Pete's Walks- Deacon Hill and Pegsdon (page 1 of 2)

If you are considering walking this route yourself, please see my disclaimer. You may also like to see these notes about the maps and GPX files.

Google map of the walk

I did this circular walk of about 3.6 miles on Monday, May 22nd, 2017. It was a repeat of a walk I first did in May 2015, the aim of the walk being to allow me to visit the Knocking Hoe nature reserve to see the Burnt-tip Orchids there.

I parked in the small car park along the B655 almost a mile east of Pegsdon and close to Deacon Hill, grid reference TL 133301 (WARNING: as usual, do not leave valuables in your car - one time I parked here, another car had been broken into when I returned). I started walking about 2.05pm, following a hedge-lined track away from the car park (this is part of the Icknield Way long-distance path). After about a third of a mile, I went through two gates on the right and followed a path up the steep grassy side of Deacon Hill. The path then wound its way through bushes, and what are presumably old chalk pits, to reach the ordnance survey column on top of Deacon Hill.

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The Icknield Way, heading away from the Deacon Hill car park on the B655

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The Icknield Way

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The path up Deacon Hill

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View from the top of Deacon Hill, over parts of Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire

I then turned left and commenced the delightful path from Deacon Hill to Pegsdon Hill (OK, to be correct it is actually Pegsdon HillS, plural, but I don't understand why). The path runs along the top, or close to the top, of a steep chalk downland escarpment, with great and far-reaching views over lower-lying parts of Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. It is always a wonderful experience to walk along here, especially on a fine day like this. After about half a mile there is a slight dip and then a surprisingly steep and long climb as the path goes round the end of a small valley. Then the path curves round the end of a larger valley named Barn Hole, to reach the top of Pegsdon Hill.

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The start of the path from Deacon Hill to Pegsdon Hill

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The path from Deacon Hill to Pegsdon Hill

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The path from Deacon Hill to Pegsdon Hill

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The path from Deacon Hill to Pegsdon Hill

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The path from Deacon Hill to Pegsdon Hill

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View along a side valley that joins the larger valley of Barn Hole

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The path continuing round the top of Barn Hole, at the top of Pegsdon Hill

I stayed next to a fence and hedge on my right as I went round the top of Barn Hole, and stayed with them as I now started the long and very enjoyable descent down Pegsdon Hill to Pegsdon. For much of the way the path has the steep-sided Barn Hole on the right, with views back to the escarpment I'd just walked along and Deacon Hill. There were also fine views ahead over the flat lands beginning at the foot of the slope.

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Barn Hole

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The start of the path down to Pegsdon from Pegsdon Hill

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The path down to Pegsdon from Pegsdon Hill, Barn Hole on the right

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The path down to Pegsdon from Pegsdon Hill