Dunstable Downs, Whipsnade and Kensworth

Start: The Dunstable Gateway Centre, Dunstable Road, Whipsnade (LU6 2GY). Grid ref. TL 008 196

(S/E) Walk downhill 90m from the Gateway Centre to the Windcatcher sculpture. Continue across the grass down to a yellow waymark post. Turn immediately left and follow a clear path marked by the post. After 180m, fork right downhill through a kissing gate to shortly reach another kissing gate which you also pass through and then turn left alongside the fence. After a further 180m, look for a second fork.

(1) At the fork, follow the right branch downhill away from the fence. While initially faint, the path soon continues downhill between grassy banks. In early spring there are cowslips and in June a wonderful display of orchids with mixed wild flowers all summer.

As you descend look over your right shoulder for views of the London Gliding Club. As the path flattens out you pass a left fork heading uphill. Now head to a kissing gate by a field gate. Go through it and turn left following a fenced-in bridleway almost as far as a road.

(2) Here, just before a vehicle barrier, turn left up a steep hill, eventually coming to horse steps. When the right-hand horse fence ends keep climbing straight ahead ignoring left forks and crossing paths. As you near the top of the slope aim for a gap between hedges a little to the right.

(3) Follow the broad track downhill between hedges until you reach a house and a solid wooden fence. At the end of the fence turn left, cross the drive and continue between garden fences to a kissing gate. Then follow the fence on your right and eventually reach a kissing gate into (A) the Whipsnade Tree Cathedral. After you have explored it, walk on to the car park and along the access track to a T-junction at the edge of Whipsnade Green.

(4) Turn left towards the main road. Cross it and bear half-left across the Green to the left of the Parish Church of (B) St. Mary Magdalene (worth a visit if open). Continue across the Green keeping the hedge and trees on your right, crossing a drive to head down towards Old Hunters Lodge. When you reach the road opposite Old Hunters Lodge, turn right alongside the road. After 40m, bear right onto a sunken path and follow it to a road. Here, turn left and cross the road before a roundabout, then cross the next road towards Whipsnade Heath car park.

(5) Walk to the kissing gate at the rear of the car park and follow the path straight on into the wood. Keep on the path through the wood to a wooden fence at the far side, then continue on a fenced path along the right of a grass field. At a kissing gate enter a second grass field and cross it to the road. Turn right alongside the road to a road hump, and cross over to a footpath on the other side.

(6) Go down the path beside a barn to a gate on your left, pass through, and turn right onto a farm track. Continue downhill on the farm track to an old rusty barn. After the barn look for an old farm gate on the left in the valley bottom.

Go through the gateway and head half left uphill to an electricity pole and adjacent kissing gate 2/3 of the way up the hill. Continue along the top (right-hand) side of the narrow field to a gate.

(7) Go through the gate and turn left downhill through the wood. At the exit from the wood, follow a hedged track for 230m until you see a gap on the right. Go through it and follow a path uphill with the hedge now on your left. Follow the path round to the right, ignoring a footpath to the left. Continue along the top of the field, with views of (C) Kensworth quarry below, to a second left turn after 300m.

(8) Turn left through the strip of trees, then right along the left side of the wood. When you reach the road to Kensworth Quarry turn right down the verge for 100m, looking for some steps up the bank on the other side of the road. Cross over, go up the steps and continue ahead on this path until you get to a left turn. Take this and when you join a larger path, turn left on this path and follow it to the road.

Cross with care, look to your left and you will see the Gateway Centre. Walk across to the Centre to complete the route.(S/E)

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Start & Finish: The Dunstable Gateway Centre, Dunstable Road, Whipsnade (LU6 2GY). Grid ref. TL 008 196

Parking: The Gateway Centre car park (free for National Trust members). There is a free car park at Whipsnade Heath on the B4540 at waypoint (5).

Local Transport: Centrebus 40 runs from Dunstable to the Chiltern Gateway Centre (not Sunday).

Terrain: The majority of the walk is on grass paths, but the bridleway starting at (3) can be muddy in winter. Generally it’s a mixture of open downland and farmland footpaths. There are several hills – the one starting at (2) is particularly steep.

Food & Drink: The Gateway Centre café and the Old Hunters Lodge pub in Whipsnade

This walk was created for the book "50 Great Walks in the Chilterns".

(A) Whipsnade Tree Cathedral was planted in the early 1930s by Edmond Blyth as an act of ‘Faith, hope and reconciliation’ to those killed in the First World War. Its design was inspired by Blyth’s visit to Liverpool cathedral. There are grass avenues lined with deciduous and evergreen trees and shrub species to form the chancel, nave, transepts, chapels and cloisters. The site is owned by the National Trust and administered by the Trustees of Whipsnade Tree Cathedral Fund.

(B) St Mary Magdalene church is a simple structure, built of brick with a 16th century tower, a nave (1719) designed by Nicholas Hawksmoor, and an apse added in 1860 – one of the Victorians’ better ideas. The pulpit and altar rail are Jacobean. The interior is light and well maintained.

(C) From the top of the field (8) you have an extensive view of Kensworth Quarry. This is operated by CEMEX UK. The chalk from the quarry is mixed with water and pumped in a pipeline all the way to the cement processing plant in Rugby.