Pete's Walks - Pitstone Hill and Wigginton (page 3 of 5)
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.
In the far corner of the field I went through a gate and followed a short path past the outbuildings of Norcott Court Farm before turning left along the farm drive. After a few yards the footpath went right, along a track - there were a few more Alpacas just over a gate on the left here. I followed the track until another path went right, between a hedge and a fence on the right. I soon reached another path junction, where I turned left and crossed a field to reach a footbridge over a railway line. The path continued across another field to reach a lane, where I turned right to head into the hamlet of Cow Roast. The lane soon turned left to go over the Grand Union Canal and as I stopped to take a photo I saw the bright blue flash of a Kingfisher fly from under the bridge and off along the canal in front of me. I was dead chuffed at this briefest of glimpses, as it's been a few years since I last saw a Kingfisher.
An Alpaca at Norcott Court Farm
The path from Norcott Court Farm
The path from Norcott Court Farm approaching the railway line
The lane to Cow Roast
The Grand Union Canal at Cow Roast (where I saw a Kingfisher)
At the end of the lane I crossed a main road (the A4521, the old A41 before the dual carriageway was built). I was saddened to see the Cow Roast Inn was all boarded up, I hope it's only temporary as so many country pubs are closing. Just to the right of the pub I took another byway, passing sports fields on my right - a little further on an obedience class for dogs (or is it really for their owners?) was taking place on the playing field to my left, I've seen them here several times before. The byway continued between hedgerows and past a cottage to reach a lane, where I turned left and went through a bridge under the A41 dual carriageway. A footpath then went right, initially along a concrete drive, then turning half-left between hedges. After a few yards I forked half-left through the hedge on my left, this path crossing a corner of a field, The path then continued along the bottom of a valley following a fenceline between paddocks. As I reached the very muddy corner of the first paddock I went through, I heard the pounding of hooves and looked up to see a horse charging downhill towards me. I was a little concerned, but it was friendly (probably hoped I'd got something for it to eat, but I never feed animals) and let me stroke it before I continued on my way. At the far side of the next paddock I entered Lower Wood.
The byway from Cow Roast
The byway from Cow Roast
The start of the footpath to Wigginton
The path to Wigginton
The path to Wigginton, running through the paddocks
The path to Wigginton, approaching Lower Wood
The path continued straight on through Lower Wood (another path went off left just after I entered the wood) and continued through an empty pasture or paddock on the other side. The path was very gently rising uphill now, following the bottom of a small valley to its head, next passing through a couple of meadows before it ended at a road in Wigginton. I crossed the road and went a short way left, then turned right into a small car park by a playing area. I turned right again to take a path out of the car park that was almost parallel to the road, which soon brought me to a residential street. I crossed this and walked down a short street opposite. At its end I went straight on down a path along the edge of a small park, where I stopped to eat my lunch on a bench (it was now about 12:30).
Lower Wood
The path continuing from Lower Wood to Wigginton
The path continuing from Lower Wood to Wigginton
The path approaching Wigginton
The park in Wigginton