Pete's Walks - Kensworth to Totternhoe and back
I did this walk on Wednesday 29th April 2009. It was a repeat of my Kensworth-Totternhoe walk, though I changed the return route slightly (to avoid repeating paths I'd just walked on Sunday!). It was a very pleasant day for a walk again, warm and sunny though the sun did hide behind a cloud occasionally.
I started off by walking down Hollicks Lane and the adjacent footpath to reach Church End, Kensworth. I followed Beech Road a short way to avoid muddy paths and then followed part of the quarry path to Dunstable Downs.
Hollicks Lane, Kensworth
The path round Kensworth Quarry
London Gliding Club and the Vale Of Aylesbury from Dunstable Downs
Looking towards Totternhoe from near the Five Knolls burial mounds
The next section from the Downs was a bit boring, as I'd walked it recently on my Toddington walk. But it seemed an age since I'd walked from Sewell to Totternhoe.
The track approaching Sewell
Path near old chalk quarries at Sewell
I had a quick look around the nature reserve at Totternhoe Knolls - there were masses of Cowslips, and around the top of the castle site there were hundreds of Lords-and-Ladies, I'd never seen anywhere near so many before.
Path at the Totternhoe Knolls nature reserve
The top of the castle site at Totternhoe Knolls
Looking east from the top of Totternhoe Knolls
I walked back from Totternhoe Knolls to Totternhoe itself, and followed Wellhead Road back to the Downs. I walked along the foot of the Downs and then went uphill to the top of Bison Hill, where I had my lunch at about 1.30pm.
Path from Totternhoe Knolls to Totternhoe
Wellhead Road, from Totternhoe to the Downs
Path along the foot of the Downs
Path near the top of Bison Hill
I realised that my normal return route on this walk would be following the same paths I'd used on my last short walk on Sunday, so I decided to vary it a bit. I started off down the bridleway from Bison Hill towards Whipsnade, but then turned left on a path that took me to the small Sallowsprings nature reserve. The path continued past the Tree Cathedral to the green at Whipsnade, which I crossed and then followed the old lane for a few yards before taking footpaths to Holywell. I walked further through Holywell than I usually do, before taking a path to Buckwood Lane and then walking the entire length of Dovehouse Lane to return to Common Road, Kensworth.
Path to the Sallowsprings nature reserve, from the bridleway between Bison Hill and Whipsnade
Dovehouse Lane, Kensworth
I saw a Common Whitethroat and some Pied Wagtails on Dunstable Downs. There were Bluebells in many hedgerows, along with Greater Stitchwort, Yellow Archangel and Lesser Celandine. I found some Slender Speedwell for the first time as I was coming down from the Downs into Dunstable, but my photos of it were rather poor.