Pete's Walks - Pitstone Hill and Grand Union Canal (page 4 of 4)
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.
At the bottom of the slope, the bridleway continued between hedgerows, passing a large Ash tree. Shortly after the hedge on my right ended, I turned right and followed a path across a field to a hedge gap, beyond which the path went half-left across a larger field to reach the drive from Duncombe Farm. I went left for two or three hundred yards, then took a path on the right. This used to be a hedge-lined track, but is now very overgrown, leaving a narrow path where my jacket rubbed against the foliage on both sides. Beyond a gate the path turned left and then curved right as it rose up Clipper Down. I was very pleasantly surprised to see a Clouded Yellow butterfly here - this was the third time I'd found one by chance this year, never having done so before (I'd only previously seen them at a couple of nature reserves where they were known to be). I followed the path all the way to its end, where it met the track from the Bridgewater Monument to Ivinghoe Beacon (with the kennels on Clipper Down just on the right).
The old Ash tree, thankfully not showing any signs of Ash die-back
The path after I turned right
The path after I turned right, heading to the drive from Duncombe Farm
The drive from Duncombe Farm
The start of the path up Clipper Down
The path up Clipper Down
The path up Clipper Down
The path up Clipper Down
The path up Clipper Down
I turned left (towards the Beacon), but after about a quarter of a mile I took a path forking left and dropping down hill through another bit of the Ashridge Woods. Over a stile, the path continued between bushes, before curving right and then following a fence on my left to reach a path crossroads at the foot of Steps Hill. Here I turned left, back onto the Ridgeway, and followed another fence on my left back to a lane and the Pitstone Hill car park where I'd started.
The track to Ivinghoe Beacon
The path descending to the foot of Steps Hill
The path descending to the foot of Steps Hill
The path descending to the foot of Steps Hill
The path descending to the foot of Steps Hill
The Ridgeway heading back to the Pitstone Hill car park, after I turned left at the crossroads at the foot of Steps Hill
I enjoyed this walk, though I still prefer it the other way round so as to get most of the uphill bits out of the way at the start of the walk rather than have them at the end. The rather misty conditions added to the pleasures of the walk, though the fog spoiled the long range views. The walk took me about three and a half hours, which is half an hour longer than when I did it this way round in 2018 - I must be getting old!