Pete's Walks- Kensworth, Studham, Whipsnade Downs (page 1 of 3)
If you are considering walking this route yourself, please see my disclaimer. You may also like to see these notes about the maps and GPX files.
I did this roughly 7.2 mile circular walk on Saturday, 1st February 2014. This was a local walk from my home in Kensworth using paths and bridleways I've walked very many times before although I may never have done this exact route before.
I started walking about 10.05am, and headed up the road to Whipsnade. A quarter of a mile from Kensworth I took a path on the left, which crossed a large sheep pasture, and then followed a farm track along the edge of a small meadow to reach Dovehouse Lane. I turned right and followed the lane to its end on Buckwood Lane. Here I went a few yards right, then took a path on the left. After a few yards I went left at a path junction, the new path heading uphill close to some gardens on my right, belonging to properties in Holywell. The path soon levelled out and I passed a small wood on my left. Beyond that, I left the gardens of Holywell and continued between fences to reach another small wood.
The road from Kensworth to Whipsnade
Looking back to Kensworth, from the path between the Whipsnade Road and Dovehouse Lane
The path between the Whipsnade Road and Dovehouse Lane
Dovehouse Lane
The path by the gardens of houses in Holywell
The path by the gardens of houses in Holywell
The path continuing from Holywell
The path continuing through a small wood
Beyond the wood the path ended at the road between Holywell and Studham. I went a few yards left, then took a footpath on the other side. This rose gently uphill beside a right-hand hedge, then levelled out. Beyond a second field I reached a path junction where I turned right, and followed a path to Studham church, which I passed on my left. I'm not sure I've noticed this before, but looking right here I could see Whipsnade church in the distance. I continued on the same path, crossing a pasture to reach a wood called Church Grove. Here I turned right, following a bridleway just inside the edge of the wood.
Near the start of the path across the road to Studham
The path to Studham church
The path to Studham church
Close-up shot from near Studham church, looking towards Whipsnade church
The path continuing from Studham church to Church Grove
The bridleway through Church Grove