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Walked by Sally and Richard, 5th January 2020
6 miles (2 hours 35 minutes of walking), almost all on route of Chiltern Way Northern Extension
For all photographs taken on this walk click here
When we were attracted to the idea of walking the Chiltern Way, we had it in mind for spring (bluebells), summer (lovely greens) and autumn (autumnal colours), but today was definitely winter. The walk was perhaps less spectacular than the previous leg, but it was nevertheless very enjoyable. There were quite a lot of "undulations", with good views, and some impressively structural trees, where the structure is easier to see in winter, without the leaves. The weather forecast had been for a grey day, but a low probability of rain. I thought we now understood what the probabilities given in the BBC weather forecast mean, but if we did understand then, based on the actual weather, the probability of rain should have been 100% all morning (instead of the 7% or so that was given); there was certainly drizzle every hour. However, I'm pleased that the probability wasn't given as 100%, as we wouldn't have gone walking had that been the case - and it was only very light drizzle; the sun even came out occasionally. There was some mud, making the walking a bit heavy going in places, but it wasn't too bad, given how wet it has been this winter, and staying upright was less of a challenge than last time!
We got up early and drove from Norfolk to Great Offley in two cars. We've driven through Great Offley a few times recently, en route to other walks on the Chiltern Way, and the drive was straightforward. I thought that I had checked parking near the Red Lion, which is where the walking route passes, but I now think that I was looking at the wrong pub on Google Maps streetview! The road near the Red Lion is narrower than I had expected, but we found a spot slightly further back on Kings Walden Road, outside the Church (TL145268). We said hello to the vicar who was just arriving for the 9.30 service. We then drove, by way of the A505, Carters Lane ("formerly known as Wibbly Wobbly Lane" - yes really!) and then the B655, to the same parking place near Pegsdon (TL118303) that we used on the last leg. We were walking shortly after 9.30.
We walked through the hamlet of Pegsdon. There were good views in all directions, but photographing Deacon Hill and the Pegdson Hills (where we walked last time) was challenging as the houses got in the way! We turned left and now had lovely views to Knocking Hoe and Deacon Hill and the ridge in between. We turned right across a field and climbed steps towards Knocking Hoe, with a combe to our right. Just as we got to the point where the views opened up to Knocking Hoe in front of us, to flatter land to the left, to Deacon Hill behind us and back down along the combe, it started to rain! We turned left on an attractive broad track. Eventually we reached another combe, the Knocking Hoe National Nature Reserve.
It wasn't far from here to a track which, had we turned right, would have quickly led to Tingley Field Plantation. However we turned left and soon joined the Icknield Way Path, on a section which we last walked along on in November 2011. Last time we were walking in the opposite direction and had climbed up to here from Pirton. Today we descended gradually with views to Pirton, but after half a mile or so we turned off the Icknield Way. This took us to an area of parkland with High Down House to our left and Tingley Wood to the right. We descended back towards the B655.
We'd expected to have to turn left along the road for a short distance, but there was an attractive wooded path alongside it. Then we crossed the road and continued past the house at Old Wellbury, then around the rather horsey New Wellbury, with some attractive heavy horses. Finally we joined a track and passed the rather dilapidated Wellbury House. Somewhere around here I realised that I had lost a glove. Just as well it was remarkably mild for January!
Richard, who had the map, was expecting us to turn right at a hedge boundary ahead, but in fact we turned right before the hedge boundary and crossed a field, soon walking around the edge of Saddle Plantation and then climbing (see photo at the top of the page). The name "Saddle Plantation" presumably refers to the fact that we were now climbing steeply to the saddle of a ridge, with lovely views behind us. over the top of it we reached Little Offley.
Little Offley is very little - just a single large house I think. We turned turned left before the house and soon joined the drive that leads to it. We'd passed occasional dog walkers, but were surprised to see a family approaching us, all appropriately dressed for walking. However, appearances can be deceptive: the family were very pleasant but had no map and were lost. They wanted to get to Luton! Fortunately our OS map revealed a relatively simple route to the Icknield Way at Telegraph Hill, which they knew. They photographed our map and set off. We were heading in the opposite direction, turning right after a short distance then, after a few hundred metres on each occasion, left then right again.
The final turning brought us to a path between hedges which brought us to the busy A505. We'd expected to cross the road by way of a bridge or underpass, but no, we just crossed it. Fortunately it is a dual carriageway at this point, with a fair-sized central reservation so we were able to cross first one carriageway and then the other and it was actually very easy to get across.
The Chiltern Way does a big loop to the west and then south Great Offley, and we crossed first the road we have taken through the village on previous journeys, then a more minor road which, to our right, descended steeply to Lilley Bottom. We were only about half a mile from where we were towards the end of our walk on 8th September last year. The Chiltern Way turned away from the main route again, towards the southern edge of Great Offley. We approached the village by way of a rather squishy field of sheep and emerged onto the road near the Red Lion pub. We'd been feeling hungry for a while but there hadn't been anywhere appropriate to stop for lunch. However there was a very convenient bench outside the Church, less than 100 metres from the car!
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