forest of Marston Vale, NCR 51 takes residential roads, tracks, and bridleways to Cranfield
At Cranfield, there are no further NCR signs westbound until Salford
, where the route crosses the M1 towards Wavendon
and Woburn Sands
.
NCR 51 is undefined between Wavendon and Milton Keynes
2 km east of Milton Keynes
, the cycle route goes around the south edge of Willen
reservoir (where there is some bike hire, tourist attractions etc.) and through Campbell Park to enter Milton Keynes at Midsummer Boulevard
It meets NCR 6
here, for connections to London
and Northampton
| Winslow
| Bicester
| Oxford
From Milton Keynes Central railway station
, the route goes over the railway on a pedestrian bridge, and follows paved routes in parkland past Furzton lake to the A421 junction with Buckingham Road. There is a cycleway here along Buckingham road to link with Bletchley railway station
, and the NCR 51 continues southwest along bridleways.
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
long distance cycle route running broadly east-west connecting Colchester and the port of Harwich
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
to Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
via Bury St Edmunds and Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
.
Links to:
- National Cycle Route 1 at ColchesterColchesterColchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
and IpswichIpswichIpswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell... - RCR 41 at FelixstoweFelixstoweFelixstowe is a seaside town on the North Sea coast of Suffolk, England. The town gives its name to the nearby Port of Felixstowe, which is the largest container port in the United Kingdom and is owned by Hutchinson Ports UK...
- NCR 11NCR 11NCN Route 11 is a Sustrans National Cycle Route connecting Harlow in Essex to King's Lynn in Norfolk.-Harlow to Cambridge:Harlow | Bishop Stortford | Hinxton | Sawston | CambridgeIntersects with NCR 51 in Cambridge....
at CambridgeCambridgeThe city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
Forms part of the North Sea Cycle Route
North Sea Cycle Route
The North Sea Cycle Route is a 6000 km cycle route through England, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands and Belgium. It is also known as EuroVelo route 12 ....
.
Colchester to Harwich
ColchesterColchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
| Wivenhoe
Wivenhoe
Wivenhoe is a town in north eastern Essex, England, approximately south east of Colchester. Historically Wivenhoe village, on the banks of the River Colne, and Wivenhoe Cross, on the higher ground to the north, were two separate settlements but with considerable development in the 19th century the...
| Great Oakley
Great Oakley, Essex
Great Oakley is a village and civil parish in the Tendring district of Essex. It is a long, narrow parish lying on the top of a low ridge south of Ramsey Creek which drains northeast towards Harwich. The parish extends south to Oakley Creek, a branch of Hamford Water, where stood Great Oakley...
| Harwich
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
This section runs from Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
and National Cycle Route 1 to Harwich
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
, where a seasonal foot ferry can be caught to Suffolk where the route continues.
For much of its length it is also the route of the North Sea Cycle Route
North Sea Cycle Route
The North Sea Cycle Route is a 6000 km cycle route through England, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands and Belgium. It is also known as EuroVelo route 12 ....
, although this branches off at a park in Dovercourt
Dovercourt
For the neighbourhood in Toronto see Dovercourt-Wallace Emerson-JunctionDovercourt is a small seaside town in Essex, England. It is older than its smaller but better-known neighbour, the port of Harwich, and appears in the Domesday Book of 1086...
to head to the Harwich International Port
Harwich International Port
Harwich International Port is a North Sea seaport in Essex, England. It lies on the south bank of the River Stour one mile upstream from the town of Harwich, opposite Port of Felixstowe...
at Parkeston
Parkeston
Parkeston is a North Sea port in Essex, England, situated on the south bank of the River Stour about one mile up-river from Harwich....
where there is access via ferry to Europe.
At Harwich
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
the signs indicate the route is 22 miles to Colchester, 3 to the International Port and 1 to Dovercourt
Dovercourt
For the neighbourhood in Toronto see Dovercourt-Wallace Emerson-JunctionDovercourt is a small seaside town in Essex, England. It is older than its smaller but better-known neighbour, the port of Harwich, and appears in the Domesday Book of 1086...
. The North Sea Cycle Route
North Sea Cycle Route
The North Sea Cycle Route is a 6000 km cycle route through England, Scotland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany, The Netherlands and Belgium. It is also known as EuroVelo route 12 ....
junction is 1 mile along the route from Harwich
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
to Colchester
Colchester
Colchester is an historic town and the largest settlement within the borough of Colchester in Essex, England.At the time of the census in 2001, it had a population of 104,390. However, the population is rapidly increasing, and has been named as one of Britain's fastest growing towns. As the...
. As at the 31st January 2009 the signpost at this junction had been twisted so the signs aren't pointing in the correct direction; the route to Colchester should be down the slope to the promenade, the route to Harwich should be up the slope through the park and the route to the International Port should be along the level route that joins the nearby roads.
Harwich to Ipswich
HarwichHarwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
| Felixstowe
Felixstowe
Felixstowe is a seaside town on the North Sea coast of Suffolk, England. The town gives its name to the nearby Port of Felixstowe, which is the largest container port in the United Kingdom and is owned by Hutchinson Ports UK...
| Nacton
Nacton
Nacton is a civil parish in the Suffolk Coastal region of Suffolk, England, taking its name from the village within it. The parish is bounded by the neighbouring parishes of Levington to the east and Bucklesham in the north. It is located between the towns of Ipswich and Felixstowe.Nacton abuts...
| Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
The route from Harwich
Harwich
Harwich is a town in Essex, England and one of the Haven ports, located on the coast with the North Sea to the east. It is in the Tendring district. Nearby places include Felixstowe to the northeast, Ipswich to the northwest, Colchester to the southwest and Clacton-on-Sea to the south...
to Felixstowe
Felixstowe
Felixstowe is a seaside town on the North Sea coast of Suffolk, England. The town gives its name to the nearby Port of Felixstowe, which is the largest container port in the United Kingdom and is owned by Hutchinson Ports UK...
uses the Harwich Harbour Ferry
Harwich Harbour Ferry
The Harwich Harbour Ferry is a foot ferry that runs during the summer between Harwich International Port near Harwich to Landguard Fort near Felixstowe and also with Shotley...
(summer only, check timetable) to Langard Point offering an impressive view of The Port of Felixstowe
Port of Felixstowe
The Port of Felixstowe, in Felixstowe, Suffolk is the UK's busiest container port, dealing with 35% of the country's container cargo. It was developed following the abandonment of a project for a deep-water harbour at Maplin Sands. In 2005, it was ranked as the 28th busiest container port in the...
.
On the Felixstowe side the ferry lands near Landguard Fort
Landguard Fort
Built just outside Felixstowe, Suffolk, at the mouth of the River Orwell, Landguard Fort was designed to guard the entrance to Harwich. The first fortifications from 1540 were a few earthworks and blockhouse, but it was James I of England who ordered the construction of a square fort with bulwarks...
which is rich with history. The route then heads along the sea front into the centre of Old Felixstowe
Felixstowe
Felixstowe is a seaside town on the North Sea coast of Suffolk, England. The town gives its name to the nearby Port of Felixstowe, which is the largest container port in the United Kingdom and is owned by Hutchinson Ports UK...
itself, a Victorian
Victorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
seaside town.
From Felixstowe the route heads out of town though a residential area and then mainly along minor roads towards Ipswich. There is an 1400 metre section of the official route takes one along a dedicated cycletrack very close to the A14. For this section there is an alternative route that uses a narrow single track road further away from the A14 which is also used by motorists and buses. The route then heads through Statton Hall, Levington and Nacton into Ipswich via Landseer Park, Holywells Park and the new waterfront area, where the routes crosses National Cycle Route 1.
Alternatively from Felixstowe one can take the RCR41 up the coast through the Suffolk Coast and Heaths Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is an area of countryside considered to have significant landscape value in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, that has been specially designated by the Countryside Agency on behalf of the United Kingdom government; the Countryside Council for Wales on...
.
Ipswich to Bury St Edmunds
IpswichIpswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
| Needham Market
Needham Market
Needham Market is a town in Suffolk, England. It initially grew around the wool combing industry, until the onset of the plague, which swept the town from 1663 to 1665. To prevent the spread of the disease, the town was chained at either end, which succeeded in its task but at the cost of...
| Stowmarket
Stowmarket
-See also:* Stowmarket Town F.C.* Stowmarket High School-External links:* * * * *...
| Woolpit
Woolpit
Woolpit is a village in the English county of Suffolk, midway between the towns of Bury St. Edmunds and Stowmarket As of 2007 it has a population of 2030. It is notable for the 12th-century legend of the green children of Woolpit and for its parish church, which has especially fine medieval woodwork...
| Tostock
Tostock
Tostock is a small village around eight miles east of Bury St. Edmunds in the county of Suffolk. It is a very traditional Suffolk village, with a good example of a fourteenth century church....
| Thurston
Thurston, Suffolk
Thurston is a village in Suffolk situated about four miles east of Bury St Edmunds. As of mid-2005, Thurston's estimated population was 3,260. It is recorded in the Domesday book as Thurstuna and Torstuna.-Services:...
| Bury St Edmunds
This section of the route uses quiet roads passing the entrance to the Museum of East Anglian Life
Museum of East Anglian Life
The Museum of East Anglian Life is a Museum located in Stowmarket Suffolk, it specialises in presenting the agricultural history of East Anglia through a mixture of exhibits and living history demonstrations. It has recently taken to abbreviating itself as 'MEAL'.-History of the Museum:The site of...
in Stowmarket
Stowmarket
-See also:* Stowmarket Town F.C.* Stowmarket High School-External links:* * * * *...
, the village of Shelland
Shelland
Shelland is a small village located just off the A14, 4 miles west of Stowmarket in Suffolk, England.Shelland consists of roughly 10 houses, a church and Shelland Green.Shelland is the second smallest village in suffolk, after the village of Shelly....
and then through Thurston
Thurston, Suffolk
Thurston is a village in Suffolk situated about four miles east of Bury St Edmunds. As of mid-2005, Thurston's estimated population was 3,260. It is recorded in the Domesday book as Thurstuna and Torstuna.-Services:...
using a couple of off-road sections and finally into Bury St Edmunds using another section of off-road good cycle track running parallel with the road.
From late 2008/early 2009 part a section for the route west of Stowmarket will re-routed to take advantage changes to the A14 and will use a section of road that currently forms to Eastbound carriageway of the A14 at Haughley Bends and which will be turned into a traffic free route for cylists, walkers and horse riders as shown on the official map of the works.
Bury St Edmunds to Cambridge
Bury St Edmunds | Newmarket | BurwellBurwell, Cambridgeshire
Burwell is a large fen-edge village and civil parish in Cambridgeshire, England, about 10 miles north east of Cambridge. It is situated on the south-eastern edge of The Fens, a large area of relatively flat former marshland which lies close to sea level and covers the majority of Cambridgeshire...
| Cambridge
Cambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
Links to NCR 11
NCR 11
NCN Route 11 is a Sustrans National Cycle Route connecting Harlow in Essex to King's Lynn in Norfolk.-Harlow to Cambridge:Harlow | Bishop Stortford | Hinxton | Sawston | CambridgeIntersects with NCR 51 in Cambridge....
at Burwell and Cambridge
Cambridge to Bedford
CambridgeCambridge
The city of Cambridge is a university town and the administrative centre of the county of Cambridgeshire, England. It lies in East Anglia about north of London. Cambridge is at the heart of the high-technology centre known as Silicon Fen – a play on Silicon Valley and the fens surrounding the...
| Girton
Girton, Cambridgeshire
Girton is a village of about 1,600 households, and 4,500 people in Cambridgeshire, England. It lies about two miles to the northwest of Cambridge, and is the home of Cambridge University's Girton College, a pioneer in women's education, which was moved there from a previous site in Hertfordshire in...
| Swavesey
Swavesey
Swavesey is a village lying on the Greenwich Meridian in Cambridgeshire, England, with an approximate population of 2,480. The village is situated 9 miles to the north west of Cambridge and 3 miles south east of St...
| Huntingdon
Huntingdon
Huntingdon is a market town in Cambridgeshire, England. The town was chartered by King John in 1205. It is the traditional county town of Huntingdonshire, and is currently the seat of the Huntingdonshire district council. It is known as the birthplace in 1599 of Oliver Cromwell.-History:Huntingdon...
| Bedford
Bedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
NCR 51 leaves Cambridge on the Huntingdon Road, routing north via Girton, Oakington, Longstanton, Swavesey, to Huntingon.
NCR 51 diversion at Longstanton to Swavesey . At Huntingdon, it meets with NCR 6
NCR 6
-London to Derby:Harpenden | Milton Keynes | Northampton | Market Harborough | Leicester | Loughborough | Derby-Penistone to Reddish:Penistone | ReddishBetween Penistone and Reddish, the route follows National Route 62 along the Trans Pennine Trail....
for connections to Alconbury
Alconbury
Alconbury is a village in the English county of Cambridgeshire.-Geography:It is in the district of Huntingdonshire and gives its name to RAF Alconbury. It is near to the point where a major north/south road, the A1, crosses the only major east/west road: the A14...
and Peterborough
Peterborough
Peterborough is a cathedral city and unitary authority area in the East of England, with an estimated population of in June 2007. For ceremonial purposes it is in the county of Cambridgeshire. Situated north of London, the city stands on the River Nene which flows into the North Sea...
NCR 51 is undefined between Huntingdon and Sandy
Sandy, Bedfordshire
Sandy is a small market town and civil parish in Bedfordshire, England. It is between Cambridge and Bedford, and on the A1 road from London to Edinburgh. The area is dominated by a range of hills known as the Sand Hills. The River Ivel runs through Sandy. The dedication of the Anglican church is to...
Between Sandy and Bedford, the off-road route follows the old Varsity Line
Varsity Line
The Varsity Line is an informal name for the railway route that formerly linked the English university cities of Oxford and Cambridge, operated successively by the London and North Western Railway, the London, Midland and Scottish Railway, and British Railways...
converted railway, past Willington
Willington, Bedfordshire
Willington is a village and civil parish located in the English county of Bedfordshire. It is west of Moggerhanger on the road from Sandy to Bedford...
and the wetlands around Priory Marina, before arriving at the outskirts of Bedford where it follows the south bank of the River Great Ouse
River Great Ouse
The Great Ouse is a river in the east of England. At long, it is the fourth-longest river in the United Kingdom. The river has been important for navigation, and for draining the low-lying region through which it flows. Its course has been modified several times, with the first recorded being in...
through parkland to the south end of Bedford Bridge. There is a bike shop with bike hire at Priory Marina.
Bedford to Milton Keynes
BedfordBedford
Bedford is the county town of Bedfordshire, in the East of England. It is a large town and the administrative centre for the wider Borough of Bedford. According to the former Bedfordshire County Council's estimates, the town had a population of 79,190 in mid 2005, with 19,720 in the adjacent town...
| Cranfield
Cranfield
Cranfield is a village and civil parish in north west Bedfordshire, England, between Bedford and Milton Keynes. It has a population of 4,909, and is in Central Bedfordshire District....
| Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
From Bedford, the route follows the north bank of the River Great Ouse through town, passing under County Bridge at Prebend Street, and following a surfaced path along the river before crossing the river into Kempston at a footbridge.
This section is prone to flooding, and an alternative cycle route is available by crossing County Bridge and following Prebend Street south to the Bedford Road cycleway.
NCR 51 follows a split cycle path (pedestrians/cycles separated by solid white line) through Kempston
Kempston
Kempston is a town and civil parish located in Bedfordshire, England. Once known as the largest village in England, Kempston is now a town with its own town council. It has a population of about 20,000, and together with Bedford, it forms an urban area with around 100,000 inhabitants, which is the...
, past a supermarket, and through alleyways to Ridgeway School
Ridgeway School, Kempston
Ridgeway School is a coeducational special school for pupils with physical disabilities, located in Kempston, Bedfordshire, England. The school accepts pupils from all over the Borough of Bedford....
.
From the limits of Kempston, there is a well-marked route on roads, crossing the Bedford western bypass (under construction as of 2008), via Wootton
Wootton, Bedfordshire
Wootton is a large village and civil parish located to the south-west of Bedford, in the north of Bedfordshire, England. The parish also includes the hamlets of Hall End, Keeley Green and Wootton Green....
to Marston Moretaine
Marston Moretaine
Marston Moretaine is a large village and civil parish located on the A421 between Bedford and Milton Keynes. It has a population of 3,684, and is served by Millbrook railway station, which is about a mile away, on the Marston Vale Line....
The route travels through the Forest of Marston Vale
Forest of Marston Vale
The Forest of Marston Vale is an evolving community forest in Marston Vale, which runs south west from the towns of Bedford and Kempston in Bedfordshire, England towards the M1 motorway. It is operated by a registered charity called the Marston Vale Trust....
(bike hire in the Forest centre) where there is a cycleway connecting with Millbrook railway station
Millbrook (Bedfordshire) railway station
Millbrook railway station serves the villages of Millbrook and Marston Moretaine in Bedfordshire, England. It is on the Marston Vale Line, between Stewartby and Lidlington...
.
From the Forest of Marston Vale, NCR 51 takes residential roads, tracks, and bridleways to Cranfield
Cranfield
Cranfield is a village and civil parish in north west Bedfordshire, England, between Bedford and Milton Keynes. It has a population of 4,909, and is in Central Bedfordshire District....
At Cranfield, there are no further NCR signs westbound until Salford
Salford, Bedfordshire
Salford is a small English village in the county of Bedfordshire, near the large new town of Milton Keynes. It is located near the M1 motorway....
, where the route crosses the M1 towards Wavendon
Wavendon
Wavendon is a village and civil parish in the south east of the Borough of Milton Keynes and ceremonial county of Buckinghamshire, England. The village name is an Old English language word, and means 'Wafa's hill'. In the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle in 969 the village was recorded as Wafandun. The...
and Woburn Sands
Woburn Sands
Woburn Sands is a small town and civil parish that is mainly located in the Borough of Milton Keynes, England, and to the south-east of Milton Keynes itself, near Wavendon...
.
NCR 51 is undefined between Wavendon and Milton Keynes
2 km east of Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
, the cycle route goes around the south edge of Willen
Willen
Willen is a district of Milton Keynes, England and is also one of the ancient villages of Buckinghamshire to have been included in the designated area of the New City in1967...
reservoir (where there is some bike hire, tourist attractions etc.) and through Campbell Park to enter Milton Keynes at Midsummer Boulevard
It meets NCR 6
NCR 6
-London to Derby:Harpenden | Milton Keynes | Northampton | Market Harborough | Leicester | Loughborough | Derby-Penistone to Reddish:Penistone | ReddishBetween Penistone and Reddish, the route follows National Route 62 along the Trans Pennine Trail....
here, for connections to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and Northampton
Northampton
Northampton is a large market town and local government district in the East Midlands region of England. Situated about north-west of London and around south-east of Birmingham, Northampton lies on the River Nene and is the county town of Northamptonshire. The demonym of Northampton is...
Milton Keynes to Oxford
Milton KeynesMilton Keynes
Milton Keynes , sometimes abbreviated MK, is a large town in Buckinghamshire, in the south east of England, about north-west of London. It is the administrative centre of the Borough of Milton Keynes...
| Winslow
Winslow, Buckinghamshire
Winslow is a small market town and also a civil parish designated as a town council within Aylesbury Vale district in north Buckinghamshire. It has a population of about 4500....
| Bicester
Bicester
Bicester is a town and civil parish in the Cherwell district of northeastern Oxfordshire in England.This historic market centre is one of the fastest growing towns in Oxfordshire Development has been favoured by its proximity to junction 9 of the M40 motorway linking it to London, Birmingham and...
| Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
From Milton Keynes Central railway station
Milton Keynes Central railway station
Milton Keynes Central railway station serves Central Milton Keynes and the surrounding area of Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. The station is located on the West Coast Main Line between the stations of Bletchley and Wolverton, both of which are also within Milton Keynes. The station is served by...
, the route goes over the railway on a pedestrian bridge, and follows paved routes in parkland past Furzton lake to the A421 junction with Buckingham Road. There is a cycleway here along Buckingham road to link with Bletchley railway station
Bletchley railway station
Bletchley is a railway station that serves the southern districts of Milton Keynes , and the north-eastern parts of the Buckinghamshire district of Aylesbury Vale....
, and the NCR 51 continues southwest along bridleways.