Ivinghoe Beacon - Royston
6th – 9th October 2025
Introduction
There are no trains from our local station on Sundays. So much for the
‘power house of the north’. My wife came to the rescue and drove me over to
Wilmslow for an Avanti service to Milton Keynes. A change here onto a West
Midlands train to Cheddington and I was on my way to Ivinghoe so that I was in
position for an early Monday morning start. The busy road from Cheddington
station had no footpath or any opportunity to get away from the fast-moving
traffic. So, I stuck out my thumb, and glory be, a lovely Scottish lady stopped
and took me to the end of the road where I had booked accommodation for the
night. This was a wooden out-house beautifully fitted out. Jessica, mine host,
was a delight to meet and she outlined the eating options in the village
because the local pub did not do food on Sundays, Where have I heard that
before. I slipped down the road to the Rose & Crown and had pints of
Chiltern Pale Ale (3.7%) from Chiltern Brewery in Terrick, and Smuggler (4.2%)
from Rebellion in Marlow. I then wandered down to an Indian Restaurant, the Haldi,
just over the Pitstone boundary and ate a dish of lamb tikka masala with a
glass of red wine.
Monday 6th October 2025 Ivinghoe – Houghton Regis
A Beacon of Hope
Just after 9am, I quietly let
myself out of my garden shed and headed up the busy road towards Ivinghoe
Beacon. The traffic was very fast moving and seemed dangerously close to the
narrow and overgrown pavement. The climb up the face of the Beacon was
horrendously steep and slippery and I ended up on my hands and knees pulling
myself onto the summit plateau. The sun was shining and the view of the
surrounding hills was magnificent. With careful navigation, I found the right
path off the summit and down a long grassy field into the Ashridge Estate. I
got slightly off line through a section of forestry workings but one of the
work team gently put my back on route up a set of steps to a farm and left down
a long descent to Dagnall. There were no shops in the village but a tiny farm outlet
made me a cup of coffee and a sandwich for my late breakfast.
The trail continued passed a
school and up a steep road into a golf course. The course itself covered the
flat high ground on top of the ridge. Very few route markers across the various
fairways meant a concentrated effort with the O/S App, to find the exit path
round the boundary fence of Whipsnade Zoo. The village of Whipsnade was reached
via a narrow paved green lane. I must have missed a signpost or two because I
found myself on a main road that bypassed the centre of the village and I had
to cut back into unmarked territory to find the grassy track out the other
side. This had the advantage of depositing me quickly on the northern
escarpment of Dunstable Downs. A flattish field path led along the crest of the
downs providing wonderful views to the left. A new and exciting building
appeared at the highest point, the Chiltern Gateway Centre, a National Trust
café. Whilst enjoying a cappuccino and scones, I was transfixed by the view out
of the glass walls. The air was full of hand-gliders circling around the grassy
slopes, whilst larger gliders took off from the aerodrome below.
Continuing along the downs, the
paths gradually descended into the outskirts of Dunstable and onto a
well-walked pathway between the new housing developments. A few lefts and
rights led me into the hamlet of Sewell where I had a decision to make. My only
chance of some food lay with the White Lion pub just off route on Chalk Hill. I
had the option of continuing straight to my Airbnb and then walking back a mile
or diverting now to the pub and eating before I arrived at my overnight
accommodation. I chose the latter and it was a key decision because the pub’s
kitchens had closed early and the off-duty chef kindly warmed up some lasagne.
A pint of Neck Oil was most welcome, however expensive it was. The continuation
into Houghton Regis was through an industrial area on the edge of a huge new
housing development. Tim’s Airbnb was perfectly placed and the Icknield Way
passed within yards of his home. Tim made a cup of tea with a piece of his
homemade cake. We chatted for a long while before I slipped upstairs for an
early night.
Ivinghoe dep. 09.10, Houghton
Regis arr. 17.10
GPS 12.99 miles in 6hr 19mins 21secs
walking time with three stops of 25mins (Dagnall), 35mins (Chiltern Gateway)
and 45mins in the White Swan for a lasagne and pint of Neck Oil (4.3%) from Beavertown.
Tuesday 7th October 2025 Houghton Regis – Bramingham Park
Crossing the M1
I was up before anyone moved in the house. I had my eyes on a coffee shop
just down the road in Houghton Regis. Esquires, run I believe by an Italian.
With a bacon bap inside me, I felt strong as I set out over the footbridge
above the northern bypass. A series of field paths took me up to Wingfield, a
quiet hamlet with a shuttered pub. The next section was the first to cause me
any problems. A wonky overgrown stile led into a ploughed field with crops
planted across the line of the right-of-way. Emerging onto the road near
Chalgrave, a quiet lane led to a beautiful old church with stone-carved
decorations covering the outer walls. On the path beyond the village, I fell
into step with Brian and Irene walking their dog and chatting about all the
paths that I had walked in the last twenty years or so.
A mile of road took me to the next village where the official route
headed for the fields once more. This field path disappeared into a huge area
of ploughed and planted agricultural land but, at least this time, the going underfoot
was perfectly flat and smooth. Resorting to the O/S app, I was able to identify
the way out passed an electric substation and towards the traffic noise of the
MI motorway. I paused a while on the footbridge over the motorway, taking in
the huge volume of traffic is this generally empty landscape. On the far side
of the railway, the lane up to Upper Sundon was uphill all the way. I suppose
the name gave it away. The promise of some refreshments was smashed when I
found the pub closed at lunchtimes. So, it was on to the Sundon Hills which,
very much like the Dunstable Downs, was traversed by grassy field paths along
the edge of the northern escarpment. No coffee shop today however and I was
reduced to eating my emergency rations whilst sitting on a log.
The last section of the country park was a through a woodland that curved
to the north and emerged at a car park for visitors to Sharpenhoe Clappers, an
area of well-managed footpaths and grassy tracks that ran along the eastern
edge of the hills. Here I picked up a grass path for two miles or so parallel
to the A6 trunk road towards Streatley. The Way passed through the graveyard of
Streatley church and south towards the outskirts of Luton. At Betty Robinson
House, a small hospice cum hospital, I turned left onto Great Bramingham Lane
and down to the A6. I had tried to book an Airbnb in Bramingham Park but the
owner could not take me at the last minute. So, I jumped on a 4A bus and headed
into Luton town centre and a hotel near the bus station.
Houghton Regis dep. 09.04, Bramingham
Park arr.15.00
GPS 12.31 miles in 5hrs 38mins 28secs
walking time with a 20 mins stop in the Sundon Hills. Stayed at the Thistle Express in Central
Luton. Could not find a pub with hand-pumped beer so went to Wetherspoons for a
pint of Atlantic Pale Ale (4.2%) from Sharp’s Brewery. Few restaurants so
walked out to an Asian café where I had butter chicken and a garlic naan.
Wednesday 8th October 2025 Bramingham Park – Letchworth
Pirton for Lunch
The breakfast as the hotel was almost inedible so I had no excuse for
going gently into the day. I was on the 9 o’clock bus out of town, a bus full
of college students heading off for their studies. Disembarking on the A6 at
the Luton border, I was only yards away from the Icknield Way. A light drizzle
fell as I crossed the South Beds golf course and up the side of Warden Hill. My
way lay to the north on a high-level crossing of Galley Hill. The descent recrossed
the furthest point of the golf course where it joined an old trackway,
obviously the original line of the ancient way. It ran for several miles in a
straight line, at one point following a road and then climbing up and over Telegraph
Hill and a low ridge of high ground. At the junction of this track with a main
road, I passed over the county boundary into Hertfordshire. A left turn off
this road put me on a footpath heading north passed Tingley Wood picking up the
line of the medieval way. This led uphill into Pirton,
This was a delightful village with a great green and maypole and several nice-looking
pubs. The coffee shop shown on the map only opened on Fridays so I retreated to
the Motte & Bailey, which was the only place open for refreshments. As my
breakfast had been minimal and miserable, I was in need of some sustenance. I
was tempted by the reasonably priced lunch menu whilst drinking a pint of real
ale. I even managed a plate of waffles as I fell into conversation with another
keen walker, a local man, Rob, who lived right on route on Hambridge Lane. He
showed me the way out of the village across the Bury and passed the old church
and earthworks of the real motte & bailey. We said our farewells at his
gate and I continued down Hambridge Lane towards Ickleford. The pubs all seemed
to be open here but my way lay onwards over a stream and the East Coast
Mainline. Wild poppies were flowering in the sunshine as I started the long
climb up Wilbury Hill towards Letchworth. Half way up, I paused to talk to a
walker coming towards me. Doug was a committee member, the Development Officer
no less, of the Icknield Way Association. He was most interested to hear my
comments on the trail and asked me to make contact with the organisation. I
later sent off an e-mail to the secretary but nothing has come of it. I slowly
continued to the top of the hill.
I was now in the outskirts of Letchworth and faced with a long walk
through suburbia and alongside the railway line to reach a set of steps near
the station. Here I headed into the town centre to find my hotel. I had already
eaten a substantial lunch so was not in need of another big meal. So, after a
shower and rest, I set off round the shops and found an Italian restaurant that
would provide a starter from the menu and a large glass of red wine. This was
more than enough for one day and, after buying sandwiches for the following
day, I retired for an early night.
Bramingham Park dep. 09.30, Letchworth
arr.16.05
GPS 11.53 miles in 5hrs 20mins 59secs
walking time plus over an hour in the Motte & Bailey in Pirton. My two-course
lunch was fish and chips followed by waffles, washed down by Timothy Taylors
beer.
I stayed at the Broadway Hotel in
Letchworth and went out to the Alloro Ristorante for a small plate of calamari
fritters and a glass of Montepulciano reserve.
Thursday 9th October
2025
Letchworth – Royston
Only One Pub
Pancakes were on the menu for breakfast so decision making became a
irrelevance. It was great to be starting out for the day with a full stomach
and butties in my rucksack. The first time this week. The route out of town was
north of the railway line and down an endless road, Icknield Way, of houses and
light industry. A right turn between two work sites took me back over the
railway and over the A1(M). I was immediately in Baldock, a rather attractive
town with coffee shops and a wide and pleasant main street. If it had a decent
hotel, it would have been a better overnight option than Letchworth. A lane ran
south east out of the town towards a caravan site which was bypassed on a grass
track that crossed a busy dual carriage way on another footbridge. A straight farm
track descended all the way into Clothall but just before a final climb, the
route heaed left over a road and up onto high ground giving great views to the
north as it curved round the edge of the plateau. The path descended gradually
to meet the road just before Wallington, entering the village passed George
Orwell’s cottage. Passing the church where he was married, I was soon on my way
into rolling countryside and farmland.
The field path climbed passed a pond and over a ridge of high ground
before dropping steeply down to a small steam. I sat with my legs dangling over
the ditch whilst I enjoyed my sandwiches and a much need rest. A ploughed field
was my next obstacle but it was smooth and my only problem was in finding the
exit stile at Redhill. A flattish grass path ran beside a hedge all the way to
Roe Green, then some horsey fields were crossed to Sandon. This was another quiet
village dominated by a huge green and a church at the top end overseeing all
village activities. The exit was via the graveyard, from which a narrow-fenced
path descended to a road and a long tramp through the woodland surrounding Park
Lane. The route turned left and left and left again to go back on itself into a
long section of wooded tracks that at one point passed a nature reserve at
Collin’s Green. Eventually a left turn onto a wide green lane pointed me
towards our destination for the day. At Duck’s Green the path diverged from the
farm track and headed straight for Therfield and the only pub now open, The Fox
and Duck. Here I took my second stop of the day.
Fortified by coffee and a custard-filled bowl of apple crumble, I set out
on the last leg of my day’s walk. A gentle climb over Therfield Heath brought
into view the large town of Royston, the view dominated unfortunately by a
large industrial complex. Then a steep and narrow path descended steeply though
an area of dense gorse and scrub before emerging onto a huge area of sports
fields and leisure centres. Over the rugby pitches and onto Baldock Road, the
route headed for the centre of town. High Street climbed up to the right and my
hotel was the very last building at the top end. It had been a long and tiring
day which would have been a lot easier if any shops, cafes and pubs were still
open.
Letchworth dep. 09.13, Royston arr.17.06
GPS 15.42 miles in 6hrs 43mins 24secs
walking time plus a 20 mins lunch stop near Redhill and 40 mins in the Fox and
Duck in Therfield.
I stayed in the Old Bull Inn in
Royston and had a meal of salmon fillet on a bed of noodles whilst I sank a
pint of Green King IPA (3.4%) and a glass of Malbec..
Homeward Bound & Conclusion
My original plan had been to get to Great Chesterford before heading for
home but the prospect of a long last day and a very late train home made the
proximity of Royston Station very tempting. I decided therefore to quit whilst
I was ahead and take a Friday morning train home via Cambridge and Birmingham. All
ran to time and I was able to get back to Macclesfield at a reasonable hour and
be better prepared for our trip to Scotland for the grandchildren’s half-term.
I had walked over 52 miles in four days and was almost half way along the trail.
And from what I have read, I had seen the best of the hills and the views. A five-day
trip next year should complete the route although accommodation looks a bit
more problematic for the rest of the path. I may have to resort to taxis and
buses to seek a bed for the night. Let us hope that there are more shops, cafes
and pubs serving food on the next visit. My one disappointment with this year was
the uncertainty of any support on route. My diversion into the centre of Luton
had hardly been the highlight of my walking year.
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