Pete's Walks - Kensworth and everywhere (page 2 of 2)
Part of the green at Whipsnade
Bridleway from Whipsnade to Bison Hill
I stopped near the car park, using the usual log as my seat during my lunch stop (quite early, it was only about 12.30pm). I then took one of the paths down the hillside (not the very steep one on recently installed 'steps', but a more interesting path a little to the right). As I neared the the bottom I spotted a tiny butterfly and was fortunate enough to get a photo of it - a Grizzled Skipper, the first I've ever seen. I then followed the path along the foot of Whipsnade Downs and Dunstable Downs for about two miles, to the edge of Dunstable, before heading up a broad grass strip to reach the Five Knolls burial mounds.
Ivinghoe Beacon from Bison hill
The path down Bison Hill
Grizzled Skipper
The path along the foot of Whipsnade Downs, heading to Dunstable Downs
The path at the foot of Dunstable Downs
The path up to Five Knolls - it's quite steep, no idea why it looks flat in this photo!
As I followed the path back along the top of the downs, the views were not quite at their best as it had turned a little cloudy now. There was quite a collection of Paragliders here, and further on a number of people flying kites. I then crossed the road and joined the path round Kensworth quarry There were disappointingly few wildflowers along this two mile stretch, but in a month or so's time there will be a good selection including a few Orchids.
Dunstable Downs
The path round Kensworth quarry
The path round Kensworth quarry
Looking across the quarry
The path round Kensworth quarry
I left the quarry path and crossed a meadow to reach Kensworth church. I walked up Hollicks Lane, and then the adjacent footpath, to return to Common Road, Kensworth.
Meadow behind Kensworth Church
The big valley between Church End and the main part of Kensworth
It had been a fairly good day weather-wise, occasionally sunny but most often with the sun behind the clouds that filled about two-thirds of the sky. It was warm when the sun was out, but a touch cool when it went in. It seemed a long time since I did this walk (I had to shorten my last attempt to do it because of knee-deep snow!), and I was reminded again how pleasant the countryside is right on my own doorstep. Fortunately, my back felt fine at the end of the walk - now that I'm working again, and living in 'digs' during the week, I think I need to put a bit more effort into looking after it.