Pete's Walks - Kensworth to Ivinghoe (page 2 of 3)
I followed a lane past the village school to reach the main road through Eaton Bray. As I continued down a private road opposite, I saw my first Holly Blue butterfly of the year. The path continued alongside the edge of another arable field, then turned left alongside another brook to reach a small meadow on the edge of Edlesborough. Here I turned right, following a track past some allotments, then turned left along a lane to reach the road through the village, opposite some playing fields. I turned right, and followed the road for about half a mile until it ended at a junction opposite Edlesborough church.
The path from Eaton Bray to Edlesborough
Edlesborough church
I took the hard-surfaced bridleway starting beside the church, heading for Ivinghoe Aston. I could see Ivinghoe Beacon ahead and to my left, but it wasn't very clear in the hazy conditions (I'm still wondering if this is something to do with the volcanic ash that has been causing so much trouble to the airlines). I saw several more butterflies along the lengthy track, including several Peacocks and a Small Tortoiseshell, and also spotted a Corn Bunting (another first for the year - I seldom see these birds, but I've spotted them a couple of times before on this section of the walk).
Ivinghoe Beacon, from the bridleway to Ivinghoe Aston
The bridleway from Edlesborough to Ivinghoe Aston
Not a very clear shot, but this is a tiny chalk stream that the the bridleway crosses. The stream is one of several that originate in springs near the foot of Ivinghoe Beacon and join together to form the river Ouzel, which runs through Leighton Buzzard and Milton Keynes before reaching the river Great Ouse.
The bridleway continued beyond the road into Ivinghoe Aston, now enclosed between hedges. There were a few more Orange-tips along here, and other butterflies including Speckled Woods. I passed a section of golf course on my right, just before eventually reaching Ivinghoe.
The bridleway between Ivinghoe Aston and Ivinghoe
The bridleway between Ivinghoe Aston and Ivinghoe
The bridleway approaching Ivinghoe
Ivinghoe church
I made my way through the village, and started out on the long and very pleasant path towards a narrow section of Ashridge (near Clipper Down). The path was initially between a fence and a hedge, then ran to the left of a long hedge in a large sheep pasture, gently rising uphill, continuing across a further sheep pasture when the hedge turned left. Ahead and to my right I could see Pitstone Hill, while to the left I could see Ivinghoe Beacon and then Steps Hill and Incombe Hole.
Near the start of the path from Ivinghoe to Ashridge
Close-up shot looking back to Pitstone Mill
Incombe Hole and Steps Hill
The path to Ashridge
Ivinghoe Beacon