Pete's Walks - Kensworth, Great Gaddesden, Dagnall (page 3 of 3)
I only touched on the very edge of Dagnall, immediately turning right on a footpath that started beside the village school - I was now on the route of the Icknield Way, and also the last stage of my Kensworth-Ivinghoe Beacon walk. At the end of the path, I went a few yards right along a lane, then took a path rising rather steeply uphill to reach Whipsnade Golf Course.
Dagnall - the yellow-painted pub is The Golden Rule
Path starting from beside Dagnall School
Looking over Dagnall towards Ivinghoe Beacon
Sheep pasture beside part of Whipsnade Zoo
Near the start of the path up to Whipsnade Golf Course
The familiar route across the Golf Course is well waymarked (I spotted some Water Mint growing by a pond by the first tee), and I turned left at a path junction to cross five or six fairways and reach the tall fence that surrounds Whipsnade Zoo. After about half a mile, I reached a T-junction where I turned left, continuing by the zoo fence to reach the former lane between Holywell and Whipsnade.
Path across the fairways of Whipsnade Golf Course
Path beside the zoo fence. Local legend has it that the fence originally faced the other way, but was turned around in order to prevent local wildlife getting into the zoo. I don't know if that's true, but it certainly doesn't stop the local squirrels from going in and out of the zoo without paying!
Path beside the zoo fence
I spotted several fungi today - apparently this one is an Agaricus augustus (thanks to NickCantle on WildAboutBritain for the identification)
I walked along the lane to my left for about quarter of a mile, before taking a path on the left that took me to Whipsnade church. Beyond the churchyard, I left the Icknield Way and headed right, crossing part of the large village green on my way to Whipsnade Heath. There I took a path through the woods, continuing on past two fields to return to Kensworth and a short downhill stroll to my home.
Path from the old lane (between Holywell and Whipsnade) and Whipsnade church. Yes, I know, I ALWAYS take a photo here - at least it looks a bit different with a crop of Maize today.
Path heading to Whipsnade church (another over-familiar photo!)
Part of the green at Whipsnade, from just outside the churchyard
From the green, looking towards Whipsnade Heath
The picnic area at Whipsnade Heath
The path from Whipsnade Heath approaching the top end of Common Road, Kensworth
It had been a very warm day, generally quite sunny but with occasional cloudier spells. I didn't see too much in the way of wildlife, just a couple of Buzzards. I was a little surprised that the walk had taken about four hours and fifty minutes, but as I later measured it at 14.2 miles I guess that's about right - if I take an average number of photos on a walk, I do seem to go at about 3mph nowadays. It was certainly a very pleasant walk, and I was very glad that I'd altered my original plans. The whole section from Hudnall to Dagnall was really nice (though next time I'll follow the footpath for the final section into Dagnall), I'm not sure why I've only walked that way once before - I may well try to incorporate it into another long walk taking in Ivinghoe Beacon and part of Ashridge.