Walk to Redbourn and back

Sorry that this post is a bit late! It’s about a walk I did on Tuesday, four days ago.

Tuesday 8/07/08 

Today I did one of my local walks, a circular walk from Kensworth to Redbourn and back. I chose to walk today despite a forecast of light showers, because according to the long-range forecast this was the best weather of the week!

I started by walking almost the full length of the main road through Kensworth, about 3/4 of a mile. I then took a footpath to Markyate, following part of Walk 1 of the Chiltern Chain Walk. It started to rain as I reached Markyate, and I had to put my waterproofs on. From Markyate I followed the route of the Hertfordshire Way to Flamstead. The rain stopped after 10-15 minutes.

From Flamstead I followed footpaths to Redbourn. I saw lots of Musk Mallow and some Chicory as I approached Redbourn. On the way I crossed a new bridge over the M1 - the motorway here has been widened to four lanes, and so several bridges have needed to be replaced. As I got near Redbourn the rain started again, but didn’t last long.

At Redbourn I walked past the ancient cricket pitch, and headed back along Flamsteadbury Lane. I was soon on a long farm track through huge arable fields, that went about a mile without passing so much as a hedge. I good see really dark grey clouds approaching me, and as I followed a lane into Trowley Bottom there was a really heavy downpour for a few minutes.

I stopped for lunch on a fallen tree trunk at the end of a bridleway leading out of Trowley Bottom. I then followed a lane, turning left at a crossroads into Friendless Lane (my favourite of all the road names I’ve come across on my walks - it would make a great song title, I think). I soon took a footpath that ran parallel to the lane - it started through a wood, where I saw some Small Balsam (only the second time I’ve ever seen this).

The path reached the edge of Markyate, and I continued on footpaths to Roe End Lane. Where that lane ended, I continued ahead on a nice bridleway between hedges, and then took a footpath to Byslips Road, Studham. The rest of the route was very familiar - footpath to Holywell, Dovehouse Lane, path to the Whipsnade road and along the road back to Kensworth. I had my fourth shower or spell of rain just before I got home - the early part of the afternoon had been bright and sunny.

I really enjoyed the walk - it actually made a nice change to walk in the rain!

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