Pete's Walks - Kensworth and Briden's Camp (page 2 of 2)
Previously I'd turned right along the bridleway, and then taken the footpath to the cottage named Nirvana. Today I went left for the first time, the bridleway here being a good track between hedges. I passed Upper Wood Farm, and continued along with paddocks on my right until I reached a minor road between Markyate and Gaddesden. I went a few yards to the right, and sat at some logs across the start of a footpath to eat my lunch. I then followed the footpath, which soon came to a junction of tracks.
The path from Gaddesden Row
This section of bridleway was new to me
The bridleway just past Upper Wood Farm
The path the other side of the road between Gaddesden Row and Markyate
I turned right, joining part of the Chiltern Way which I'd now follow a couple of miles or so to Flamstead (I'd been on it briefly before, near Golden Parsonage). It soon left the track, and crossed a large meadow, passing Abel's Grove on my right. A hundred yards or so up a minor road followed, and then I turned right, down the lengthy drive of an isolated cottage.
As I started down the drive, I met two walkers coming the other way. One of them was carrying what looked liked the Chiltern Way Guide Book, so I stopped and asked if they were doing that long-distance path. I was delighted when they said they were - as I explained, I never met anybody else doing it the two times I walked the Chiltern Way, and in fact I've only ever met a couple of other people who've done it. Their names were Jim and Alan, and they were going as far as Water End today, leaving them only another four miles to go to Hemel Hempstead where they'd started. They were following the original route (about 133 miles) but were toying with doing the northern and southern extensions as well. We chatted for a good ten minutes about long-distance paths, and also about our mutual experiences with HF Holidays (I had my traditional whinge about them trying to miss out bits of long-distance paths when I'd been on holiday with them). I think they were quite keen on the Hertfordshire Chain Walk when I told them about it.
As usual I mentioned my web site, and for the first time ever got a look of recognition - they'd actually visited this site! Actually, I think "So you're the infamous Pete!" were the exact words they said. I was dead chuffed - it really made my day to have bumped into someone who had visited these pages. In fact, they said they'd made a mistake by missing a turn somewhere near Hambleden (I knew exactly where they meant, you have to virtually double-back on yourself in a wood so it's an easy turn to miss) and had later gone to my site to see where they'd gone wrong.
At one point they asked what the Hertfordshire Way was like compared to the Chiltern Way. I said it was good but not quite as good as the Chiltern Way as I didn't like the stretch just north of London. I then asked where they come from - of course, one of them came from Potter's Bar, bang in the middle of the stretch I'd just been denigrating! (I have to say this is absolutely typical of what happens to me and my big mouth!).
Part of the Chiltern Way - the wood on the right is called Abel's Grove
We eventually went our separate ways. Beyond the cottage I went through a paddock and then across a stubble field to Yewtree Spring - a sign warned about galloping horses in the wood, so I finally understood what the jumps and obstacles in the wood were for. Beyond the wood the path continued to a lane, where I turned left. After a short distance I turned left again, following a clear path across a valley (my route from Trowley Bottom to Markyate follows the bridleway along the valley bottom). I had to go a few yards left along a lane before another path across a stubble field took me to the edge of Flamstead.
The path to Yewtree Spring
The path beyond Yewtree Spring
The path to Flamstead, still part of the Chiltern Way
Flamstead Church
Leaving the Chiltern Way, I turned left and soon reached Friendless Lane - I was now back on the route I'd used on my earlier visit to Briden's Camp from Kensworth. I quickly left the lane, and took a path parallel to the Ver valley back to Markyate, continuing in the same direction until I reached Kensworth Lynch. I then took the lane from the Lynch to Church End, before turning left along Hollick's Lane and its parallel path to return to Common Road, Kensworth.
The path from Flamstead to Markyate
The path from Flamstead to Markyate
Approaching Markyate
Farm track approaching Kensworth Lynch
The lane to Church End
Path beside Hollick's Lane, between Church End and Kensworth Common
I enjoyed the walk despite the grey conditions (I just had a brief glimpse of blue sky just as I left Kensworth Lynch). At 17 miles it was a little longer than I'd been expecting, but I felt fine at the end of the walk. The highlight though was definitely meeting someone who was familiar with this site!