Pete's Walks- Kensworth, Markyate, Studham, Whipsnade (page 3 of 3)
Instead of continuing ahead along a path to Valley Road, I turned right and followed the short lane from the school to the road through Studham. At the junction I turned left through this part of the village, soon coming to a sharp corner where Valley Road went left. I went straight on along Church Road to reach Studham church, passing through the churchyard to the left of the church. A lengthy path continued straight on, initially beside a hedge on my left, crossing two small valleys (I saw a Painted Lady butterfly here) and then turning left and then right to bring me to the old disused lane between Holywell and Whipsnade (I joined it on the edge of Holywell, to my right).
The road through Studham, after I turned left
Church Road, Studham
Studham church
The path from Studham church to Holywell
The path from Studham church to Holywell
The path from Studham church to Holywell
The path from Studham church approaching the old lane in Holywell
I turned left along the old lane (closed to traffic over 30 or more years ago), following it for almost half a mile before taking a path on the right (just past where the lane is blocked to traffic by a second set of bollards, I'd past the first set earlier). This went slightly uphill to a field corner, where I went through a gate and turned left through a meadow to reach Whipsnade church. I went through the churchyard, passing left of the church, and turned right through part of the huge irregularly-shaped green in Whipsnade, heading downhill to meet the road opposite the Old Hunter's Lodge restaurant.
The old lane from Holywell to Whipsnade
The old lane from Holywell to Whipsnade
Path on edge of Whipsnade, after I turned right from the old lane
Approaching Whipsnade church, after I turned left
Whipsnade church
I almost immediately turned off the road, taking an overgrown old section of lane on the right (this was the former continuation of Buckwood Lane, the only way into Whipsnade before the new road from Kensworth was built about 1930 to provide access to Whipsnade Zoo). At its end, I crossed over and went left, and crossed the Whipsnade Road by a roundabout to reach Whipsnade Heath. I took the familiar path through the small car park and straight on through the wooded heath, continuing along the path through two fields to return to Common Road, Kensworth, where I turned right to return to my home.
Another old lane, this used to be the final part of Buckwood Lane
Whipsnade Heath
The path from Whipsnade Heath to Kensworth
The path from Whipsnade Heath to Kensworth
Common Road, Kensworth
As you have seen in the photos, it had been a pretty grey day, but despite that it been a pleasant enough walk. As ever I'm grateful to have such nice countryside literally on my doorstep. I did feel very tired at the end of it, my enforced two month lay-off from walking obviously hasn't helped my fitness levels. Unfortunately I felt a few twinges in my back the following day, so I think I need to do a few shorter walks and then try to lengthen them.