Pete's Walks - Lilley and Barton-le-Clay (page 3 of 3)
After lunch, I followed a path through the Pegsdon Hills Nature Reserve, more or less along the top of the line of hills. This was a very scenic part of the walk, and new to me as I'd only walked it once before and that was in the other direction (it's marked as an alternative on my map of the walk) . The path led on to Deacon Hill, still with great views of the lower lying area to the North.
The path to Deacon Hill from Pegsdon Hill
Looking back towards Pegsdon Hill
Nearing the top of Deacon Hill
Looking east from Deacon Hill
Looking northwest from Deacon Hill
Looking northeast from Deacon Hill
From Deacon Hill I dropped down to rejoin the route of the Icknield Way for a while, as it ran between hedgerows to reach the Barton-Hitchin Road. I went a short distance to the right along the road, and turned right along the drive that leads to the small settlement of Wellbury. I then followed one of the alternatives shown on my map of the walk, a section of the Chiltern Way that followed a path marked by tractor tracks through a field of young green shoots, to reach the hamlet of Little Offley. I'd been disappointed not to see any birds of prey so far, but here at last I saw and heard some Buzzards.
The Icknield Way again, near Deacon Hill
The drive near New Wellbury
Path from Wellbury towards Little Offley
Looking back from the path to Little Offley
From Little Offley a bridleway led through more green fields for some distance to reach Lilleyhoo Lane. I turned right, and then took a path on the left, that followed a hedgeline up and over a small hill, and then crossed some paddocks to reach Lilley and my parked car. It was now about 2.50pm, the walk having taken about 5 hours.
Near the start of the bridleway from Little Offley
The bridleway from Little Offley
View towards Lilley
Looking back from the edge of Lilley (previous shot was taken from the top of that hill)
As always, this was a really good walk. There are some splendid views from several places along the route, and even on the lower lying sections of the route the scenery is always pleasant. I am sure that I will come back to do this walk again sometime, probably in the opposite direction as that is possibly even better. I was a little disappointed not to see any wildflowers today, but Spring seems a little slow to arrive this year (or perhaps I'm a little impatient!). It was nice to see my first butterflies of the year.