Pete's Walks - Kensworth, Studham, Whipsnade
I did this walk on Friday, 27th February 2009. I was still not feeling 100%, with a lot of congestion on my chest, so I just did a fairly short local walk this morning, visiting a few of the neighbouring villages.
I took my usual route to Holywell, via the Whipsnade road and Dovehouse Lane.
The path from the Whipsnade Road to Dovehouse Lane
Dovehouse lane
For a change, I walked through Holywell itself and then took the footpath to Studham church. Just outside Holywell there were two Hares in the centre of a large stubble field. As I got near Studham church, I saw two Lapwings, a distant mixed flock of Rooks and Jackdaws, and a small flock of Yellowhammers.
The path from Holywell to Studham church
Looking back from near Studham church
I walked through the woods near the church and across fields to Whipsnade Golf Course. I crossed about five fairways and took the path along the edge of Whipsnade Zoo - there was a large flock of Lapwings in one of the zoo paddocks, and I heard a Skylark (as I did in two or three other places today).
Looking back to Studham church from the path to Church Grove
The path through Church Grove
The path to Whipsnade Golf Course
The path to Whipsnade Golf Course
The path beside the zoo fence
Two very cute Wallabies, residents of Whipsnade Zoo
An old hollow oak tree by the zoo fence
Another cute zoo resident - one of several hundred Chinese Water Deer
I followed the old lane from Holywell to Whipsnade, and took the path to Whipsnade church. On the way back to Kensworth I explored parts of Whipsnade Heath that I’d not visited since I was a child.
The former lane from Holywell to Whipsnade
Some signs of wildflowers at last - the large leaves are Cuckoo-pint, the smaller ones Herb Robert
The picnic area at Whipsnade Heath
The footpath from Whipsnade Heath approaching Common Road, Kensworth, at Green End Farm