Park at or near Ye Olde Swan pub at Woughton on the Green.
(S/E) From the pub head west along The Green, keeping to the right at the first Y-junction. Soon afterwards, at a second Y-junction, take the right fork, then immediately leave the road by turning right onto a surfaced path (with markings for Cycle Route 6). Follow this path past some houses and into the parkland beside the Grand Union Canal.
(1) DO NOT cross the old footbridge across the canal, but turn right to head north on the east side of the canal, following the surfaced path (Cycle Route 6), with wooded parkland and paddocks on your right. Pass under a grid road (Chaffron Way - H7) and continue heading north along the Grand Union Broadwalk. Pass under another grid road (Childs Way - H6) to find the Campbell Park Marina (under construction). Continue north on the canal-side path over a metal Y-shaped bridge, but keep on the east side on the main canal. Shortly afterwards you come to an old brick-built bridge that crosses the canal.
(2) Turn left over the bridge onto a surfaced path (the former Linford Lane), heading north west into Campbell Park. Follow the path uphill for a short distance until it is crossed by another surfaced path near the brow the hill. Turn left onto the other path, heading south west with trees and bushes on either side to cross over a road (Overgate) on a new footbridge. Continue ahead along this path (Cycle Route 51) with the Parks Trust HQ and Cricket Green on your right. The path rises steadily as you head south west towards Central Milton Keynes shopping centre. Continue straight ahead when another path crosses the one you are on (with a tall totem pole sculpture nearby). When you reach the second point at which another path crosses the one you are on (with a tree in the centre of the crossing), turn right heading north. Keeping the high ground and viewpoint of the Belvedere on your left, continue until you come to the next crossing point, with gardens and a tall red sculpture ('Chain Reaction') straight ahead. Turn left, heading downhill with laid-out gardens on your left and open parkland on your right.
(3) When you come to a T-junction (again with a tree as the central feature) turn left and continue around the Cricket Green (on your right). Close to Cricket Green roundabout cross over the access road to the Parks Trust HQ and continue east towards the canal. Cross 'Overgate' and immediately turn right onto a path that runs south, parallel to the road for a short distance, keeping a duck pond on your left. The path rises and is crossed by another path near the summit. (You were at this point on the former Linford Lane earlier in the walk) Turn left (north east) to reach a sculpture (a rusted iron profile of a head) in a short distance.
(4) Continue straight ahead (east) to a new footbridge over the Grand Union Canal. Cross that and proceed straight ahead through Newlands (with 'Gulliver's Land' theme park on your left) towards Willen Lake. Just before the path, you are on goes underneath a grid road (Brickhill Street - V10) it is intersected by a Redway that runs parallel to the grid road. Turn right onto the Redway and head south east, crossing over an access road (Frobisher Gate) after about 200 metres. After another 200 metres descend into the Woolstone Roundabout underpass (Childs Way/Brickhill Street intersection) and turn right in the direction of Woolstone. Turn left onto a Redway that runs south east, parallel with the Brickhill Street (V10) grid road and with paddocks on your right side.
(5) After about 100 metres bear right on a path that leads towards Holy Trinity church, Woolstone and the village. Keeping the church/community centre on your right turn into Mill Lane (heading W). Almost opposite the community centre turn left (heading south) onto a path that leads to a cricket green. Turn left and pass around the cricket green until you reach a car park on the Newport Road. Turn left and head south along Newport Road until the road ends for vehicles - then continue ahead along a path that passes under a grid road (Chaffron Way - H7). Continue south along this former road until you reach a car park and picnic site on your left soon after rejoining Newport Road. Very soon after the car park, turn left onto a path that heads east into the Ouzel Valley Linear Park, towards the river. Keep straight ahead (passing 2 paths that veer off on the right side) until you reach a cattle grid close to the river Ouzel. Do NOT cross the footbridge over the river, but continue following the river-side path south east then south through the park.
(6) Soon after you pass an ox-bow lake on your left the path you are on is intersected by another path - veer left, following the direction of the river. After only a few metres this path is intersected again by a path that crosses a bridge on your left. Do NOT head for the bridge, but continue south east along the course of the river until you come to a substantial overpass carrying a grid road (Standing Way - H8). DO NOT pass under the road bridge. Instead, take a path to your right that runs parallel to the grid road. Avoid getting onto the Redway that runs even closer to the grid road at this point. The path will take you west across Woughton Playing Fields towards Woughton village. When the path meets a road (Newport Road) turn right (north). You will see the St Mary's church and Ye Olde Swan pub just a short distance to the north of you. Return to Ye Olde Swan pub at Woughton on the Green.(S/E)
