We ain’t afraid of no ghost | Sharpenhoe Clappers, Bedforshire
We love this location. It’s actually a short drive from our home so we visit this place all the time. Back in the day I used to come here for our early morning dog walks. These days we have our picnics & walks, and sometimes hang our hammock and chill out on nice summer days. My boy loves this location. The ancient woodland, full of trees engraved with initials and love declarations, make this place super special. There is always some kind of a swing made of a stick hanging on one of the trees. During lockdown this place was supper busy and there was a lot of swings ;)
Managed by National Trust, this classic chalk escarpment, crowned with traces of an Iron Age hillfort has given a rise to the local legend about a ghost named Cassivellaunus who was a British Chief who defended Britain against the Romans during the time of Julius Caesar. The ghost appears as a cloud magically covering the top of the hill every now and then. Everybody likes a bit of a ghost story, right?
Parking & Facilities (what facilities?)
Car park - 363 Sharpenhoe Rd, Sharpenhoe, Bedford MK45 4SH
Some parts are buggy friendly but can get very muddy in bad weather.
There’re no toilets or restaurants, not even an ice cream van. Parking is rather small (maybe 20 spaces) with height restrictions. But this place is surrounded by lovely views, fields, sheep and public footpaths (Icknield Way crosses the Clappers on its route from Ivinghoe in Buckinghamshire to Knettishall Heath in Suffolk).
Below are some photos from our summer & winter trips to this beautiful place. It only takes us maybe 10 minutes drive from Houghton Regis. I strongly recommend this location if you haven’t been before.
p.s. Hammock is from Aldi and I only cost me £7.99 (I know!)
