Dunstable Downs - Kensworth Lynch - Kensworth

Clive Collins

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From the car park, follow Isle of Wight Lane towards Kensworth, then over fields towards Church End and onwards to cross several fields and the A5 (be careful), then up to Millfield Lane, on to Kensworth Lynch and on into Kensworth.

Part of the walk goes down Coffin Lane which is where the poor folk of the village would arrange for their loved one's coffin to be carried down to St Mary's Church for burial - a corpse road. It is said to be haunted by a headless milkmaid, a witch and an aggressive, large black, one-eyed dog (information courtesy of Kensworth Parish Council).

WE HAVE BEEN INFORMED THAT A SHORT STRETCH OF THE ROUTE AT WP20 IS HEAVILY OVERGROWN (SEE JASON RYDE'S COMMENT). IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DO THIS WALK WE SUGGEST YOU TAKE WITH YOU A STOUT STICK AND A PAIR OF SECATEURS TO CLEAR THE UNDERGROWTH. PLEASE LET US KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE DONE THIS SO THAT WE CAN TAKE THIS NOTICE DOWN.

England - Central England - Bedfordshire - Countryside

Features

Food Shop, Great Views, National Trust, Pub, Toilets

6/9/2011 - Walkingworld Administrator

Our thanks to Jason Ryde for his Comment. We recommend that walkers should always take with them on a walk a stout stick and a pair of secateurs, particularly in the spring and summer. This way they can help themselves to complete the walk and also help walkers who come after them. A win-win situation. Adrian (Admin)

6/8/2011 - J's Walks

This is Ok(ish) walk, some nice vistas but there is quite a bit of main road walking, which personally I do not like. However, for the rest of it, it's worth doing. WARNING: Waypoint 20 suggests you should walk the path between the metal fence and the hedge. DO NOT DO THIS AS IT IS DANGEROUS! - See JsWalks Channel on YouTube and you will see what I mean! Currently this path is totally blocked by overgrown stingers and brambles. In addition part of the metal fence has been damaged and much of it protrudes into the narrow path making it very dangerous, as one cannot see it clearly. YOU SHOULD walk on the other side of the fence even though this is private property, it's a lorry yard so you should have your wits about you. Yeah, I know I said private... but I would sooner run the risk of someone telling me to get off the property, rather than getting myself torn to shreds from the brambles and protruding metal spikes from the path!! This walk has been video'd on J'sWalks2010 YouTube Channel. (to be uploaded in the next week or so).

1/13/2007 - David Firman

We did this walk today and we did have one or two problems. There were no paths across the fields between steps 15 to 17 which was a bit confusing although as we had a gps we soon got back on track. Also the path at waypoint 20 was completely blocked by a part of a large tree making it completely impossible to proceed. We had no choice but to go back and find an alternative route to the road.

9/9/2005 - Walkingworld Administrator

Note from Rights of Way Officer:

I checked the public footpath at Lodge Farm last week as it is on our seasonal vegetation clearance programme as it is notorious for nettles and it had been cut by our contractors. The fence is too close to the hedge for machines but it is on our cutting schedule and the nettles and the hedge are cut back as much as possible twice during the summer.

With regard to the crossfield path being ploughed; most farmers have just harvested and are starting to plough. As you may know, landowners have 14 days from the first ploughing to reinstate the public right of way. To check they have done this, we carry out a ploughing campaign in October/November when we check all crossfield arable paths for reinstatement and contact the landowner as necessary. Michelle Flynn

8/12/2005 - Walkingworld Administrator

Please note that some of ths walk consists of some road walking and other parts of the route go across open fields. Occasionally field paths can be ploughed up making navigating in the right direction difficult. Walkingworld recommends a compass or GPS unit to be taken to assist in these circumstances. In this case since Helen's report two people have independently checked the route and have experienced no difficulty in following the published route. The field path is most likely to have been reinstated or regular walkers have beaten a new path across. Both said the views are fine - a good walk!

8/8/2005 - Helen Janecek

This is the first walk we have tried from walkingworld which was disappointing despite lovely views initially. We found the instructions confusing at steps 15 -17 (where the instructions and map are stated not to correspond and where a recently-ploughed field did not help!) At step 20 the path is so narrow and the nettles and brambles so rampant that it is almost impossible to walk through and quite impossible to do so without getting scratched and stung. There is no alternative route - because it goes through privately owned land.