Pete's Walks- Kensworth and Ivinghoe Beacon (page 5 of 6)
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 turned left, and commenced the very pleasant path from Ward's Hurst Farm to Dagnall - what makes it so pleasant are the almost continuous views ahead over the start of what becomes the Gade Valley to the Whipsnade Downs (it's nowhere near so nice in the uphill direction with the views behind you!). The path followed a fence on the left between two sheep pastures, then continued through another empty pasture with an embankment crowned by beech trees on my left (I successfully looked out for Primroses amongst the trees, having remembered seeing them here before). Beyond this pasture, the path followed the left edge of a ploughed field and then joined the drive from a property called Hog Hall. It was then a long but easy downhill stretch along the drive to reach a road on the edge of Dagnall.
The path after I turned left at Ward's Hurst Farm
The path from Ward's Hurst Farm to Dagnall
The path from Ward's Hurst Farm to Dagnall
Grey Squirrel, hiding in a hole at the bottom of a tree - it was on the other side of a fence from me, and instead of doing the usual squirrel thing of scampering to safety up the nearest tree when it saw me, it 'hid' in this hole.
The path continuing past Hog Hall
The drive from Hog Hall, looking towards the White Lion at Whipsnade Zoo
I turned right and followed the road through Dagnall, going straight on at a roundabout by the village church. I ignored the first footpath on the left, then took the second one on the left, which started through the village school's car park. The path continued between hedges and fences for a few hundred yards until it reached a lane.
Entering Dagnall
The road through Dagnall
The start of the path from Dagnall School
The path from Dagnall School
I went a short distance right along the lane, then took a footpath on the left. this went for a few yards along the edge of a garden, then climbed steadily uphill between a fence and woodland on my left. At the top of the slope I entered Whipsnade Golf Course, going straight on in front of a 'tee' and following waymarks to reach a belt of trees with fairways either side. Part way along the tree belt I came to a path junction where I turned left.
The path to Whipsnade Golf Course
The path to Whipsnade Golf Course
The path to Whipsnade Golf Course
The path continuing across Whipsnade Golf Course
The path continuing across Whipsnade Golf Course