Pete's Walks - Lilley to Barton-le-Clay walk (part 3)
The path steepened briefly as it passed through a bit of scrubland, then flattened out as it ran along the left edge of a flower meadow at the top of the hill. I went through a gate on the left and sat on a seat to have my lunch here (it was about 1.10pm now), with a full length view along Barn Hole ahead of me with the flat lands beyond.
The path near the top of Pegsdon Hill
Deacon Hill, from near the top of Pegsdon Hill
Meadow at top of Pegsdon Hill, part of the nature reserve
View down Barn Hole, from my lunch spot
After lunch, I went through a gate in the corner of the meadow, leaving the nature reserve, and turned left (by doing so, I was leaving the northern extension of the Chiltern Way and joining the Icknield Way again). I followed a hedge-lined track for about half a mile, losing height very gradually. I saw my first Speckled Wood butterfly of the year here, and also a Comma. I then took a detour, going left and climbing the steep and grassy slopes of Deacon Hill. I passed a man and a young girl, who I'd seen setting off from near my lunch spot, so there is clearly a level path from Pegsdon Hill to Deacon Hill which isn't shown on my map - I'll use that next time, as it would save unnecessarily descending and re-ascending a little, and would have better views than the hedge-lined section of the Icknield Way (Note: I have since used that path and it is excellent - see here). After admiring the views from the top, I returned to the Icknield Way which shortly reached the main road that I'd already crossed twice. As I reached the road, I got talking to a chap who was obviously a bird watcher (the telescope and binoculars rather gave him away). The steep slopes hereabout are often good for Ring Ouzels during their migrations, but he said that this year most migrating birds seemed to have bypassed the area.
The Icknield Way, just beyond Pegsdon Hill
The path up Deacon Hill
View over Pegsdon from Deacon Hill
I followed the road a short distance to the right, then turned right on a tarmac drive to Old Wellbury. I saw two more Red Kites over a house I passed on the left, and further on I passed close to a stables. At some point I briefly rejoined the northern extension of the Chiltern Way, but it soon turned right, crossing fields towards Little Offley. I chose to carry straight on along the tarmac drive, as I had not been this way before. As it passed through a short section of woodland, an elderly man emerged from the trees with a mountain bike - he soon caught me up and we chatted about the Kites and other birds in the area. We parted at a fork in the drive, where I went right.
Drive near Old Wellbury
I was soon back on the northern extension of the Chiltern Way, but after a couple of fields it turned left towards Great Offley. I carried on, the path being a good farm track through arable fields in a shallow valley, following a hedge line on my left. After about half a mile I came to Lilleyhoo Lane, which I followed to the right - I was now back on the original route of the Chiltern Way, which would take me the short distance back to Lilley.
Track beyond Little Offley
Track shortly before reaching Lillyhoo Lane
Lillyhoo Lane
Just before the lane turned right to a farm, I took a path on the left. This followed the right edge of an arable field, going steadily uphill with the busy A505 between Hitchin and Luton down to my left. Over the top of the hill, the path continued beside the hedgerow on my right, with nice views in all directions as I descended into the valley of Lilley Bottom. I crossed a large paddock half-right - at the gate in the far corner I had to carefully squeeze between horses on either side. Across a smaller paddock I reached the road through Lilley, opposite the church, and then it was a short walk to the right to get back to my car.
The path to Lilley from Lilleyhoo Lane
Looking over towards Lilley
The path descending into Lilley Bottom
Paddock just outside Lilley
Lilley church
After the early morning fog, this had been a gloriously warm and sunny day for walking. And it had been a really good walk too! Goodness knows why I'd left it two years or more since I last walked here, it was a really pleasant area for walking. The highlights were obviously the Barton Hills and the Pegsdon Hill-Deacon Hill section, but the whole route was enjoyable. Even the flat section between Barton and Pegsdon had its points of interest (I enjoyed it more in the sun today, than in the grey and gloomy conditions I walked it on the John Bunyan Trail). It was nice to be able to link up sections of paths I'd walked before into a circular route. There were numerous options where I could have altered the route slightly. I'm sure I'll be back to do this walk again (it's probably just as good in the opposite direction) and I will no doubt try out a few of the alternatives too.
(Note: I have since done this walk in the opposite, anti-clockwise, direction, which I think makes a very good walk even better - see here).
To see this walk done again on 21/3/10, click here -Lilley and Barton-le-Clay again.