Pete's Walks- Kensworth and Ivinghoe Beacon (page 3 of 6)
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.
After about half a mile the track narrowed to a thin path through the trees, gradually drawing closer to a road over to my right. Eventually this path merged with a footpath (coming from the road, close to the start of the drive to Ward's Hurst Farm where I'd be later on the walk), and then turned left. It dropped downhill very slightly and reached the main track from the Bridgewater Monument towards Ivinghoe Beacon, where I turned right. .
The path continuing through Ashridge
The path continuing through Ashridge - this is close to the Ringshall-Ivinghoe Beacon road and the start of the drive to Ward's Hurst farm, where I'd be later on in the walk
The path after it turns left
This track is usually quite busy, and was especially so today, partly because it was the Easter weekend and partly because many people visit Ashridge at this time of year to see the Bluebells - the flowers weren't at their best just yet, they usually peak about the beginning of May but I think they may be a week or so early this year. After a quarter of a mile or so I passed the kennels on Clipper Down, where I continued straight on. There were some nice views left here, and further on I spotted some Primroses in the bank on my right. I ignored a path going left (which I often take to reach the bottom of Steps Hill and the car park for Pitstone Hill) and continued along the track until just after a cattle grid, when I took a path forking left.
The track from the Bridgewater Monument towards Ivinghoe Beacon
The bluebells are a week or so from being at their best
View left from Clipper Down
The track continuing, just past the kennels on Clipper down
View left towards Pitstone Hill, with Aston Hill in the distance
Further along the track
Further along the track (I turned left roughly where you can see someone on the track0
I followed the fairly level path through an area of small trees and bushes - there was a nice view on the left where another path came in. When the path joined a track by a wire fence, I went through a gate and turned right, initially alongside the fence and with the end of the steep-sided valley of Incombe Hole on my left.
The path to Steps Hill
View left from Steps Hill, over Incombe Hole
The path continuing towards Steps Hill
View from Steps Hill, showing Incombe Hole, Pitstone Hill and Aston Hill. I went through the gate and turned right.
The path over Steps Hill