Ivel Springs, Baldock
Baldock
Type of walk
Flat
What's here
Free Parking, Off Lead Areas, Pathed Routes, Water On Route
About this walk
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Description
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Location
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Nature Reserve
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Looking for a local-ish walk today, we found Ivel Springs on the council's website. It's located on the very edge of Baldock in Hertfordshire, at the Bedfordshire border. If you've ever driven down the A1M and seen the big McDonalds Extra services, it's about five minutes from there. Drive down the North Road and keep an eye out for the small brown Ivel Springs Nature Reserve signpost, fairly high up on a lamp post. Follow the little road down to the car park, which is shared with the allotments. Parking is free, and there's space for about 10 cars, maybe more.
Once upon a time (Until the 1950s), Ivel Springs was the site of a landfill. After that, it was left to turn to woodland and meadow. We started our walk through the big gate, into the big, grassy meadow. There were a few other dogs there too, so our dog got to run around and make friends. Exit the meadow and follow the paths around - to the right it just heads back to the main road, so I'd head left.
On your way, you'll stroll past a stables, some sort of scrap yard and marsh lands, but mostly it's just pleasant, flat paths with plenty of wildlife to look at. We didn't find the spring, but we did find a football pitch and stands which we could wander along. There is a little river which you can cross over, no more than a foot deep when we visited. Our dog jumped over the edge, and barrelled down the steep face to get to the water. It looked to be clean water though, so we weren't too worried.
I wouldn't necessarily say it's entirely suitable for wheelchairs or pushchairs, especially not in winter, but it's easy walking. In winter, it does get a bit sticky and slippery underfoot on the muddy paths, so wellies are advisable if you're going after a rainy spell. There are benches to sit on, but not as may as the website would have you believe.
Be warned that there is only one poo bin by the car park, and a lot of lazy dog walkers have been through.
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Ivel Springs, Baldock, Baldock
Walk photos
Comments (6)
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BTier19
3 years ago
Only been once and haven’t been back since. Very thorny ground. Somehow ended up in someone’s driveway and had to go back on ourselves, ended up in a large field but it didn’t seem to go much further then that? Perhaps we missed something!? -
jenni78
3 years ago
Car park is a little small here. But this is a lovely walk. Do this regularly -
Steve02
3 years ago
Just went on this walk for the first time. The car park has limited spaces but we had no problem parking. It's a nice enough walk and adjacent to the car park is an enclosed field where dogs can play away off lead. There is only one bin located in the car park where you can deposit your dog poop and none that I found on the walk. Unfortunately, as result of lazy dog walkers who can't be bothered there is a large amount of dog mess alongside the path and the enclosed field there is an awful lot. There are small paths off the main path that lead to the water but be aware, keep your eyes peeled. The one we walked down to investigate was littered with an enormous amount of broken glass bottles. I suspect it is used as a drinking spot for some youngsters perhaps and ignorantly they have smashed bottles everywhere. I had to carry my dog out, there really was so much. It was a pleasant enough walk but the broken glass and abundance of dog poop left behind by irresponsible dog owners has put me off going back again. -
Wulf
3 years ago
Brilliant short 1-3km walk, shady (great for sheltering during hot sunny days) with a large meadow (this part is uncovered) where off lead walking is allowed and often during the evenings there will be other dogs around. -
MotherBear19
a year ago
It doesn't normally get busy here which is good if you have a nervous or reactive dog. Not a huge area, but lots of different tracks to walk plus a stream for the dogs to play in. -
StormsWalkies
6 months ago
An OK walk. The loud road noise from the motorway means it's never entirely pleasant and the road and industrial infrastructure is never really out of view. . The paths are well maintained, but can get muddy/slippery when it's been raining. The shingle access to the little stream is very cute and our dog liked to dawdle by the water there (not brave enough to go in though!). There was a fenced in field where we saw dogs playing off leash, so that's useful as well. There are a small number of parking spaces (perhaps 3 or 4) right at the entrance, but there's currently building work there, so only 1 or 2 are useable; there were lot's of pedestrian walkways leading to it, so perhaps there is parking off one of those?
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How to get there
Address
10 North Rd, Baldock SG7 5BX, UK View on Google
what3words address
///feast.shadow.hardly View on w3w
Location details
Car park is beside the allotments - nearby Salisbury Road's postcode is SG7 5BY
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