Pete's Walks - Dunstable Downs and Markyate (page 3 of 4)
I turned right along Buckwood Road and then turned left into Cowper Rise. At the top of a small hill a short footpath going straight on connected to another street, where I turned left for a few yards before taking a footpath on the right. This soon led to some playing fields, where I followed the hedge on the right-hand side. Beyond the playing fields I continued alongside the hedge, now with a huge corn field to my left. After pausing for lunch on a convenient bench (put up recently as part of the waymarking for the River Ver Trail), I continued alongside the hedge. In the field corner I went through a gateway and went half-left across a corner of the next field - I had to force my way through, the path was almost blocked by the straggly crop of oil-seed-rape.
Buckwood Road, Markyate
The path from Markyate, passing the sports fields
The path from Markyate, following the Ver valley
Looking ahead along the valley, carrying the A5 to Dunstable. Blows Downs are just visible, left of centre
Markyate Cell (seen across the Ver valley on the right) is the site of a Benedictine Priory founded in 1145, although the present house is nineteenth century. An earlier house on the site was the home of Lady Katherine Ferrers, the celebrated ‘highwaywoman’ – the classic film ‘The Wicked Lady’ starring Margaret Lockwood was based (very loosely) upon her life.
Beyond this field was a path junction, where I continued straight on across a huge corn field - at least the path here was perfectly clear. I passed a small copse on my left, then continued across the field to eventually reach a kissing-gate in the far hedge. I next followed the left-hand hedge of a large-paddock with several horses in it. Just before reaching the next corner of this paddock, the path turned right (the waymark or sign at this point was hidden in the hedge) towards the centre of the paddock, then went half-left to a metal gate giving access to the next paddock. There were two paths branching here, I took the right-most one going across to the opposite hedgerow, where another gate gave access to Common Road, Kensworth, near the top of Lynch Hill. I turned left, soon going straight on at a crossroads by the village school on my left. I passed the village's recreation ground ('the rec'), also on my left, and immediately after it I turned right onto a footpath.
The path to Kensworth
The path approaching the paddocks on the edge of Kensworth
Kensworth School
The path initially followed a drive, then dropped downhill between hedges and fences. It emerged in a huge corn field, near the bottom of a valley. The path continued on across the field, dropping a little further then rising up the opposite slope of the valley to reach Spratts Lane by the old vicarage. I bore left along the lane, soon reaching a road junction where I turned left. There were now a couple of brief showers as I entered the hamlet of Church End (the original centre of Kensworth), and I stopped to don my lightweight waterproof jacket.
The path descending from Kensworth towards the old Vicarage
The path crossing the valley towards the old Vicarage
Looking back to Kensworth, from near the old Vicarage
Spratts Lane
Entering Church End, Kensworth
I turned right and passed through the churchyard, going just left of the church to a gate. The path continued through a meadow, where I turned left into a track between a tall hedge and a bit of woodland on the right. This track soon met the circular path round Kensworth Quarry, where I continued straight on ahead, initially between bushes or hedges and then following the right edge of a field.
Kensworth Church
The path through the meadow behind Kensworth church - I turned left somewhere near the tall tree in the hedge
The path round Kensworth Quarry