Pete's Walks - Lilley-Barton (page 3 of 5)
I turned right in Hexton (immediately before the village pub), then just past a sports ground I forked left on a path across a corn field. Over a small wooden bridge across a stream, the path turned half-left, to follow a hedgerow westwards towards Barton-le-Clay. Although this next section is flat, it is still quite pleasant, with views towards the chalk escarpment nearby on the left. Somewhere along that ridgeline is the iron age hill fort of Ravensburgh Castle, though it's largely hidden by trees (and not accessible by public right of way). After some distance the path goes left for a short distance before turning left, now with a hedge on the right.
The path out of Hexton
The path from Hexton to Barton-le-Clay
The path from Hexton to Barton-le-Clay
Looking south - I think the hill fort of Ravensburgh Castle is somewhere in the trees
Approaching Barton
After about a mile and a half, I reached the large village of Barton-le-Clay, where I turned left along a residential street. I went more or less straight on at the junction at its end, following Church Lane past the village church. At the end of the lane a path then went left around some paddocks before turning right. Almost immediately I went through a gate on the left and then climbed a steep path back up the escarpment (there were two or three flights of steps here to ease my progress) to reach the top of the Barton Hills Nature Reserve.
Church Lane, Barton
Approaching the climb up to the top of the Barton Hills
Near the top of the path up Barton Hills
The next section was again particularly pleasant, following the path along the eastern edge of this chalk downland reserve, with a steep-sided valley on my right with two or three side valleys. There were numerous wildflowers here, with Clustered Bellflower being everywhere - I even spotted a rare white form of this plant (I've seen white Self-heal on this reserve, too). There were good views back over Barton, and across the reserve to the prominent wooded hill of Sharpenhoe Clappers. I stopped at a convenient bench beside the path to eat my packed lunch (it was now about 12.50pm).
Barton Hills
The path along the top of the Barton Hills Nature Reserve
View back towards Barton and beyond (the wooded hill on the left is Sharpenhoe Clappers)
The path along the top of the Barton Hills Nature Reserve
Barton Hills