Pete's Walks - Blows Downs, Caddington, Markyate (page 2 of 2)
I then turned right, along the edge of Badgerdell Wood, with attractive views of gentle hills, hedgerows and stubble fields. I soon crossed such a field, and continued alongside hedgerows to reach Caddington, entering the village via the churchyard. I had my lunch on a bench by the village green (it was now about 12.45pm).
Path besides Badgerdell Wood, on the way to Caddington
Looking back to Badgerdell Wood
Caddington church
I then passed a couple of schools as I made my way through the village. A PE teacher was giving a girl in his netball class a hard time as I went by - "How many times have you touched the ball? Once! How embarrassing is that?" - which rather reinforced a prejudice I've had against PE teachers since my own schooldays. I was soon back out in open countryside, following field paths to Woodside and then on the short distance to Slip End.
The path from Caddington, heading to Woodside (hidden in the slight valley) and on to Slip End
Between Woodside and Slip End
I continued on from Slip End, with a nice view over a valley on my right and then alongside a wood (thankfully quiet, as there were no paintballers about today). I then turned right into the track named Half Moon Lane, which seemed to have been cleared of much of the fly tipping that had so scarred it the previous two times I'd walked it.
The path from Slip End
Half Moon Lane
Half Moon Lane
Looking east from Half Moon Lane
After about a mile I reached the end of Half Moon Lane, where I followed a lane a few yards before crossing a couple of fields to reach the village of Markyate. On the far side of the village I started up the very familiar path towards Dedmansey Wood. I passed the farm buildings at Buckwood Stubbs, apparently part of Roe End Farm - the lady there recently contacted me, and let me know about the new hedge she and her son had put in for wildlife a couple of years ago.
View of Markyate
Looking back along the last section of path before Markyate
The start of the path to Buckwood Stubbs and Dedmansey Wood
The path to Buckwood Stubbs and Dedmansey Wood
Approaching the corner of Fareless Wood, by the farm buildings known as Buckwood Stubbs. The hedgerow on the left was planted by the farmers at Roe End Farm a couple of years ago, for the benefit of wildlife.
I carried on beside Dedmansey (or Fareless) Wood, and then through Bysylips Wood. It was then the usual path from Bysylips Road to Holywell, and back to Kensworth via Dovehouse Lane and the Whipsnade Road.
The path beside Dedmansey and Byslips woods
The path from Byslips Road to Holywell
From the edge of Holywell, looking ahead towards Dovehouse Farm, Kensworth
This was a lovely day for a walk, and this was an enjoyable route - even the section through Dunstable wasn't too bad, though I felt a little out-of-place in my walking gear and with my map case round my shoulders. There were some good views from both Dunstable Downs and Blows Downs, and elsewhere. Not much in the way of wildlife today though, only a solitary butterfly (a Comma by Dedmansey Wood) and a Buzzard near Holywell.