Love Kempston Light Walk

The Love Kempston Light Walk is all about connecting local residents to the natural beauty of the River Great Ouse that happens to be right on their doorstep. Expect to experience the riverbank in a way you never have before, through artist installations, light features and community spirit. There will also be accompanying lantern-making activities, live acoustic music and hot drink refreshments to keep you warm as you stroll along the illuminated trail. 

Yes, this walk is open to children of all ages, however we ask that anyone under the age 16 is supervised by a responsible adult. 

Agreed parking for this event is extremely limited. Visitors are encouraged to walk and cycle where possible. If you choose to drive, we ask that you use public car parks in the local area and avoid parking in residential areas where possible. The closest car park to the site is Archers Rest Car park in Great Denham.  

Yes, dogs are allowed at this event. However, we do ask that they are kept on a leash and cleaned up after.   

The walk will span between Kempston Mill (MK42 7FB) and Sanders Close (MK42 8RX). You can join from either end of the walk or any of the riverside paths in-between, however if you wish to make a lantern to carry, we encourage you to start at the Kempston Mill Landing stage.    

Activities like lantern making and music performances will be starting from 4:30pm. We expect the walk to start around 5pm but visitors are welcome to come and go as they please until we finish at 6:30pm.    

The walk should take approximately 40 minutes in total from start to finish.   

Some areas of the walk may be inaccessible due to the rugged nature of the path. The most accessible entry point is from Kempston Mill, where the route should be suitable for the first half of the walk. However, please note that certain sections may become uneven or narrow, which could present challenges for those with mobility concerns. 

Stewards will be available on the day to assist and provide guidance to visitors with accessibility needs. If you require specific support, please feel free to approach them for advice. Additionally, due to the narrow and uneven terrain, we recommend avoiding the use of pushchairs where possible. 

Yes there will be toilets on-site.

Yes, visitors will be able to purchase hot drinks from one of our vendors during the event. 

Yes! We’re excited to be joining this year’s National Lottery Open Week campaign, as a small organisation that has received funding from both Arts Council England and the Community Fund for our River/ Flow/ Connect project.  

To say ‘thank you’ to all those that play the lottery and in turn, fund our projects – we’re running a ‘special offer’ to the first 30 people who present a valid lottery ticket to our refreshment vendor. Visitors will be able to redeem a free hot drink of their choice. 

To claim your ‘special offer’, please present any National Lottery ticket (digital or physical), scratchcard, or Instant Win Game to our refreshments vendor. Please check our full terms and conditions.

This event is free and taking place on a public footpath, however we may need to restrict access to the walk during peak times due to health and safety reasons. Therefore, we recommend booking a ticket to avoid disappointment. 

Some areas of the walk may be muddy and rugged, so please make sure you wear sturdy, suitable footwear like trainers or walking boots. 

Due to the location of the walk, we may have to postpone or cancel the event should the weather turn bad. Please keep an eye out on our social media pages for updates in these circumstances.