Pete's Walks - Lilley to Barton-le-Clay walk (part 3)
I turned left along a farm track, between fields of beans and barley. At the end I turned left along a surprisingly busy minor road for a hundred yards or so, then continued along another farm track. Shortly before reaching a track crossroads (where I'd turn right onto another bit of the Icknield Way) I took a photo and then a few yards further on noticed something reddy-brown sticking out of the corn, about 30 yards ahead of me. At first I thought it was some rag or garbage but then realised it was the head and neck of a Fox, staring intently in the opposite direction where a dog walker was heading away from the crossroads. The wind was in my favour, as it was totally oblivious to my presence. Unfortunately, I found it difficult to spot the Fox in my camera's viewfinder (because I was wearing my sunglasses) and I missed getting a shot of the fox, though I did see it eventually cross the track in front of me.
The track heading away from Barton Hills
The track approaching the crossroads where it meets the Icknield Way - just after taking this photo, a fox emerged from the crop on my right!
I was only on the Icknield Way a short distance (it was clear that under the dirt it was surfaced with bricks here) before turning left and crossing a golf fairway, then climbing gently uphill through grass and bushes to the top of Galley Hill (I saw a Pyramidal Orchid here).
The path up Galley Hill
View of Luton from Galley Hill
Near the top of Galley Hill
I followed the familiar path (part of the Chiltern Way) from Galley Hill to Warden Hill, with views over the unattractive conurbation of Luton and Dunstable to my right.
The path from Galley Hill to Warden Hill
Path between Galley Hill and Warden Hill
Path up Warden Hill
Near the top of Warden Hill
At the top of Warden Hill, I turned slightly left to follow a fence downhill, soon rejoining the Chiltern Way as it followed a hedgeline uphill towards Whitehill Wood.
The path at the foot of Warden Hill, heading towards Whitehill Wood
The path heading towards Whitehill Wood
The path heading towards Whitehill Wood
I turned left at a track crossroads by Whitehill Wood, following a good farm track downhill and between fields of oats. After about half a mile I turned right at the next track junction, passing Ward's Wood on my left as I followed another good track back to Lilley.
Long farm track descending beside Whitehill Wood
Farm track heading towards Ward's Wood
Track continuing beyond Ward's Wood to Lilley
The walk took about five and a quarter hours. It had been a very warm day, though there was a strong breeze that helped to keep the temperatures reasonable.
I think this is one of the best walks that I've done, and one that I'd thoroughly recommend. I really enjoyed it when I did it in the clockwise direction a couple of months ago, but I think it is even better anticlockwise. I preferred the long steady descent from Pegsdon Hill (where you can enjoy the great views ahead of you) and the short steep climb up Barton Hills than doing it the other way. But the highlight of the walk was the new path I took between Deacon Hill and Pegsdon Hill, that takes full advantage of the splendid views to the north. I will certainly stick to that path in future rather than follow the viewless green lane taken by the Icknield Way.