Streatley to Whipsnade
Walked by Sally and Richard, Monday 14th November 2011
About 16.5 miles, 16 miles on Icknield Way Path (via Toddington)
Click here for photographs taken on this walk
We slept well and Colin cooked us a very pleasant breakfast before we left The Chequers. We left about 8.45 and went to photograph the church (just behind the pub) before leaving Streatley. It was a distinctly misty morning and remained misty all day.
We soon reached the chalk escarpment of Sharpenhoe Clappers, with lovely autumn colours. We meandered our way along the top of the escarpment past Cow Hole, Watercutter Hole and Smithcombe Valley then cut across, via the National Trust car park, to the western edge of the escarpment.
We were definitely on the Chiltern Way and sometimes on the John Bunyan Trail as we meandered our way from here across the Sundon Hills Country Park, and we followed the route of the Icknield Way Path as shown on the OS map, but there is some doubt as to whether this is the 'right' route - the map, guidebook and signing on the ground all seemed slightly different. Not to worry, it was a lovely walk.
We eventually took a woodland path round a landfill site, then went under the railway and across to the M1 to the north of the Toddington Services - not the most scenic part of the day's walk! However, once we had crossed the M1 we climbed through delightful scenery to the attractive village (or is it a town?) of Toddington.
What a shame that the name 'Toddington' has become synonymous with Toddington Services, nothing more. It is also a shame that Toddington is only officially on a 'diversion' from the Icknield Way Path (albeit a diversion that most people seem to take) and that even this path avoids the centre of Toddington, preferring to skirt around the medieval motte and bailey castle at Conger Hill (which didn't really excite me greatly). Despite this, the village sign places Toddington firmly on the Icknield Way and another sign gives distances to Hunstanton (via the Icknield Way and Peddars Way) and Overton Hill (via the Icknield Way and the Ridgeway). We were puzzled by the fact that the sign also mentions the Monmouth Way, since it felt a long way from Monmouth. Later research revealed that the Monmouth Way is named after the Duke of Monmouth, whose mistress Henrietta Wentworth was born in Toddington and lived at the Manor. The Monmouth Way footpath (all of three miles long!) runs from Toddington to Eversholt and links the Icknield Way with the Greensand Ridge Walk. Researching this in turn made me realise how close we were to Milton Keynes, where I spend too much of my working life.
We left Toddington and skirted round to Chalgrave Church, crossing obvious 'ridge and furrow' pastures and then walking alongside a newly landscaped golf course (has this been a landfill site?). Chalgrave Church is delightful. It apparently houses medieval wall paintings, but it was locked. However there were several benches, so we sat on one of them for lunch.
It was getting increasingly misty as we headed south to Chalk Hill (though the white chalk face of the disused quarry which presumably gives Chalk Hill its name was visible in the distance. On several occasions we had to head straight across newly planted fields, with no obvious path. This made for muddy (and therefore heavy) boots, but the excellent signposting, with yellow-topped posts meaning that they were visible from a distance even in the mist, meant that we usually knew we were on the right path. What's marked on our OS map as 'Pit (dis.)’ to the west of Bidwell is now an attractive wooded area. We climbed up here and walked along to the hamlet of Chalk Hill, on the A5.
We crossed the A5, stopped to remove mud from my boots, then walked off the map! We hadn't felt it to be worth buying another OS map for a brief (approx one mile) loop to the west so we followed a blown up version from Bing. We were very close to Dunstable, but it felt like the deepest of countryside, as we passed a pond, horses grazing and ancient (now distinctly up-market) houses near Sewell.
We passed the Iron Age fort of Maiden Bower (not much to see) and turned onto Green Lane, a wide avenue that took us through housing estates on the outskirts of Dunstable. My only complaint was that the path had a tarmacked surface, especially since my legs were beginning to feel that they had done enough walking for one day, but there was plenty of space to walk on the grass instead. There were lots of dog walkers and mothers with pushchairs about. We reached a roundabout in the centre of Dunstable and bought me some Lilt (for energy!) at a well-placed petrol station.
We walked up the road onto the Dunstable Downs and turned off onto a path running parallel with the road. The path was again tarmacked and there were benches every few yards. In better weather conditions the views would have been superb, but we could still see the gliding club beneath us. We continued past the Visitor Centre and onto the grass at last. We reached a signpost, expecting to take the more right-hand route, but the Tree Cathedral and Whipsnade Village were firmly signed to the left, so we followed that route instead. The reason for the confusion proved to be the fact that the Tree Cathedral is not where it is marked on the OS map – Sheet 193 (Luton & Stevenage) hadn’t been great at all.
The Tree Cathedral is a collection of trees and hedges planted in the shape of a cathedral. It was planted by local landowner Edmond Blyth in the 1930s following a visit to Liverpool’s Anglican Cathedral (then under construction) and as an act of "Faith, hope and reconciliation" in response to the loss of friends during the 1st World War. It was wonderfully atmospheric in the mist and half light, as was Whipsnade Village (built round a Green).
We turned left in Whipsnade Village and walked the short distance to Old Hunters Lodge. It was about 4.30pm and just about dark, so we were disappointed to discover that they didn't open until 6pm. We tried ringing and emailing, to no avail, but much to our relief, a second phone call was answered and landlord Steve let us in. My cold was just beginning to stream, and I had got colder than I realised waiting outside, so the warm room and lovely shower were wonderful. In the evening we ate in the bar, with a real fire burning in the grate. A lovely meal (I had trout and Richard had lamb, washed down with Stowford Press cider) then we watched television until about 10pm.