Pete's Walks - Kensworth and everywhere
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.
I did this local walk on Monday 10th August 2009, yet another repeat of my 'Kensworth and everywhere' walk. I still wasn't sure how fit I was after having some Wisdom Teeth removed (the procedure was quite painless, but I'd not been able to eat too much for a few days afterwards and had felt a little weak), so I chose to do this walk as there were numerous opportunities to cut it short if I didn't feel too good. As it happened I managed the walk just fine, though my legs occasionally felt less strong than they normally do.
Looking south-east from near the start of Hollicks Lane, Kensworth
Looking over Dunstable from the quarry path
Dunstable Downs
Looking over Dunstable towards Blows Downs, from near the Five Knolls burial mounds
The path along the foot of Dunstable Downs
Near the top of Bison Hill, looking across to Ivinghoe Beacon
Whipsnade
The path from Holywell towards Studham church
Valley Road, Studham
The path along the top of Studham Common
Track through Gravelpit Wood - there had been a lot of recent tree felling here and in the adjoining Great Bradwin's Wood
The farm track from Beechwood Home Farm to Roe End
Approaching Markyate from Roe End
The path from Markyate to Dedmansey Wood
The path continuing besides Dedmansey Wood
The path from Byslips Road to Holywell
Approaching the Whipsnade Road, almost back in Kensworth
As you can see from the photos, after a bright start it soon became grey and overcast - I had just a few spots of rain as I reached the bottom of Dunstable Downs, and again near the end of the walk as I crossed Byslips Road. Not too much in the way of wildlife to report - I heard Buzzards in a couple of places and then finally saw one quite close up, between Byslips Road and Holywell (I see them here quite often). I also glimpsed Jays in a couple of places, and managed to get a couple of nice shots of female Common Blue butterflies (there were also Painted Ladies at numerous points on the walk). Wildflowers of note were Common Rock-rose and Clustered Bellflower on Dunstable Downs, and Great Mullein and Squinancywort along the path at the foot of the downs.