One of my 2020 intentions was to start really getting to know where I live better, to “adventure local” in West Bletchley and greater Milton Keynes. It feels almost like a cruel joke that pandemic lockdowns happened and forced me to live by my adventure local resolution! But it’s also been a blessing. I’ve gotten to explore so much more of the area than I would have otherwise! Most of April and May weekends were spoken for by the end of January, with us planning to visit friends or family in a different city every weekend. It would’ve been a blast, but I can’t say I’m not enjoying feeling refreshed at the end of the weekend either.
The end of May officially marked my 3 year anniversary of living in Milton Keynes. And we’ve been living in West Bletchley for 2 years now too! In that time I definitely haven’t explored as much of the city as I’d like. Between spending most weekends with friends in the various pubs of Newport Pagnell when we still lived there, not having a car until last year, and…life getting in the way, we just never made the time. But we’ve got nothing but time now, and we are making the most of it!
I’ve enjoyed getting to know our local area so much better over the last few years. We’ve ambled through verdant parks, strolled along historic high streets, indulged in delicious takeaways, and sampled more than our fair share of drinks. But what good is gaining this local knowledge if I don’t share it? So here’s a little guide to my favourite places in and around West Bletchley that are only a walk or short cycle away!
Nature Walks:
Milton Keynes gets a bad rap for a lot, but one thing it doesn’t get enough credit for is all the lovely nature parks you can find tucked away just off the nearest roundabout. And West Bletchley is absolutely surrounded by them. In fact, 3 parks on my list are so well connected by paved paths and greenery that it’s hard to tell where one stops and and the next begins!
Here are our favourite nature parks, in order of distance from our old rental near the H8 Standing Way border of West Bletchley.
- Tattenhoe Valley Park – A nice stream runs all the way through. There are exercise stations along the paths (for when we can use them again!). Trees line the entire park, creating plenty of shade and making it feel nicely secluded.
- Furzton Lake – A gorgeous lake to walk around. So many different species of birds call it home, including a nesting pair of swans currently raising 4 cygnets.
- Howe Park Wood – The forest floor is covered in bluebells during the spring. The trees and trodden paths make you feel as if you’ve left Milton Keynes far behind. Bonus: a cozy cafe and cute instrument-playing frog statues.
- Blue Lagoon – An old quarry-turned-nature reserve. Desire paths + picnic areas are maintained by mowing, everything else is left wild. Loads of blackberry brambles good for picking during the season.
- Waterhall Park – One wide, long path lined by mature evergreens in a way that feels very Continental European. More meandering paths. Near lots of fields. We even saw some cows by a stream!
Town Life:
When people hear “Bletchley” they more often than not think of Bletchley Park. But Bletchley town life has more than just Bletchley Park going for it! Despite only being a few short miles from Milton Keynes city centre, it has a lovely high street. And only a little bit further along, in Fenny Stratford, is the best club in town!
Due to the ongoing pandemic, the accessibility of these sites is a bit hit and miss currently. But do give them a visit once lockdown eases!
- Bletchley Park – A piece of living history in Milton Keynes, an extensive and impressive museum on gorgeous grounds. We spent a day there a few years ago and only saw a fraction of the buildings! Tickets can be expensive, but MK residents get a discount and they’re good for a year so you can go back as often as you like. Very worth the price of admission. Currently closed due to lockdown
- Bletchley High Street – A great mix of independent, charity, and standard high street shops. Several great butchers, greengrocers, and cafes. Lovely lights during the holiday season
- Molly’s Pantry – A greengrocer and refill shop. Lovely fresh fruit and veg sourced as locally as possible, and they’ve just added a whole range of dry goods to their lineup too. Stocks lots of natural cleaning and hygiene products. They even offer delivery by robot if you live close enough!
- Pink Punters – The only LGBTQ+ venue in town, and definitely the best club in MK if you’re looking for a great night out
Eats:
One of the best bits of my “Adventure Local: West Bletchley” initiative has definitely been trying all the independent restaurants! In no particular order, these are our favourite restaurants and takeaways we’ve found around West Bletchley.
- The Greedy Pizza – The self-described “little sister” to Fenny Stratford’s The Greedy Italian (sadly haven’t made it here yet!). Incredible sourdough pizza, good vegan cheese, great daily deals. Definitely worth pre-ordering as they can get really busy.
- Cafe Sen – Authentic Vietnamese food in a whole in the wall cafe. Their special bahn mi is a must if you eat meat, and their crispy tofu is delicious in a baguette or noodle salad if you don’t. Try a Vietnamese coffee too!
- The Three Trees – Part of a small local chain, good grub in a cute pub. Had a nice steak dinner for a decent price and they were helpful with my dairy free requirements. Made for a lovely date night.
- The Good Friend – Our favourite Chinese takeaway in Milton Keynes yet. Their crispy fried chicken wings are incredible, the beef ho fun is delicious, and they have a good range of dumplings and buns.
- Sweet ‘n’ Seasoned – This waffle-centric diner does the best indulgent brunch food. They cater to all dietary requirements, and have an impressive vegan offering. The chef’s also created an impressive Valentine’s Day dinner that I was luckily enough to win. Unfortunately, they are currently closed but I have high hopes they’ll find a new place soon!
Drinks:
It’s tough to find a truly independent pub these days, and you’re certainly not spoilt for choice on pubs in West Bletchley. But after several years of tough work, we’ve narrowed our favourites down to the following:
- The Eight Belles – Our hands down fave! Very 1940s vibe, being down the street from Bletchley Park. They did up the beer garden in 2019 and it’s lovely on a hot day.
- The Prince George – Feels sat a bit in the middle of nowhere, but it’s big and open. Nice patio. Lots of comfy chairs inside. Near Howe Park Wood, if you fancy a pint and a nature walk.
- The Three Trees – Another lovely beer garden. Good range of gins. Plenty of seating in and out.
- Inn on the Lake – A further trip than any of the others, near Ikea. A lovely traditional pub sat right on a lake.
I hope you have as much fun “adventuring local” in West Bletchley as I have! Am I missing anywhere on my lists? Let me know about your favourite Adventure Local: West Bletchley finds!
Note: This piece was originally posted in June 2020. I updated it in February 2021 with some new photos and places to visit!