Pete's Walks - 40-minute Kensworth walk
I did this very short walk on Wednesday 22nd April 2009. It was a lovely Spring day, warm and sunny, but I had a few things to sort out, so I could only do a very short walk in the afternoon. This is a walk from home that I often do when I have just under an hour to spare for a walk.
I started by walking northwest along Common Road (the section that continues straight on where the main road curves left towards Whipsnade), and taking the path on the right immediately beyond the small industrial estate. This path soon joins a farm track.
Common Road, Kensworth
The farm track, just beyond the industrial estate
Beyond a gate, the right-of-way leaves the track and goes across some grass on the right, then turns downhill along a hedgerow to rejoin the track near the bottom of the valley. The track passes a rusty barn on the right, then the path turns left and rises slightly up the far side of the valley, before following the bottom of a steep scrub-covered bank (Codlings Bank, according to the map). I met a couple of gentlemen here (including our friendly neighbourhood parish councillor) who had just seen four Buzzards - I saw two just after I left them, and also saw a Common Whitethroat.
Looking north across the valley behind Kensworth - the path goes to the right of the rusty barn, then goes left, along the bottom of the steep bank on the opposite slope.
Looking east along the valley
The path at the bottom of the valley, just before it turns left
Looking back along the valley
The path along the bottom of the steep Codlings Bank - I saw two Buzzards and a Common Whitethroat as I walked along here
At the end of Codlings Bank, the path meets the path that encircles Kensworth Quarry. I turned right on the Quarry path, initially heading up a steep flight of steps, with the quarry on my left.
The steep paths beside Kensworth Quarry, part of the long circular Quarry path - I saw Cowslips and my first Herb Robert of the year here
Looking back from the top of the steps
The quarry path at the top of the steps
At the top of the hill, the Quarry path turns right. After passing a small wood on my right, I left the Quarry path by turning right. I then turned left at the next field corner. Where the hedge on my right turned right, I turned along its far side and quickly came to a field corner where the path went through the hedgerow and turned left. I continued alongside the hedgerow for another quarter mile or so to reach Hollicks Lane, with Church End a short distance to my left.
The Quarry path turns right, along the top of the hill
Having turned right off the Quarry path, this approaching Church End
Hollicks Lane
I turned right, but instead of following Hollicks Lane back to Common Road, I soon took a path forking half-left. Unfortunately this had not been re-instated after ploughing, but fortunately the soil was dry and firm and I had no difficulty making my way across to the corner of the field. There was no path either in the next field, where I turned right and dropped down into the valley, then followed a hedgerow (on my right) a short way left and then up the other side of the valley. The path turned left in a field corner and then after a hundred yards or so went right into the short cul-de-sac of Malms Close which brought me back to Common Road, about a third of a mile east of my home.
The path here has not been reinstated - it goes across the valley to the bottom of the L-shaped headland, then follows it round and up to the top of the hill, where it reaches Common Road again.
Looking back from near the top of the hill
This was a very short stroll, but very pleasant. I saw several butterflies - Orange-tip, Peacock, Small Tortoiseshell and Brimstone.
You can see the same walk on a snowy Winter day here.