Pete's Walks - Kensworth and Whipsnade Downs (page 2 of 2)
With clear blue skies above me, the views from Dunstable Downs were as spectacular as ever. Despite the conditions, I could see that gliders were taking off from the gliding club below me and that people were paragliding over to my right. There were only a few people about, which rather surprised me, the old car park here having just half a dozen or so vehicles in it. I turned left to walk along the top of the Downs (which soon became Whipsnade Downs) and gradually made my way to Bison Hill. As ever this was a lovely section to walk, with part of the Vale of Aylesbury laid out below me to the right, and Ivinghoe Beacon prominent ahead of me.
From Dunstable Downs, looking over the London Gliding Club and part of the Vale of Aylesbury. Despite the conditions, a plane was just starting to tow a glider up.
Looking towards Edlesborough from Dunstable Downs
Ivinghoe Beacon from Bison Hill
Looking back to Dunstable Downs - there were three Paragliders in the air
A close-up of Ivinghoe Beacon from Bison Hill
At Bison Hill I took the bridleway leading to Whipsnade, turning left just before reaching the village to go uphill through a pasture containing some Jacob's Sheep to reach the Tree Cathedral. I then crossed part of the huge green to reach Whipsnade church.
Start of the path from Bison Hill to Whipsnade
The path from Bison Hill to Whipsnade
Jacob's sheep, at Whipsnade
The Tree Cathedral
Whipsnade church
Part of the green at Whipsnade, from outside the churchyard
The rest of the route was the same as the end of my previous walk, downhill to Whipsnade Heath and back across a couple of fields to return to Common Road, Kensworth.
Looking over the Old Hunter's Lodge towards Whipsnade Heath
Path through Whipsnade Heath
Path from Whipsnade Heath to Kensworth
This was a really nice walk for a Sunday morning, two and a half hours being just right for what I wanted. Being out in the snow under clear blue skies was wonderful and I really enjoyed it. As I mentioned, several people had walked the paths in the two or three days since the snow originally fell and I never came across any knee-deep sections, so it was much easier walking than on Friday.