Great Linford – Bradwell Windmill Walk, Milton Keynes

Yesterday we headed out on a mini adventure and, as it was a success, I thought I’d share in case anyone else is looking for quirky places to visit in Milton Keynes. As you probably know, we are based in Northampton and so that’s where most of our walks and days out take place, however for this outing we ventured out of the county.

You can see the route here, although I did forget to start my Strava until a hundred metres into the walk, so it is around 6km in total. We followed a straightforward linear route out and back along the old railway line between Newport Pagnell and Wolverton.

I found out about the Bradwell Windmill open days while looking for potential places to take the kids in the summer holidays. I came across Milton Keynes museum, which looks interesting and somewhere we’ve never been, and that led me to Bradwell Windmill.

I thought it would be really cool to go and have a look on one of the open days. It is a nice place for a picnic and I’m always up for visiting somewhere interesting.

We started our walk at Great Linford Manor Park, where there is free parking at the Memorial Hall. From there we headed through the park.

We followed the path to the right of the church, with the canal on our right hand side we carried on until we reached the bridge. Here, we took a left and picked up the old railway line. We then followed this path until we reached the windmill.

At this bridge we headed left and followed the old railway line.

It was a very simple walk, with little to no navigational skills required! This route is suitable for bikes (it is an official cycle route), pushchairs and scooters. Being flat and traffic free, it’s perfect for a family walk.

From Great Linford Manor Park to the windmill is about 3 km. We took it at a leisurely pace as it was a hot and sticky day.

Once we reached the windmill, we had a well earned sit down in the shade and ate our picnic. We then had a look inside the windmill. Entry is free, although donations are welcome. It is a fascinating building, and the volunteers were only too happy to explain how it all works. You can also get some of their flour in exchange for a donation. Unfortunately I had no cash on me, otherwise I would have loved to try some – at least I have an excuse to go back now!

If you fancy looking inside and learning about Bradwell Windmill, it is also open from 1.30-4.30 on the 27th July, 31st August and 13th,14th and 28th September.