Short local walk this morning

20/12/2008 by pete.

I hadn’t been for a walk for about 2.5 weeks - I’ve had a rotten sore throat, cough and cold. I still wasn’t 100% this morning, but decided to go for a morning walk anyway. It was grey and overcast as I set out about 9.15am, heading off down Hollicks Lane. I soon saw some Long-tailed Tits in the hedgerows beside the lane. When I took the path that parallels the lane I was surprised how muddy it was, my foot slipped once or twice as I climbed the steep slope on the far swide of the valley.

From Church End, where I saw more Long-tailed Tits, I took the long lane that lead to the Lynch - it was quite a long road walk, but as I haven’t done it often I enjoyed it, the lane running between hedges along the bottom of a shallow valley. I passed the smart residences in the Lynch, and took the footpath from there to Markyate, running parallel to the A5 down in a valley to my left. From Markyate I took the long and pleasant path through fields to Dedmansey Wood, and continued on to Studham Common where I stopped on a bench for some coffee.

I carried on along the path along the top of the common, and made my way to Studham church. I then took the path across fields to the edge of Holywell, where I saw a Buzzard over the trees on the far side of  a field. I took the old lane from Holywell to Whipsnade, diverting onto paths that took me through the churchyard to the large village green. I then followed the road to the right, down to the crossroads at Whipsnade Heath. I took the path throuh the heath and across a couple of fields to return to Common Road, Kensworth, where it was a short downhill walk back to my home.

This was a very enjoyable shorter walk, despite the muddy paths. The skies had brightened up about 10.30, although they’d clouded over again a bit by the time I got home about 12.45pm.

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