Pete's Walks - Kensworth and Whipsnade Downs (page 1 of 2)
Grizzled Skipper
Duke of Burgundy
At the bottom of the slope another similar sunken lane led back up the slope towards the car park on Bison Hill - it was this path where I saw my first Duke of Burgundy butterfly on Good Friday. There were more here again today, and I also glimpsed a Red Admiral. By the time I reached the top of Bison Hill, I'd seen seven or eight Duke of Burgundy butterflies, three Green Hairstreaks and three Grizzled Skippers. I couldn't believe my luck!
The path up Bison Hill
Looking back down the path on Bison hill
From the car park on Bison Hill, I headed off down the hedge-lined bridleway towards Whipsnade. But after a few hundred yards I turned left, following a path along the edge of a couple of green fields to reach a private drive. I turned right for a few yards, before taking a path on the left through the small Sallowsprings Nature Reserve, before returning to the private drive further on. Again I was on it for only a few yards, before taking a path on the right that ran along the edge of Whipsnade Tree Cathedral and emerged on another corner of the huge green at Whipsnade.
Bridleway from Bison Hill to Whipsnade
The path between the Bridleway and the Sallowsprings Nature Reserve
Salowsprings Nature Reserve
The path beside Whipsnade Tree Cathedral
The huge green at Whipsnade
I crossed the road and made my way to the village church. Beyond the churchyard a path followed a left-hand hedge through a meadow, then continued beside a right-hand hedge through a larger meadow to reach the Studham-Dunstable road again. Almost opposite, a path followed the edge of a wood on my left to reach Holywell. This path was infested with thousands of Horse Flies, I'd never seen so many before and it was quite unpleasant walking through them.
The path from Whipsnade church
The path to Holywell - there were thousands of horse flies here!
I turned left along a residential road in Holywell, then took a path on the left. This soon turned right, running between Buckwood Lane (known as 'Bucket Lane' locally) and some garden fences. I then headed up Dovehouse Lane, before turning left on a path across two fields to reach the Whipsnade Road, from where it was just a short distance back to Kensworth.
The path beside Buckwood Lane
Dovehouse Lane
Path crossing a large meadow to reach the Whipsnade Road
This was a very pleasant walk on a beautiful sunny day. It's a route I've walked over and over again, but it's still a very pleasant route that shows what wonderful countryside I have on my doorstep. I had walked it today specifically because I had wanted to look for Duke of Burgundy butterflies on Bison Hill, and I was exceptionally lucky in that regard!