We finally had a nice sunny day, and so I managed to go for a long walk again – at last! In fact it was TOO hot – I felt quite drained by the time I got home.
I did one of my regular walks from home, to Redbourn and back. The walk starts with a rather dull road walk through Kensworth for about three-quarters of a mile, then goes across fields to Markyate – I had a nice view towards the big house of Markyate Cell, across the valley of the river Ver which carries the A5. A previous house on the site was the home of the lady highwaywoman on whom the film ‘The Wicked Lady’ was based.
From Markyate, I followed the route of the Hertfordshire Way further along the Ver Valley to Flamstead. From there, more field paths took me to a bridge across the M1 (a brand new bridge, as the old one has just been replaced because they are widening this part of the motorway). On the other side I soon came across some Musk Mallow, one of my favourite wildflowers, and then I came across a blue flower which I’ve not seen before – I think it was Blue Sow-thistle, but I haven’t really checked out its identification yet.
I walked through part of Redbourn – I hadn’t realised before that the cricket pitch on the large green actually extends across a road! I took the lane towards Flamsteadbury farm, recrossing the M1 on another new bridge, and followed a long farm track and then a quiet lane to Trowley Bottom, which adjoins Flamstead. I had my packed lunch sat on a tree trunk at the end of a bridleway. I just touched the edge of Markyate again on the way back, then took some very familiar paths towards Holywell (nice views of a Buzzard being ‘mobbed’ by what looked like a Kestrel), and then returned to Kensworth via Dovehouse Lane.
A very nice walk – again I really appreciate how lucky I am to live in such nice countryside. It was very hot though, especially after lunch when what had been a nice cool breeze disappeared – I was surprised that the forecast on the BBC web site said 23C, it felt 2 or 3 degrees hotter than that to me.