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To get back to Erith to start today’s walk, I caught the Elizabeth Line at Farringdon to the end of the line at Abbey Wood. I then got a bus into Erith to rejoin the path where I’d left off 2 days earlier. Today’s walk would take in the last few miles of the England Coast Path as far as the Woolwich Foot Tunnel and then the Thames Path 'proper' would take over taking me past the Thames Barrier, Greenwich, the City and through Central London to Vauxhall. The path to Woolwich isn't pretty and on an overcast Sunday morning it was even less appealing! For the first couple of miles, I passed a number of piers, cranes, silos, conveyor belts and associated buildings - some derelict. Looking downstream from Erith with the tide out Looking upstream from Erith. Can't get much closer to the river! It's not pretty! Long established industry along this length Once employing as many as 40000 workers, Ford's Dagenham plant now employs around 2000 building diesel engines There then followed some newer buildings, namely the huge Cory Waste Incinerator & the even bigger Crossness Sewage Treatment Works. Crossness Pumping Station came next, a grand looking Victorian building opened in 1865 but decommissioned in the 1950s. It is now Grade I listed. When in operation it pumped raw sewage from all over London into a large reservoir that was then emptied into the Thames on the ebbing tide. The derelict looking exterior of the pumping station belies the restoration work that has been going on inside since 1987 by the Crossness Engines Trust. You have to see it to believe the over-the-top Victorian ironwork. One of the original steam engines has been restored to full working order. The engine is fired up on occasional open days organised by the Trust. https://crossness.org.uk/ Cory's waste incinerator Crossness Sewage Treatment Works incinerator burns sludge & generates enough electricity to power the site Crossness Pumping Station looks derelict but certainly isn't! Pumping station interior. The Victorians just loved being over the top! Prince Consort is fully restored & fired up on open days After Crossness Pumping Station came a gentle left hand bend in the river to reveal the first view of the skyscrapers of Canary Wharf in the distance. This is always a most welcome sight as it marks the start of the end of the England Coast Path section of the Sea to Source walk. Between here and Woolwich I passed Thamesmead on the left. Thamesmead is a huge housing estate first developed in the late 1960 as mainly social housing to deal with serious overcrowding in South East London. It was built on former marshland most of which was previously part of the Royal Woolwich Arsenal site. Woolwich & the City come into view Beyond Thamesmead, Barking Creek Flood Barrier loomed large on the right hand side of the river. It’s a much larger version of the Dartford Creek Flood Barrier and at the mouth of Barking Creek, it is designed to prevent flooding of Barking during very high Thames tides. Barking Creek Flood Barrier; in fact there are 3 mini-barriers either side of it About 1½ miles further on beyond the Barking flood barrier I reached the entrance to Woolwich Foot Tunnel just after midday. This is where the England Coast Path ends and the official Thames Path starts. The tunnel opened in 1912 and connects Old Woolwich on the south bank with North Woolwich on the north bank. It’s open 24 hours a day unlike the alternative Woolwich Ferry, which whilst also free, only operates from 06:00 to 22:00 each day. Overall, I'm not a big fan of the 47 miles of England Coast Path section apart from Grain to the QEII Bridge but you have to walk them if you are going to be able to say "I've walked the Thames from Sea to Source"! Anyway, they were now under my belt for another year. “Assembly” in Woolwich is intended to represent a group of people coming together for a meeting Woolwich Ferry. This is where the North Circular & South Circular roads 'meet' in the east The Woolwich Foot Tunnel is where the England Coast Path ends & the Thames Path starts, although the signage doesn't make this clear After another 1½ miles I reached the Thames Barrier. Until January 2022, this was the official start/end of the Thames Path. Approaching the Thames Barrier Tate & Lyle's Thames Refinery is the largest sugar refinery in the EU and one of the largest in the world MV Royal Iris was a Mersey ferry for 40 years until 1991. Since 2002 it's been moored here slowly rusting away. Hopes of restoration seem slim! Thames Barrier Thames Barrier Sailing boat passing through the Thames Barrier The remainder of this section took me up the right hand side of the Greenwich peninsular past the O2 and then down the left hand side of the peninsula into Greenwich. Climbing experience on the roof of the O2 The O2 One of my favourite views. Riverside apartments with the backdrop of Canary Wharf skyscrapers Old cobbled streets of Greenwich "Anchor Iron" outdoor sculpture by Wendy Taylor Patriotic Trafalgar Tavern Greenwich Admiral Lord Nelson looking towards the river The Cutty Sark Beyond Greenwich and really much of the walk through Deptford & Rotherhithe was pleasant enough but with the path being forced away from the river and so many apartment blocks, it wasn’t desperately interesting. As always though, I stopped off at Surrey Docks Farm for a quick look at the animals and a coffee. I’m always pleased to publicise the work of this charity https://www.surreydocksfarm.org.uk/ Peter The Great came to London to learn about shipbuilding & navigation. His aim? To establish the 1st Russian Navy Twinkle Park in Deptford World Voyager specialises in cruises to the Antarctic Sheep at Surrey Docks Farm Geese at Surrey Docks Farm Surrey Basin Bascule Bridge crossed the lock from the river into Surrey Basin The Brunel Museum is a fascinating little museum - well worth a visit I always read this as 'The Happy Houseboat'! Former wharves at St Saviour's Dock on the River Neckinger - a small, mainly subterranean river flowing from Southwark to the Thames On reaching Tower Bridge, London suddenly became noticeably busier as it always does. Testament to this unique bridge is that so many people were taking their Instagram selfies with it as their background. Tower Bridge The final 3 miles of my walk to Vauxhall Bridge were quickly dispatched with the usual bottleneck at the London Eye. I finished the 22 miles at around 18:15. World Voyager that I saw earlier at Surrey Docks Farm now moored up alongside HMS Belfast Southwark Cathedral Southbank looking downstream towards St Pauls & Blackfriars Looking upstream towards Battersea Power station from Vauxhall Bridge

I checked out of the Gillingham Premier Inn but left my luggage there. I’d collect this later in the day after my walk. My hope today would be to reach Woolwich but I knew I probably wouldn’t make it that far because at the end of the walk I’d have to get back to the Premier Inn to pick up my luggage and then get home to Northamptonshire. Anyway, after another early breakfast I walked to Gillingham Station and caught a train to Gravesend. It was another cracking morning with a clear blue sky! Walking down from the station to the river I passed through St George’s churchyard. St George’s is famous for its association with and statue of Princess Pocahontas - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pocahontas St George's Church Gravesend & the statue of Pocahontas On the river it’s very hard to miss LV21, a 40 metre long former lightship that is now a cultural hub; it is very red! It’s moored close to Gravesend Town Pier which is where until the end of March 2024 a regular ferry operated across to Tilbury. The operator of the service gave notice that it was no longer financially viable after that date to continue without more subsidies. LV21 & Gravesend Town Pier Gravesend - looking upstream. Tilbury Docks on the other side of the river Heading out of Gravesend, the path first of all passed through a new housing estate – Cable Wharf. This is the estate where last year, walking in the opposite direction and after following the Thames Path signs religiously, I ended up being asked by builders where my hard hat was! This was because I should not have been able to get as far as I did without being told to go back. A very understanding site foreman escorted me off the site at the time. I noticed this year that the sign still sends walkers down where I went. Maybe they’ve now finished building that part of the estate; however, I decided not to investigate. Cable Wharf housing estate. Last year I was sold a dummy by this sign! After Cable Wharf I passed the Andrex Water Tower at the Kimberly Clark Mill; this is where our loo rolls are produced. I then continued along the most unlikely looking section of path through Tarmac’s works and then the land being redeveloped by Bellway for housing, before eventually emerging at Ebsfleet United’s football ground. Andrex Water Tower Entering Tarmac's cement & lime works At least there is some fencing to protect you This was previously Bevan's Cement Works. Britannia is a WW1 statue dedicated to employees killed in the conflict. I believe it must be listed Just keep following the signs! Eventually reach Ebbsfleet United's ground From there the path continued into Northfleet Industrial Estate before thankfully turning off into Botany Marsh, a local wildlife site on the Swanscombe Peninsular. The site has numerous footpaths and supports a number of endangered species of animals. However, the massive chimney belonging to Britannia Refined Metals and the 2 electricity pylons which carry the 400 kV Thames Crossing from Swanscombe to West Thurrock in Essex dominate the skyline. The official path passes right next to the Swanscombe pylon and at 623 feet in height, it and its twin across the river are the tallest electricity pylons in the UK. A couple of beautiful old Routemasters! This grass bank is the official path! This is much better now Taller than the BT Tower & you can walk right under it Swanscombe's twin across the river at West Thurrock Continuing past the pylon brought me out to the riverside at Greenhithe from where the QEII Bridge came into view. The bridge is the southbound component of the Dartford Crossing, whilst the 2 tunnels under the river comprise the northbound part. The QEII Bridge got ever larger the closer I got until eventually the path passed right underneath it. It’s certainly a handsome piece of architecture. Approaching Greenhithe QEII Bridge Under the QEII Bridge QEII Bridge Beyond the bridge came the Dartford Creek Flood Barrier which crosses the mouth of the River Darent. Built in 1981, it’s a brutal piece of functional architecture that does its job in preventing flooding in Dartford and Crayford when the Thames tides are really high. It has two 160 tonne drop-leaf gates that can be lowered if the Thames threatens to inundate the land. Together with the much larger Barking Creek Flood Barrier further upstream, the Thames Barrier itself, countless other barriers and flood gates, river walls and embankments these are London’s flood defences. Dartford Creek Flood Barrier The mouth of the Darent isn’t that wide but you need to cross this river to continue towards London. The thing is, there is no bridge to be able to cross here and the barrier itself is off limits. It’s therefore necessary to walk down one side of the river towards Dartford until you reach the A206 which crosses the river. Having crossed the river you have to continue along the A206 into Barnes Cray, although the official path gets you into Barnes Cray another, slightly longer way off the main road. Next you have to walk up the side of the River Cray (a tributary of the Darent) and finally up the other side of the Darent before finally reaching the Thames again. In total this rather uninspiring adventure up and down the Darent is 5.4 miles. On this occasion I completed it in a record time (for me) of 90 minutes. 5.4 miles to cross maybe 50 yards The River Darent The A206 where you can cross the Darent The A206 is a very busy road but the crash barrier protects you Barnes Cray Barnes Cray You walk up the Cray to rejoin the Darent We're now heading back towards the flood barrier Yay! Glad that's over. Now back to the Thames Back alongside the Thames the path continued very briefly past a very noisy and untidy industrial estate before turning off to the streets of Erith. I reached the town centre at about 15:30 and after walking 18 miles I decided to call it a day. I hadn’t made it to Woolwich today but I wasn’t too upset. By the time I’d retrieved my luggage from Gillingham, got back to London and finally back to Northamptonshire, it was gone 22:00 and I was exhausted! It 'aint pretty - that's for sure Erith Pier is London's longest pier

Official Stage Statistics Route distance – 10.19 miles Duration - 4 hours 3 mins Total ascent – 775 feet Total descent - 719 feet Highest point – 369 feet Fly-through of this stage Logistics Drive to Salisbury & park in Central car park SP1 3SL - MIPortal 710180 or scan QR Code Walk to Amesbury Catch 8, X4 or X5 bus to Salisbury - 20 mins Drive to Salisbury South Premier Inn SP1 2FF & stay the night My Walk I did this walk out of sequence before I’d finished the Wessex Ridgeway and Cranborne Droves Way stages. This was because ahead of doing these stages I had a spare afternoon in Salisbury and I hate wasting time. It was clear from the stats and fly-through of this stage that it would be pretty easy to complete in less than 4 hours which I did. Unfortunately, it was a bit of a cloudy day on May 8th so my photos of the walk weren’t as good as I’d wish them to be. As it's highly unlikely I'll ever repeat the Great Chalk Way and I want my blog to reflect the path at its best, I repeated this stage in its entirety later in August on what was an absolutely gorgeous day. Most of my photos are therefore from August which explains the brown grass and fields! This wouldn't be the only stage I'd repeat before reaching Holme-next-the-Sea; I also repeated a couple of stages along The Ridgeway for the same reason! In all I walked an extra 40 miles. I know I'm crazy but that's just the way I am! Starting from the Cathedral, the path would take me northbound alongside the River Avon a short distance before turning off and heading uphill to Old Sarum. Turning left at Old Sarum I’d walk almost straight ahead for the next 3 miles to the pretty village of Upper Woodford, followed by the equally pretty village of Great Durnford. Another 2½ miles through some woodland and across fields and I’d reach the end of the walk in Amesbury. Setting off from Salisbury Cathedral I couldn’t see any fingerposts or waymarkers for either the Sarsen Way or its close friend the Pewsey Avon Trail. I knew however which way to go through the city centre and towards Salisbury River Park. Salisbury Cathedral has the tallest church spire in the UK at 404 feet Cathedral Close Salisbury High Street Gate is one of the main gates to Cathedral Close The River Avon The first of six boards promoting the Great Chalk Way along the trail Very soon I reached Salisbury River Park. Lifted from local.gov.uk “The Salisbury River Park Project is an ongoing collaborative project between Wiltshire Council and the Environment Agency, with support from both the Swindon and Wiltshire Local Enterprise Partnership (SWLEP) and Salisbury City Council to deliver essential flood alleviation and major environmental improvements through the central riverside spine of the historic city of Salisbury.” Whilst the work hasn’t finished, I could see how attractive this part of Salisbury will eventually look. For now, there are loads of metal fences keeping you away from the building works. I took the option to walk along the official path between this fencing. I didn’t know at the time that there was also another option to walk along an attractive boardwalk through Avon Valley Nature Reserve alongside the river which would bring me out on the official path – not to worry. River Avon Salisbury River Park Salisbury River Park Old Sarum on the hill in the distance Eventually the path crossed the Avon & emerged onto Stratford Road in Salisbury where I turned right and crossed to the other side of the road. At a gap between 2 houses was a path leading up to Old Sarum. Dogs enjoying playing in the water First of many thatched roof cottages today The path up towards Old Sarum Old Sarum is a fascinating place to visit. It began life as a large Iron Age fort dug around 400 BC. It was the site of the earliest settlement of Salisbury, about 2 miles north of modern Salisbury. Centuries later the Normans constructed a motte and bailey castle, a stone curtain wall and a great cathedral within the fort. A royal palace was built within Old Sarum Castle for King Henry I. Constant disputes between the monarchs of the day and church powers eventually led to the construction of a new cathedral in ‘New Salisbury’. Construction began in 1220 and was completed in 1258 using some of the stone from the original cathedral that was slowly dismantled. The foundations of the original cathedral can still be seen however. Today English Heritage manages Old Sarum and entrance costs £6.50. Note however, that you’re paying to view the remains of the Norman castle as everything else including the old cathedral’s foundations and walking along the ramparts of the original fort is free. I really enjoyed spending some time there. Old Sarum - a fort within a fort! The footprint of the first Salisbury Cathedral at Old Sarum The rampart is pretty high! Rampart and ditch to keep intruders out! The Sarsen Way takes a left at Old Sarum After Old Sarum the trail continued along a dead straight chalk path that seemed to go on forever. I could imagine traders from thousands of years ago driving their ox carts along this path! Eventually this path came to an end and gave way to a steep descent through the woods of Little Durnford Hill into the riverside village of Netton. The path beyond Old Sarum Another attractive cottage Still going straight Descending Little Durnford Hill Cabbage Cottage in Netton A short walk along the road and I came to Woodford Bridge and the village of Upper Woodford. Wow! A lovely view of thatched roof properties, the River Avon and a pub! Crossing the Avon at Upper Woodford. How pretty! The Bridge Inn at Upper Woodford Beyond Upper Woodford the path continued alongside the River Avon and reached yet another pretty village - Great Durnford. A climb up the road out of the village was followed by a moderately steep climb up through Beech Wood before the path opened up onto fields with far reaching views. Continuing alongside the River Avon Great Durnford - thatched roof heaven! The Great Bustard at Great Durnford. We're still in August and look at the leaves on this tree Great Durnford Great Durnford Great Durnford Loads of conkers! So pretty! Walk up through these woods Woods open up to this view Path beyond the woods Sheep really aren't bothered by me Final 'ascent' of this stage Soon the houses of Amesbury appeared and the path descended gently towards the town. What a thoroughly enjoyable walk this had been! Amesbury ahead Crossing the River Avon once again .....................and once more! Historic road bridge across the River Avon Amesbury Parish Church of St Mary and St Melor Sunny Amesbury Amesbury is really well blessed with buses back to Salisbury, even on Sundays and Bank Holidays. Being south of the A303 and the Stonehenge pinch point means that the buses can get back to Salisbury in around 20 minutes. Market Square Salisbury

Official Stage Statistics Route distance – 14.76 miles Duration - 5 hours 35 mins Total ascent – 577 feet Total descent – 601 feet Highest point – 268 feet Fly-through of this stage Logistics Drive to Watton IP25 6XT - free car parking Walk to Castle Acre Get taxi to Swaffham - 07528 535044 £15 Catch 11 bus to Watton Drive to Premier Inn King's Lynn PE34 3LW & stay night My Walk Today’s penultimate stage of the Great Chalk Way would begin from where I left off a couple of days earlier in the centre of Watton. After a mile or so of walking along the main road to the west of the town, I’d reach the point where the Peddars Way joined this road from the left hand side. After another mile alongside this busy road, the trail would leave it at Little Cressingham. The next 4 miles would be along a very quiet single track road which unfortunately had tall hedges either side of it for much of the time. A very short respite from the road would take me across fields into the village of North Pickenham. The trail would then join another road past a go karting circuit, where it would continue along a dead straight bridleway for 1½ miles to reach the A47 at the Swaffham Services, the halfway point of the Peddars Way. After crossing the A47, the trail would continue along a single track road for another 3 miles before reaching the junction with the A1065 Swaffham to Fakenham road. Having crossed the main road, the trail would continue into South Acre, where for the first time today there would be a little bit of excitement – in fact a lot! The path would cross the River Nar and pass by the remains of Castle Acre Priory. Continuing into Castle Acre the road would pass through a fabulous Norman Bailey Gate into the centre of the village. This is where my walk would finish today. My day began with an early morning 80 mile drive from home to Watton. For me, this is an easy drive as I live just off junction 13 of the A14 in Northamptonshire. The A14 has been improved out of all recognition since 2020, making the drive to Cambridge and beyond a dream these days. By 8:30, I’d parked my car in the Goddard Court car park which was free. The car park also had toilets that were spotless – well done Breckland Council! It was a fabulous morning and my spirits were high. Walking along the pavement out of town and then briefly on a grass verge I soon reached the point where the Peddars Way joined from the left hand side. For the next mile the path followed the busy road but on the field side of the verge to protect walkers from the traffic. Thankfully, the road into Little Cresshingham soon branched off to the right and everything quietened down. Four miles of walking along a single track road followed, much of which had tall hedges on both sides. Whilst not very inspiring, it was a lovely day and mostly flat. At least there were places where the path encouraged me to walk on the field side of the hedges. I’d have been more upset if it had been four miles of walking through a forest on a day like this. This is where I met up with the Peddars Way coming from the left Pleasant enough views Very quiet road Not a huge amount to see with hedges on both sides Occasional walking on the other side of the hedges About a mile away from North Pickenham, the path left the road and continued cross country into the pretty village. There is a well signposted café at the Community Hub in the village. I resisted any temptation to stop here for a coffee, since such stops invariably lead to the purchase of cake! North Pickenham The path continued out of the village on Procession Lane, climbing up towards the Anglia Karting Centre, built on part of the former RAF North Pickenham airfield. The airfield was controversially once used by the USAF during the Cold War to store Thor ballistic missiles. The Thor site at the airfield was the focus of CND’s early antinuclear protest. In November 1958 small numbers of demonstrators started to picket the base, protesting about the UK’s imminent deployment of nuclear missiles and seeking to block access to the site by the contractors pouring concrete for the missile launch complex. The airfield was closed in 1965 and these days the 3 runways are home to huge poultry sheds belonging to Bernard Mathews. A wind farm has been operating on the site since 2006. The trail crossed the road at the top of the hill by the karting centre and continued dead straight as a pleasant bridleway before reaching the A47. Shortly before reaching the A47, I passed the third Songline statue (I’d missed the second towards the end of the previous stage!). The text on this statue was – “The piety of every man and every woman's whispered prayer Clasped in the grain of wood and stone & in the grace of ancient air.” The A47 at Swaffham Services On the other side of the A47, the trail continued mainly as a quiet, gently falling single track road for 3 more miles, finally emerging onto the A1065 Swaffham to Fakenham road. There was a lot of road walking today! Walking alongside the road but on the other side of the hedges Cross the road for the final push into Castle Acre After crossing the road, the trail continued towards Castle Acre and very soon, the tower of St James the Great Church could be seen in the distance. This church has the honour of being the only one along the Peddars Way. The path descended and crossed a wooden bridge over the River Nar. On the other side, the remains of Castle Acre Priory came clearly into view. My first ‘Wow!’ moment since leaving Knettishall Heath. The priory is East Anglia’s biggest and best-preserved monastic ruin. Continuing past the priory, the trail continued along the narrow road through the village, emerging onto the village green through an amazing Bailey Gate in fantastic condition. This was the end of today’s stage. Castle Acre is a rare and complete survival of a Norman planned settlement, including a castle, village, parish church and one of the best-preserved monastic sites in England. All this was the work of a great Norman baronial family, the Warennes, mainly during the 11th and 12th centuries. The village demanded further exploration, so after sitting on a bench eating my sandwich in the sunshine along with a few more walkers, I decided to take a wander around the village. The entrance to the priory. The site is managed by English Heritage St James the Great Church The castle was another ‘Wow!’ moment. It’s an example of a Norman motte-and-bailey castle. The ‘motte’ is a tall artificial mound, on top of which a wooden or stone fortified tower – called a keep – would be built. This is where the Lord of the Castle would live. The motte served 2 main functions; it was a look-out spot given its height and its keep would serve as the last stronghold in the event of the castle being attacked. At the base of the motte, the bailey was a courtyard which surrounded the it and had a defensive wall to keep out unwanted visitors. The bailey would have been where most of the day-to-day activities of a castle would take place – the stables, kitchens, storerooms, living quarters of the people associated with the castle such as soldiers and servants for example. A chapel may even have been located there. A ditch would usually have been dug out around the bailey to create a dry moat, with the soil from the ditch being used to help construct the motte. Knowing all the above, I was able to appreciate the remains of the castle before me. I didn’t have my drone with me on this walk which would have been really handy to fully appreciate the castle; unfortunately, I’d left it in my car at Watton. However, I’d be returning here tomorrow morning as I began the final stage to Holme and Hunstanton, so I’d aim to get an aerial photo then. Drone image taken next day For its size, Castle Acre certainly packs in a lot of history – I absolutely loved it. I now had to get back to Watton where my car was. I phoned Swaffham Taxis for a taxi back to Swaffham. Liam, the owner, picked me up within 15 minutes and dropped me off by the bus stop in the market place. The fare was a reasonable £15. I booked Liam to pick me up from the same place tomorrow morning at 9:15 to take me back to Castle Acre. In Swaffham, I didn’t have to wait long at all for the number 11 bus back to Watton. Back in Watton I drove to the Kings Lynn Premier Inn as this is where I’d be staying tonight. Despite the amount of road walking today, I preferred this middle stage of the Peddars Way to the first one; clearly, Castle Acre had a lot to do with it. Tomorrow was going to be a long day that would see me seeing the sea again after first leaving it at the end of April in Lyme Regis, more than 360 miles away. I was really excited!

Official Stage Statistics Route distance – 14.03 miles Duration - 5 hours 13 mins Total ascent – 392 feet Total descent – 326 feet Highest point – 166 feet Fly-through of this stage Logistics Drive to Cambridge North station & park car CB4 1UN - £9.80 Catch 08:19 train to Thetford - 42 mins Get taxi to Knettishall Heath Icknield Way Car Park - £20 Walk to Watton Catch 82 bus to Attleborough from stop opposite Crown Hotel at 13:50 14:50 16:10 17:10 Walk to Attleborough Station - 10 mins Catch train back to Cambridge North 14:46 & hourly Drive home My Walk The Peddars Way is almost straight as an arrow. As close as possible, it follows an ancient Roman route along tracks, footpaths and minor roads towards The Wash. With the exception of Castle Acre, it’s not desperately interesting IMHO – pretty in places but that’s it. Looking at the Peddars Way and Norfolk Coast National Trail as a whole, I see the Peddars Way as very much the starter ahead of the main course which takes the walker along the Norfolk coast, taking in coastal wildlife reserves, birdlife and seaside towns. This National Trail is therefore very much a trail of 2 halves. Today’s first stage would begin at Knettishall Heath where the Icknield Way Path finished and in less than ½ mile the path would cross a bridge over the River Little Ouse into Norfolk – the 11th county the Great Chalk Way passes across. Being a National Trail, the Peddars Way would be extremely well signposted and for another 6 miles, I’d walk along a well defined path, over the busy A11 and on to the village of Stonebridge. For much of the time the path would be tree lined, resulting in limited views. In Stonebridge, the path would continue along a road for a mile or so before becoming a wide track. For much of the remainder of the walk, most of the land on the left hand side would be fenced off with countless ‘Military firing range. Keep out’ signs. This was Stanford Training Area – referred to as STANTA. In 1942 the Ministry of Defence (MOD) compulsorily purchased 30,000 acres of land in the Brecks to turn into a battle training area. To do so it evacuated the villages of Buckenham Tofts, Langford, Stanford, Sturston, Tottington and West Tofts. At the time the villagers were told that they would be able to return to their homes after WW2; however, the MOD later reneged on its promise and this continues to cause resentment. The area became known as STANTA. One positive outcome of the evacuations was that it resulted in the creation of the largest SSSI in lowland Britain. Rare Breckland flowers and birds, such as the stone curlew, now thrive. The training area originally had a mock German village constructed. Subsequently a replica of a typical Afghan village was built. In 2022, STANTA was used by the British Army and armies from a number of other allies to deliver basic and leadership training to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Numerous outdoor locations within STANTA were used for the filming of Dad’s Army and even today, a few locations can be hired for filming locations. Once again, the things I learn as a result of my walks! As this section alongside STANTA was through light woodland, there wouldn’t be a great deal to see on the right hand side either. Eventually I’d reach the northern end of STANTA and the Peddars Way would bear left. However, having decided to finish my walk at Watton, I’d continue straight on for about a mile to reach the market town of Watton. I'd go straight on here to end my walk today My day began with a drive from home to Cambridge North Station. Cambridge North is easier to reach than the main station as you don’t have to drive into the city centre. I caught the train to Thetford and there was a waiting taxi outside the station. The driver was familiar with the Icknield Way car park at Knettishall Heath and by 09:15 I was ready to start the final trail of the Great Chalk Way. 46 miles to the sea The start of the walk was very much a continuation of the Icknield Way Path. I very soon crossed a small wooden bridge over the River Little Ouse and in so doing I crossed from Suffolk into Norfolk. And we're off! Crossing from Suffolk into Norfolk These fences are to keep otters out of a fishing lake - hope they can read! More otter fencing on the right After crossing a couple of roads, the path entered a forested area described as Thorpe Forest. The forest is the home of Forest Holidays Thorpe Forest which specialises in log cabin hot tub breaks! Beyond the log cabins the path continued along a long wooden boardwalk leading up to a wooden bridge over the River Thet. This area is subject to flooding at times; hence the boardwalk. In fact, a notice attached to a fingerpost showed a long diversion if even the boardwalk was under water. This diversion was waymarked. A couple of workmen were replacing a section of the boardwalk as I walked over it. Once over the Thet, the next couple of miles were along paths through more woodland with breaks every now and again. The path emerged onto the A11 – a busy dual carriageway. There was no bridge or subway but at least there was a central reservation, so it wasn’t too bad getting across. 42 miles to go Beyond the A11, the path crossed the Norwich mainline railway tracks at Shadwell Crossing. For those of a nervous disposition, military troops on foot and groups of pedestrians, an underpass was provided! Continuing beyond the railway, the next 2 miles were dead straight, initially through a wooded area but then along a more open path, before emerging into Stonebridge. Various areas on my left were fenced off with ‘Military Firing Zone – Keep Out’ signs. I was none of the above! After crossing the main road through the village, the path took a left along a metalled road through yet more woodland. After a mile of walking along the road it became more of a wide track and this is where the continuous STANTA fences and warning signs began. For the next few miles of walking through woodland, the left hand side was all out of bounds. Take the right fork The right hand side was also tree covered – by no means unpleasant but not very exciting. I did however pass an unusual sculpture. This was the first of 5 sculptures along the trail. The sculptures are part of a multimedia art project called “A Norfolk Songline”. The project was inspired by the Peddars Way. I knew there were 5 sculptures to look out for but I didn’t know exactly where they were located - the excitement of the Peddars Way!. This first sculpture had the text - “The footprint of our ancestors Familiar as our own faces Remote as fossils Written on clay And washed away Over & over Over and over” A little beyond the sculpture there should have been (and quite probably was) a turning to the right to take me to Thompson Water, a manmade lake and part of the Pingo Trail walk. Walkers often stop here for a break. For my part there was so much tree cover and foliage that I may have missed the turning. I wasn’t too upset. After another 3 miles of mainly walking through woods I finally reached a fingerpost pointing left for the Peddars Way but straight on for 1 mile to Watton. Even though it was only 1:15, I’d decided to finish at Watton for the day, since it offered me the public transport I needed to get back to Cambridge. The last mile began as a wide track which narrowed quite considerably before reaching the main road into the town. I subsequently discovered that I’d missed the second Songline sculpture shortly before I left the trail to walk into Watton! Watton is the smallest of the Breckland’s 5 market towns. I have to commend the council on the state of the town’s public conveniences – absolutely spotless! I got to my bus stop with a couple of minutes to spare. The driver of the bus drove at breakneck speed to Attleborough, a very attractive market town. The railway station was a 10 minute walk from the town centre and my train to Cambridge arrived on time. Sitting on the train, thinking about today’s walk, it had been very easy but with so much walking through woods, it hadn’t been very interesting to be honest. I’d completed it in under 4 hours which reflects the flat terrain and there being little for me to stop for. Here’s hoping the next walk would be more satisfying!

Official Stage Statistics Route distance – 15.85 miles Duration - 5 hours 58 mins Total ascent – 567 feet Total descent – 550 feet Highest point – 191 feet Fly-through of this stage - assuming no byway closures Logistics Drive to Cambridge station & park car - Rustat Avenue, Cambridge - JustPark Catch 08:00 Cross Country train to Ely Catch 08:30 train to Bury St Edmunds Catch 355 bus to Icklingham 09:20 - 20 mins OR if lucky catch 16 bus at 09:02! Walk to Knettishall Heath - about 6 hours Get taxi to Thetford Railway Station – Ask to be collected at Icknield Way car park - LJs 01842 552907 - £20 Catch train to Cambridge - 48 mins Drive home My Walk The final leg of the Icknield Way Path, within the area known as the Brecks, would be mainly about trees – and lots of them, as the path would take me through the 5800 acre King’s Forest, part of the much larger Thetford Forest complex. Beyond the forest, the path would continue along footpaths and farm tracks towards Euston, the only settlement of this whole stage. After stopping in Euston to eat my sandwich, I’d then push on for the final 3½ miles to Knettishall Heath. The surface of the path would become more and more sandy as I progressed and this would be really noticeable in places where it would feel like I was walking along a sandy beach! Despite the sand, because this part of the country is so flat, this would be a very easy and enjoyable walk. The Brecks is an area of 390 square miles either side of the Norfolk/Suffolk border. The name was coined after WG Clarke published ‘In Breckland Wilds’ in 1925. The land is characterised by forest, heath, farmland and dry sandy soil. Over the last hundred years the ancient character of the Brecks has been changed forever. The large-scale pine plantations of Thetford Forest and the use of modern farming technology have transformed much of it into more productive land. The remaining stretches, and the more open parts of the forest are now vital areas for wildlife conservation. The logistics for this stage were going to be a little more convoluted today. I began with a drive from home to Cambridge and once again I found a private parking space close to the railway station using the JustPark app. I caught the 08:00 train to Ely, changing there for the train to Bury St Edmunds. I then caught the number 16 bus back to Icklingham. The first 1½ miles of this stage involved walking alongside a number of fields before reaching a T-junction. A left turn would take me along a byway into King’s Forest, whereas a right turn would take me down to a road that would go past West Stow Anglo Saxon Village. Interestingly, back in April when my sister and I were having a Sunday walk along The Ridgeway in Wendover, a fellow walker stopped and asked us for directions, as the HS2 works had resulted in the closure of a number of local roads. We got talking and I told him I was planning to shortly walk the Great Chalk Way from end to end. He mentioned that he’d recently had to call a halt to his walk along the Icknield Way Path at Icklingham because the official route through King’s Forest was closed. I thought this sounded a bit extreme as the forest is fairly large, so surely there must be another way through it! Anyway, we pointed him in the right direction through Wendover and I thought no more about it until I started planning this final stage. So, in August I started googling and discovered that, sure enough, the official route through the forest was along one of the byways that Suffolk County Council had slapped a Traffic Regulation Order on in August 2024, valid until February 2027. I did actually write to the council asking if there was a diversionary route but was told there wasn’t one. I was told the closure of the byways was due to widespread damage caused by 4x4 vehicles and trail bikes. The byways would be closed until repairs had been carried out. It struck me that surely they meant the closures only related to vehicles, not pedestrians. It's official - these byways are closed to ALL traffic I also found this reply to a Freedom Of Information request online - 2/ The documented "risk to public safety" that would be expected to arise from the use of these byways by (a) Pedestrians, (b) cyclists, and (c) horse-riders, outside of times when any resurfacing works are in progress. Was any consideration given to whether the objectives could have been achieved by closing the routes just to motorized vehicles, and only implementing a full closure for the duration of any works? Byways exhibited pervasive features which were deemed a risk to public safety including all users. Consideration was given to whether closing routes to particular user groups would be possible, but due to the damage caused this was deemed not possible. I decided in advance that I wouldn't mess about going up one of these byways only to be turned back if works were being carried out. I'm pretty certain I was overthinking things however! Bearing all the above in mind, when it came to the day of my walk, having reached the T-junction where a left hand turn would take me into the forest along one of the closed byways, I was a good boy and instead turned right heading towards West Stow Country Park & Anglo Saxon Village. I would then walk along the road and turn left into the forest a little way to the east of the closed byway. Computer says 'No' I passed the entrance to the country park. The Anglo Saxon Village is a recreation of a village occupied from AD 420-650. Just past the entrance I took a left into the forest. I knew that basically I had to walk roughly south to north for about 4 miles. The OS App on my phone ensured I didn’t veer off course. I just couldn’t believe that the chap we’d met in Wendover back in April had been put off by the closure of the official route. First & only stopping point for refreshments As good a place as any to enter the forest King’s Forest was created by the Forestry Commission in the mid-1930’s. The planting of the forest coincided with the Silver Jubilee of King George V and Queen Mary in 1935 and the forest was given its name in honour of that occasion. Most of the forest is planted with pine which is sustainably managed for timber through a cycle of clearfelling and replanting, providing habitat for a number of ground nesting birds such as woodlarks and nightjars. There is also a network of broadleaf trees, mainly oak, across the forest and around the boundary. Whilst there are no published figures for the number of trees in the forest, it's fair to say that there are an awful lot! It was a very pleasant and calming experience walking through it. I only passed a couple of dog walkers and that was it. As I wasn’t following the official path, I was so grateful that I had the OS App, as with so many small paths it would have been so easy to go off course and get lost – something it didn’t bear thinking about. There is repair work going on! After about 75 minutes I reached Queen Mary’s Avenue, a path planted with beech trees rather than pine trees. I was now back on the Icknield Way Path, even though the route was officially closed. At the end of the avenue I emerged into the open and was greeted by a commemorative stone. This stone had the wording "This stone commemorates the Silver Jubilee of King George V. The Forestry Commissioners began in 1935 to afforest the King's Forest and to plant with beeches Queen Mary's Avenue which follows the course of the Icknield Way." I was also greeted by another notice advising me of the closure of byways, including another one that the official path was meant to follow. Looking at the council’s map and construction work that I could see was going on, I chose to cut out trying to get to Barrows Corner; instead, I took the route that I’ve highlighted in yellow on the next OS Map extract. This route involved walking along the north-eastern edge of King’s Forest until I rejoined the official path, which again was officially closed! Even though the landscape was flat as a pancake I was really enjoying my day walking amongst so many trees and admiring the views from gaps between them. The Icknield Way did a hard 90° left turn along a track and after another ½ mile, it took a hard 90° right turn along a stony-surfaced track, passing a large pig farm. I eventually reached and crossed over the A134 road. On the other side the path would continue virtually straight for about 3¾ miles, along a variety of surfaces, including sand which conspired to slow me down. I was very close to RAF Honington, home to RAF Force Protection. The station is a central hub for training RAF Regiment Gunners and RAF Police, featuring 25-metre ranges for live-fire training. There was a lot of training taking place on the day of my walk but thankfully no stray bullets came my way! The path emerged onto a road in the village of Euston. There was a lovely piece of green space with a bench, so I stopped here for my sandwich and a short rest. I was now just over 3 miles from Knettishall Heath! The Black Bourn - a tributary of the Little Ouse River Continuing for the final push, the path entered Euston Park, part of the 10,500 acre Euston Estate which is home to the 12th Duke of Grafton. The walk through the estate was pleasant enough with a mixture of open fields and lightly wooded tracks. After crossing one final minor road, the path continued towards the 3rd Icknield Way Association stone plinth milestone, which you’d have assumed would mark the end of the Icknield Way Path. If you didn’t know where to find it, you’d probably never know it was there because of the undergrowth around it. The easiest way to find it is to use the What3Words app. It’s location is at outraged.position.sharpened Having found the milestone, I cleared some of the undergrowth to get a couple of photos of it. Incidentally, I can’t recommend What3Words highly enough for solo walkers in particular. In the event of ever getting into trouble (heaven forbid) and having to call the Emergency Services, being able to quote your exact location to the nearest 3 square metres from What3Words could potentially be a lifesaver. The app relies on GPS rather than a mobile phone signal. I have the app on the home screen of my phone for easy access. Such sandy soil! Not quite at the finishing line! Interestingly, the Icknield Way Path continued for almost another ½ mile before reaching the official end of the trail in a car park at Knettishall Heath. One of the new Great Chalk Way information boards had been installed right next to a fingerpost telling me that Ivinghoe Beacon was 105 miles in one direction along the Icknield Way and Holme-next-the-Sea was 46 miles in the other direction along the Peddars Way. For me, this was the best handing over of the baton from one trail to the next along the Great Chalk Way! I’d now completed the longest of the 6 trails that comprise the Great Chalk Way. Knettishall Heath is a nature reserve extending to more than 430 acres. It retains a sense of what the whole of the Brecks would have looked like before the likes of Thetford Forest and King’s Forest were planted and modern farming techniques were implemented. Wild ponies graze on the heath all year round. The heath is extremely popular with walkers and cyclists. As everybody knows, facilities at Knettishall Heath are very limited. There are toilets in the main car park along Knettishall Road – 9:00 am – 4:30 pm. There is also a mobile barista a couple of days a week and that’s it! The Icknield Way Association has an alternative 5½ mile walk from Barrows Corner on the edge of King’s Forest, finishing in Thetford. They refer to it as the Thetford Link. Thetford is a market town with shops, pubs, a railway station, taxis and even one of my beloved Premier Inns! If you’re not continuing along the Peddars Way then the Thetford Link might well be for you; however, for me this would have been so unsatisfactory as I wanted to reach the official end of the Icknield Way Path. Thetford Link As a solo walker, a taxi from Knettishall Heath to Thetford Station was the answer. There are a number of car parks at Knettishall Heath, so when I phoned for a taxi it was important to say I wanted to be picked up from the Icknield Way Car Park – What3Words . I used LJs Taxis in Thetford. A friendly driver picked me up and drove me to the station. The fare was £20 – quite reasonable for the distance. Back in Thetford I caught a direct train to Cambridge where my car was and I then drove home. Icknield Way Path complete; now just the Peddars Way to go to finish my coast to coast walk!

Official Stage Statistics Route distance – 14.07 miles Duration - 5 hours 25 mins Total ascent – 719 feet Total descent – 798 feet Highest point – 444 feet Fly-through of this stage Logistics Drive to Rustat Avenue Cambridge & park car - JustPark Walk to Cambridge Station Catch train to Royston Station Walk to Great Chesterford via Littlebury avoiding the M11 footbridge Catch train to Cambridge Walk to Rustat Avenue Cambridge & pick up car Drive home My Walk On stage 4 of my Icknield Way Path walk, my irrational fear of narrow, high footbridges (gephyrophobia) would result in my longest detour to avoid having to cross the pedestrian bridge across the M11 and its slip roads at Junction 9. Due to the shape of the county boundaries, in the space of just a few miles today’s walk would pass through Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Essex. I chose Great Chesterford as my finishing point because it has a railway station with direct trains to Cambridge. After leaving Royston, today’s stage would be very much a case of walking alongside large arable fields for much of the route, interspersed with passing through a number of quaint Essex villages like Crishall, Elmdon and Strethall. The official route beyond Strethall would take me over the dreaded footbridge, crossing 7 lanes of M11 motorway traffic and into Great Chesterford. For me this was never going to happen, so whilst crossing the M11 couldn’t be avoided, I decided I would use a less intimidating road bridge near Strethall. This bridge would bring me into the village of Littlebury and from there I would walk roughly parallel to the M11 into Great Chesterford. My diversion would cost me almost 2 miles of additional walking but the peace of mind it would give me would be priceless!! Not on your life! As I was making my way eastwards along the Icknield Way, the landscape would become less and less hilly as I said goodbye to the Chilterns and this would be quite noticeable today with just one climb of any note into the village of Heydon. To get to the start of today’s walk at Royston, my day began with a drive to Cambridge railway station. Rather than fork out £15.80 for the pleasure of parking in the NCP car park at the station, I’d pre-booked a parking space belonging to a property in Rustat Avenue using the Just Park app. I paid less than half of what NCP wanted. As this was the first time I’d ever considered parking at an individual’s property I was slightly wary. Would there be another car in ‘my’ space when I got there? I needn’t have worried because everything worked out fine. My space was empty and was less than 10 minutes walk from the station. Great start to the day. I stopped off at the Sainsbury's Local to buy a sandwich for my lunch. My reason for choosing Cambridge station was that I could get a Thameslink train to the start at Royston and at the end of the walk I could catch a Greater Anglia train from Great Chesterford back to Cambridge. By just after 8:30 I emerged from Royston Station and walked down into the town to start my walk. It was yet another gorgeous day with not a cloud in the sky. The Greenwich Meridian runs just to the east of Royston marking 0° of longitude Within less than a mile I was out of the town and in the countryside. The OS map told me that I was walking along the ancient Icknield Way at this point. The landscape was relatively flat and dedicated to arable farming. The path mainly followed the edges of large fields although at times it was sandwiched between hedgerows – all very familiar stuff but still most enjoyable. Having crossed the county boundary into Cambridgeshire, the path took a 90° turn to the right and began a gentle at first climb towards Heydon along the line of Bran Ditch (AKA Heydon Ditch). Most of the ditch has been lost to agriculture over the years. Bran Ditch - just about dead straight Just before the end, the ditch climbed quite steeply Having emerged from the 'black hole', I'm looking back from the top of the hill. At 444 feet, the village of Heydon was the highest point of this stage; in fact, it’s one of the highest places in Cambridgeshire. Heydon has many attributes of a quintessential English village – village green ✔ church ✔ village pond ✔ pub ✔ thatched cottages ✔ Holy Trinity Church in the centre of the village was bombed by the Germans in 1940 and sustained a lot of damage. The north side of the nave and the tower were destroyed. In the 1950s, the church was restored. You can see from my photo that the tower was rebuilt using bricks rather than the original stone. Beyond Heydon, the Icknield Way Path crossed into Essex – the 5th of the 7 counties the trail passes through. Over the next 3 miles the path passed through 3 more quaint villages – Crishall, Elmdon and Strethall. This cottage in Elmdon was formerly a pub named The Carrier. Original pub sign still standing Cottage in Elmdon Heading towards Strethall In Strethall, the official path took a left towards the dreaded, narrow footbridge over the M11, although there was no waymarker on the fingerpost. In any case, I’d already planned my route to carry straight on instead and follow the road to a wider and much shorter bridge over the motorway. It's not even clear that this is the route of the Icknield Way Path! Road bridge over just 4 lanes of the M11. I can deal with this After crossing the motorway, the road dropped down into the pretty village of Littlebury. For the next 2 miles I walked along the verge of the quite busy B1383 towards Great Chesterford. It wasn’t ideal but I’ve walked on much worse & dangerous verges than this one. Eventually I reached the outskirts of Great Chesterford and a proper pavement. By now it was about 14:15. I was hot & sweaty and in need of a ‘proper’ drink, especially as I’d drunk all my water. With trains back to Cambridge every 30 minutes I was in no real hurry to walk to the station. Littlebury Littlebury View from the verge! Naively, I assumed that as Great Chesterford had a railway station, it would undoubtedly have a number of shops and pubs. I did find the Crown & Thistle pub but it was closed for the afternoon. I could have walked a further 400 yards to the Plough but I really couldn’t be bothered as I’d have to walk all the way back again. As I couldn’t see any shops, I asked a lady if the village had any. She kindly directed me towards Days Bakery and Food Hall – the only shop in the village. There I bought an overpriced bottle of water. Closed! I made my way to the station and waited in the sunshine for my train back to Cambridge. Back at Cambridge Station I walked over the Tony Carter Bridge back to my car. The Tony Carter Bridge, named after a former councillor who championed the construction of this iconic bridge, was the longest covered cycle bridge in the world at the time it was completed in 1991. At 780 feet, it is still the longest covered cycle bridge in the UK. It crosses 16 railway tracks at a height of 21 feet and was built to improve road accident statistics involving cyclists. I can quite happily walk over this bridge without any qualms which doesn’t make too much sense. I suspect it’s because a) the bridge is covered b) it’s wider than the narrow footbridges that freak me out! Anyway, back at my car, it was undamaged, not clamped and didn't have any rude messages stuck on the windscreen. I therefore deemed my first Just Park experience a big success and would repeat it for the next stage. Tony Carter Bridge According to the OS map, I had now completed 60 miles of the Icknield Way Path, so had just another 50 miles to go. My next stage would take me back into Cambridgeshire, finishing in the village of Stetchworth. The good news is that I wouldn’t have to take any more detours to avoid pesky narrow footbridges!

Official Stage Statistics Route distance – 17.67 miles Duration - 6 hours 55 mins Total ascent – 1108 feet Total descent – 1065 feet Highest point – 549 feet Fly-through of this stage Logistics Drive to Hitchin & park at Woodside Long Stay Car Park SG4 9SG Walk to Ickleford or catch bus 9B, 9D or 89 to Burford Grange stop & walk to Ickleford Walk to Royston Catch train from Royston to Hitchin Walk to Woodside Car Park & drive home My Walk The 3rd stage of the Icknield Way Path would begin with a short walk to Letchworth Garden City and from there on to Baldock. Beyond Baldock the path would rapidly become rural in nature with a mixture of walking alongside arable fields or alongside the familiar corridors of tall hedging either side of fields. The path would pass the villages of Clothall and Wallington where it would merge with the Hertfordshire Way as far as Sandon. From beyond Sandon the Hertfordshire Way would go its own way whilst the Icknield Way Path would head for Therfield and the highest point on today’s walk. The final 2½ miles to Royston would continue in much the same vein as the rest of this stage but just towards the end it would emerge onto Therfield Heath Nature Reserve, a 350 acre SSSI featuring Neolithic, Iron Age and Bronze Age archaeological artifacts. At more than 17½ miles this would be my longest walk along the Icknield Way Path. My day began with an early morning drive from home to the Woodside car park in Hitchin. Today was going to be another hot, sunny day. I caught the bus back to the nearest stop to Ickleford and walked into the village. Ickleford is one of those places where there are different Icknield Way routes depending on your mode of propulsion and you have to be careful which signs to follow. In this case, the Icknield Way Equestrian Trail took a different route to walkers and cyclists, resulting in the crossing of railway lines over different bridges. I carefully followed the signs and on a tree-lined path crossed a small wooden bridge over the River Hiz. Almost immediately was a bridge taking me across the East Coast main line and Thameslink local line railway tracks. Horses take a different route to walkers & cyclists Bridge over the River Hiz East Coast & Thameslink tracks Once across the railway tracks the path carried on for a mile or so alongside fields. The path emerged onto Stotfold Road which it crossed onto Wilbury Hill, before reaching the residential streets of Letchworth Garden City Despite its name, it is only a town with a population of about 34,000 people. Letchworth is famous for being the world’s first Garden City. Based on the ideas of Ebenezer Howard, construction began in 1903 under the ownership and control of First Garden City Ltd. Garden Cities were seen as a solution to the squalor and poverty of urban life in Britain in the late 19th Century. One consequence of this was that all houses should be built on relatively large plots resulting in bigger than average gardens. The tree-lined streets I was walking along reinforced this ethos. There were also to be plenty of green spaces around the town. An aerial photo of the town shows how compact the town is and how much green space there is. Letchworth Garden City The Lido was opened in 1935 with a 50 metre heated outdoor pool Central to the company’s ethos was a commitment to repatriate all profits back into the estate. Today the estate is managed by Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation. Any proposed changes to properties have to be approved by the foundation and changes need to stick to the published guidelines. One other thing that Letchworth is famous for is the UK’s first roundabout, built in around 1909. Unaware of this fact before my walk and not on the route of the Icknield Way Path itself, I went back in November 2025 to visit Sollershott Circus for myself. It was originally built as a pedestrian refuge at the intersection of 3 roads. Twenty years later, a decision was taken to direct all traffic to move in the same direction and a roundabout, as we know it today, was created! Sollershott Circus Sollershott Circus As I reached the town centre I couldn’t help but notice what looked like a pair of identical art deco buildings each emblazoned with the name The Spirella Company of Great Britain Ltd In fact, together with a building at the rear connecting them, they were formerly a factory manufacturing corsets from 1912 until 1989! The owners fully embraced Ebenezer Howard's vision of healthier living for workers. Referred to as the "factory of beauty", it offered a wide array of employee amenities including "baths, showers, gymnastics classes, a library, free eye tests and bicycle repairs". The building was Grade II listed in 1979 and acquired by the town in 1994. Following an £11 million regeneration project by Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation, the building is now leased out as office space. Anyway, history lesson over at last. After walking past the Spirella Building, the path took me along more tree-lined residential roads with traditionally designed houses and each house had a bit of green front garden. The streets and houses were just as I imagined. Industry was confined to an area on the north east of the town and the path took me through this area before veering off to the right down a narrow pedestrian footpath. I then crossed a footbridge over the A1(M). I’d looked at this bridge on Google Maps at the planning stage for this walk and decided that as it was relatively wide and not too high or long, I’d be able to cross it without getting totally stressed out. Whilst not desperately pleasant for me it was OK. Houses & streets just as I'd imagined The industrial area Footbridge over the A1(M) The A1(M) The bridge brought me into Baldock, a small, historic market town of about 11,000 people. Despite its size, it has a railway station. The Icknield Way took me down the High Street where there were a number of cafés with people sitting outside enjoying the Sunday sunshine. Set slightly back from the road was an impressive, large building and I was keen to see what it was. I got quite a surprise when I saw the large ‘Tesco Extra’ sign attached to the façade! It turns out that in 1924, inspired by Howard Carter’s explorations of Egypt, a giant art deco factory was designed by architects PHS Burditt and built in Baldock to house a film processing company called Kosmos. Only four years later in 1928, the building was taken over by the Full Fashion Hosiery Company. As with Spirella in Letchworth, the company's management fully embraced the ethos of looking after its workers, providing them with a swimming pool, bowling green and tennis courts which were located in what is now the Tesco car park! During World War II, the building was requisitioned for parachute manufacturing, just as the Spirella factory in Letchworth was. After the war the company went from strength to strength until finally closing in 1983. Tesco took the building over, retaining the art deco frontage, although I assume this was a requirement of planning consent. I did go inside to buy a sandwich for my lunch but sadly there were no signs of the building’s history. This is turning into quite a history lesson and I’m only 5 miles into the walk! The trail continued down Baldock High Street to a roundabout. Crossing the roundabout, it carried on along a residential street before narrowing to a tree lined footpath that led to a narrow footbridge over the busy A505 dual carriageway. Eek! I hadn’t noticed this bridge when I surveyed the route on Google Maps, which was possibly a good thing as I didn’t have any time to get pre-match nerves about crossing it. I have to say that unpleasant as it was, I looked straight ahead and crossed it. With the A505 out of the way, the landscape quickly changed from urban to rural with the now familiar sight of large, recently harvested fields bounded by hedgerows. The path climbed slowly but steadily towards the village of Clothall and the top of Bird Hill provided some nice views across to Baldock. The top of the hill was also covered in an impressive mass of purple coloured flowers. Google Lens told me that these were Phacelia Tanacetifolia and who was I to disagree! Continuing to climb, the path headed towards the village of Wallington. The author George Orwell lived at 2 Kits Lane Wallington between 1936 and 1940. His most famous book Animal Farm was written between November 1943 and February 1944 and published in 1945. The village of Willingdon in his book is widely believed to be based on Wallington. In real life, the farm that served as the primary inspiration for the book was Manor Farm in Wallington. There was a rival claim made on behalf of Bury Farm in the same village and some believe the fictional farm was an amalgam of both. Sunflowers at Bury Farm Goats resting in the shade Which path should I take? The Hertfordshire Way joined forces with the Icknield Way just before and beyond Wallington. After a couple of miles, I entered the village of Sandon where I stopped to eat my sandwich at All Saints Church. The 14th century church is memorable for its, let’s face it, pretty ugly 17th century buttresses that presumably were built to support the tower! The brick courses of these buttresses aren’t horizontal but instead slope inwards, confirming they were built to add strength. The Hertfordshire Way is waymarked in 2 directions! After passing through the churchyard the next 3 miles of walking continued through the churchyard with mostly all too familiar paths sandwiched between fields, shielded by a parasol of trees. This was pleasant enough on a warm afternoon but not very inspiring. Now that's a busy waymarker post! Eventually, I emerged into the really pretty village of Therfield, the highest point of today’s stage. Therfield is located on the northern edge of the Chilterns, specifically on a chalk ridge that forms part of this range, with its famous Therfield Heath known for being on the "final slopes of the Chilterns" and offering classic Chiltern landscape views. I’d read about Therfield’s village green pub, the Fox and Duck and this was proving very popular today. With less than 3 miles to reach Royston I was drawn towards the pub and decided to stop for a quick pint. Beyond Therfield the tree lined paths finally opened up to give almost unbroken views of the landscape. It was downhill almost all the way now. Just before reaching Royston, I emerged onto Therfield Heath, although it’s so close to Royston town centre that it’s also called Royston Heath. The heath contains a long barrow, thought to be Neolithic and several Bronze Age round barrows. I decided I’d have to come back to the heath to explore it more fully as it was so big. On a freezing, windy day in early January 2026 I came back with my drone. January 2026 The Neolithic Long Barrow in January 2026 - the oldest standing monument in Hertfordshire Bronze Age round barrows - January 2026 The Long Barrow & 5 Round Barrows - January 2026 Royston The path descended into Royston town centre, marking the end of today’s walk. The railway station was a short walk away. From there I caught a Thameslink train back to Hitchin, walked to my car and drove home. A long but interesting and enjoyable day! I allowed myself 4 days back home before embarking on the next stage from Royston to Great Chesterford. You guessed it - a former Post Office now a pub The Jolly Postie St John the Baptist Church in Royston

Official Stage Statistics Route distance – 16.43 miles Duration - 6 hours 28 mins Total ascent – 1103 feet Total descent – 1500 feet Highest point – 765 feet Fly-through of this stage Logistics Drive to Ivinghoe Beacon Car Park, Beacon Road HP4 1NF (OS SP963159) Walk to Toddington Get bus 42 or E back to Dunstable Get taxi to Ivinghoe Beacon Car Park £25 OR Get bus 61 61A or X61 to Ivinghoe Beacon stop on B489 and walk to car park Pick up car Drive to Portmill Lane Hitchin car park SG5 1DJ - free between 18:00 and 08:00 Walk across to Premier Inn and stay overnight My Walk This was my first stage of the Icknield Way. I used to live and work in Dunstable and was therefore familiar with much of the route. I even lived in Icknield Street, so ‘Icknield’ has always meant a lot to me! However, having moved away from the area more than 30 years ago I was keen to see what if anything had changed. I was really shocked to see the massive housing and industrial developments that have taken place to the north of Dunstable and Houghton Regis and the A5-M1 Dunstable Northern Bypass and junction 11A of the M1 that opened in 2017. Dunstable town centre has also changed significantly and not necessarily in a positive way I’m afraid to say. From my experience of having now walked this stage I’m assuming slight changes were made to the route of the Icknield Way in the light of the Dunstable Northern Bypass back in 2017. The Icknield Way doesn’t actually start from the top of Ivinghoe Beacon as you might think it should; instead, there is a green Icknield Way sign about 600 yards before the top pointing you towards the start of the trail. The Icknield Way is the only trail of the 6 that comprise the Great Chalk Way that greets the walker at both the start and the finish with a fanfare. The fanfare in this case is a stone milestone at Ivinghoe Beacon and a similar one at Knettishall Heath – although at Knettishall Heath it’s well camouflaged! There is also one at Balsham which is where the official opening ceremony of the Icknield Way Path was carried out in 1992. The start of the Icknield Way Path is also the start of the 7 mile section of the trail known as the Ridgeway Link. The link path follows the Icknield Way to Dagnall, Whipsnade and then across Dunstable Downs to the Chilterns Gateway Centre. This visitor centre, managed by the National Trust, provides the facilities lacking at Ivinghoe Beacon and has outstanding views for miles around. Beyond the visitor centre I’d descend the downs into Dunstable, walk around the outskirts of Houghton Regis and eventually cross the Dunstable Northern Bypass at Thorn. Beyond Thorn, the landscape would quickly become more rural again. The path would pass through the hamlet of Wingfield before passing Chalgrave Manor Golf Club. Beyond the golf course I’d have 2 options for crossing the M1, both of which filled me with dread due to my irrational fear of high, narrow bridges – gephyrophobia! Option 1 would be to bear right and cross a narrow pedestrian footbridge over the motorway. This would eventually bring me out in Upper Sundon. Option 2 would be to bear left, walk into Toddington and then cross the motorway using the narrow bridge at Toddington Services reserved for emergency services vehicles and Travelodge guests. This option would bring me out close to Harlington. Option 1 is the official route, whilst Option 2 is the official alternative route. Having viewed the 2 bridges on Google Maps I’d already decided there was no way I’d be crossing either of these with 8 lanes of fast moving traffic underneath me! So, what did I do? Read on! My day began with a 60 mile drive from home to the Ivinghoe Beacon car park off Beacon Road. This is where the Great Chalk Way information board is located. It was a beautiful start to the day and as it was only 9 o’clock I treated myself to a climb to the top of the Ivinghoe Beacon to admire the 360° views including the Whipsnade chalk lion in the distance. I’d been to the top a couple of days ago but you can never tire of the views from up there. Back down at the start of the Icknield Way, the path initially descended alongside a couple of large fields before entering some woodland that led into The Coombe, a wooded valley known for its muddy paths and steep steps. Fortunately, in August it was bone dry. It was certainly a steep climb and I was grateful for the steps. At the top the path opened up to give views of the Whipsnade chalk lion and the Downs. What a gorgeous day! The path brought me down into the village of Dagnall and of course, a climb up towards Whipsnade then followed. This included crossing a few of Whipsnade Park Golf Club’s fairways. Beyond the golf course the path continued climbing as it passed between the high fenced edges of Whipsnade Zoo to the left and high hedges to the right – so not a great deal to see and certainly not the huge white chalk lion that everyone associates with the zoo. The lion, which was carved between 1931 and 1933, is about 160 yards long nose to tail and is believed to be the largest chalk figure in England. In fact, it's so big it was covered during World War II as it would have been a very useful navigation aid to enemy planes. A band of volunteers is needed to keep it weed free. The zoo is on the left. Not much to see on the right! Looking well groomed. About 480 feet long. The tail is 13 feet wide! Eventually I emerged into Whipsnade itself with its village hall, green and Tree Cathedral! I’d been to the Tree Cathedral before but couldn’t make out the outline of the Cathedral. Similarly, this time but maybe it’s because all the trees were in full leaf and I was too impatient to explore it fully. I therefore decided to return later in the year with my drone to help me get a better idea of the floor plan. I did this in December 2025 on an incredibly cold but very sunny morning. Whipsnade Revisit December 2025 Revisit December 2025 You get a better idea from 120 metres in the air - December 2025 Emerging from the ‘Cathedral’ I was soon walking along the Dunstable Downs, one of the highlights of this walk. At almost 800 feet, the Dunstable Downs are the highest point in Bedfordshire and this 2 mile section provides fabulous views of Buckinghamshire and Bedfordshire countryside, if not further. Halfway along, the Chilterns Gateway Centre, managed by the National Trust provides a café, toilets, shop, visitor information and car parking. As it was about lunchtime I stopped here for a coffee and a sandwich I’d brought with me. As it was in the middle of school summer holidays and it was a gorgeous day, it was lovely to see so many families enjoying the downs with picnics and flying kites. There was no excuse to be stuck indoors playing computer games today. Kites (including the red variety) weren’t the only things in the air; down below was the London Gliding Club and to the right, away from most of the families, a number of brave souls attached to their paragliders, were launching themselves from the top of Pascombe Pit. Pascombe Pit Another Great Chalk Way information board has been placed on the path As I came to the end of the Downs, the path began to descend slowly into Dunstable. I passed what I thought at the time must be a BMX track – a number of grass mounds with an exposed chalk track running down the middle of each. It was only after I got home that I realised these mounds were anything but a BMX track! They were in fact the Five Knolls burial chambers – what an idiot!! The National Trust explains the history of these 4000 years old chambers, now recognised as a Scheduled Monument. It’s a shame though that people weren’t respecting them. As I hadn’t thought anything of them at the time I didn’t bother taking any pictures, so I went back in December 2025 with my drone as part of an Icknield Way ‘mopping up’ exercise of things I wish I’d photographed. There are in fact seven chambers - three bell barrows, two bowl barrows and two pond barrows. As I'm not sufficiently well versed in types of barrow, I have no idea which is which in my photos! Beyond the BMX track and having crossed the main road between Dunstable and Tring, the walk continued on a track at the side of the Beecroft housing estate. After walking along 4 virtually straight paths and tracks for almost 1½ miles I arrived at a bridge that carried the former Leighton Buzzard to Dunstable railway line that closed in 1967. Today with the tracks lifted, Sewell Cutting is not only used by walkers and cyclists along its firm and flat path but it is also a narrow wildlife haven. A big success story! Incidentally, Dunstable is in the top 20 largest towns in England without a railway station! Having reached this bridge at Sewell Cutting I hadn’t realised that I’d walked past Maiden Bower, a Neolithic hillfort. Again, I hadn’t done my homework before setting off on this walk. In my defence, unlike other hillforts I’d encountered along the Great Chalk Way, Maiden Bower isn’t exactly by the side of the path and you’d have to know what you were looking for as you passed by the turn off leading to it. Feeling guilty about missing the fort in August, I returned in December 2025 with my drone as another part of my mopping up exercise. Having found it, from the ground you might not realise that what you were looking at was a hillfort. What remains of the rampart is covered in hawthorn bushes and trees and brambles. This is certainly a good thing since it deters people from vandalising it. One side of the rampart has collapsed into a former chalk quarry right by the side of the fort. The ditch has been filled in and is no longer visible and much of the interior has been under cultivation in recent times. The site has been subject to vandalism over the years. One of the worst was about 20 years ago when vandals used a stolen mechanical digger to damage the rampart and cut a number of holes from the centre of the fort. The fort has also been used as a dumping ground for stolen cars after the drivers have had their fun driving round the fort and then torching them. Sure enough, there were two torched cars on the site when I visited in December 2025! There was also evidence of people riding off-road motorbikes around the fort. I'm guessing this is what happens when towns expand so close to historical artifacts like this. Maiden Bower - much of the interior has been used for cultivation over the years Continuing under the Sewell Cutting bridge I passed through the pretty hamlet of Sewell and then after walking along the side of a couple of fields I emerged onto a busy roundabout on what in my day was the A5 Thorn Turn but is now the A505. After crossing the A505, the path continued between a huge warehouse and a large Amazon Fulfilment Centre and then on through a development of new houses towards the Dunstable Northern Bypass. Wow! These buildings and houses certainly didn’t exist when I lived in Dunstable – everything is so new. An Icknield Way waymarker directed me onto a footbridge over the busy 4 lanes of traffic. The height and width of the bridge made it bearable for me to cross it without my stomach churning! Sewell This is all brand new A reassuring sign Safely on the other side of the bypass, the path initially continued parallel to the bypass but then took a left away from it and peace and tranquillity returned. I continued walking on the edge of a number of fields before entering the hamlet of Wingfield. More edge of field walking brought me to Chalgrave Manor Golf Club. Not sure I was meant to cross a couple of fairways but nobody told me off. Just beyond the golf course I hit Luton Road and this is where I was given the option to turn to the right to follow the ‘standard’ Icknield Way or bear left towards Toddington. The ‘standard’ way would take me onto the narrow footbridge over the M1; well, that was a non-starter for me. The alternative route would take me onto the emergency vehicles bridge over the motorway at the Toddington service area; the lesser of 2 evils for me. I followed the Toddington route across a field and through some woodland and eventually emerged in the centre of Toddington. The village was much bigger and prettier than I remembered from when I worked for Barclays in Dunstable and we had a sub-branch in Toddington. Both the branch and sub-branch have now closed. Dunstable closed in October 2023 and is now a slot machine and online bingo paradise! I suspect Toddington sub-branch closed many years before. 146 miles left to reach Hunstanton I walked the extra mile to the motorway bridge…..took some photos…….and walked back into Toddington! I knew all along I wouldn’t be able to walk across it and had already decided that I would start the next stage of the Icknield Way tomorrow on the other side of the M1 at Harlington. The bridge over the M1 So, back in Toddington I caught a bus back to Dunstable and got a taxi to take me back to my car at Ivinghoe Beacon. From there I drove to the Premier Inn in Hitchin. I chose Hitchin because tomorrow’s stage would finish at Ickleford, just a short bus ride or walk from Hitchin town centre. By the time I got to the Premier Inn it was gone 8 o'clock. I really couldn't be bothered getting showered and then go out to find somewhere for my tea, so I settled on eating in the hotel's restaurant. The poor girl who checked me in was also having to man the bar as well as cook and serve the food. I say 'cook' the food. I did ask her and she confirmed that what I ordered was simply microwaved! I didn't feel so bad after she told me that. After leaving my house at 7:30 this morning, today had been a very long but thoroughly enjoyable day. Tomorrow should be an easier day and I hope it will be as good fun.

Official Stage Statistics Route distance – 18.57 miles Duration - 7 hours 55 mins Total ascent – 2371 feet Total descent – 1979 feet Highest point – 846 feet Fly-through of this stage Logistics Drive to the Mount Car Park Princes Risborough HP27 9AN and park car - £3.70 all day - RingGo Location - 5251251 Walk to Ivinghoe Beacon Get picked up and taken back to Princes Risborough to collect car Tea at pub Drive home My Walk It was more than 8 weeks since I completed the Mongewell to Princes Risborough stage but finally the moon and stars aligned and my sister Nicky and I set off to complete the final stage of The Ridgeway. We’ve done this walk 3 times before by taking part in the annual Rennie Grove Hospice Chilterns 3 Peak Challenge, so we knew exactly what to expect – except this time we wouldn’t have lots of volunteers along the route cheering us on and providing us with water, cakes and sweets! Today would be very much an up and down day, this stage providing the largest ascent and descent figures of the entire Great Chalk Way. The walk would begin in the town of Princes Risborough with a steep climb up to the top of Whiteleaf Hill. This would set the tone for the rest of the day with drops and climbs through woodland and downland. Coombe Hill would be the 2nd of the 3 peaks with the path then dropping down into Wendover. Another climb up through woodland would be followed by a long and steady drop down into Tring. Finally, we’d do a steady climb up towards Ivinghoe Beacon, the 3rd peak, culminating with a relatively steep climb to the top. I regard this stage as one of the very best of the whole Great Chalk Way. It offers some spectacular views of the Chilterns. My day began with a 60 mile drive to Nicky’s house to pick her up. We drove to Princes Risborough and parked the car. Within a few minutes we were out of the centre of town and climbing up through Brush Hill Nature Reserve towards the top of Whiteleaf Hill. The views from the top were truly fabulous on what was a glorious day. The climb through woods to the top of Whiteleaf Hill Nice to have my sister's company today View from the top Whiteleaf Cross is a cross-shaped chalk hill carving with a triangular base, cut into the slope of the hill that faces the town. Whilst you can walk down the steep slope to see the cross, like all such chalk carvings, it is best viewed from the air. I hadn’t brought my drone with me on this walk to save bulk and weight in my backpack. I did however do a revisit a few weeks later with my drone and full-size camera to get more pictures and I’ve added a few of these to this post. Whiteleaf Cross - September 2025 Panorama from Whiteleaf Hill - September 2025 From Whiteleaf Hill we descended quite steeply through woodland, emerging in the village of Cadsden at The Plough. This pub is quite famous, being the ‘local’ for Chequers, the Prime Minister’s country residence, which we would pass further on. David Cameron (remember him?) famously took the Chinese President Xi Jinping there for a pint of IPA during his state visit in 2015, at a time when we were friends with China! There are numerous photos inside the pub of the occasion. A year later, a Chinese company bought the pub! The pub became famous in Chinese circles following the visit of the President and it has become quite a tourist attraction for Chinese visitors ever since. The Plough is the same pub where in 2012, the Cameron’s left their daughter Nancy – albeit only for about 15 minutes. Mr Cameron had left the pub in one car with his bodyguards, whilst Mrs Cameron left in another car with their other children. Mrs Cameron assumed Nancy was with her dad and it was only when they got back to Chequers that they realised Nancy was missing. She dashed back to the pub and found Nancy helping the staff, so all was well! The Plough at Cadsden Cameron & Xi Jinping in 2015 Cameron & Xi Jinping in 2015 It has to be done! From Cadsden, naturally, the path climbed through a mixture of woodland and downland. It levelled off as we approached the fencing surrounding the Chequers estate. There were plenty of stern warning signs advising us that it would be best not to climb over the fences. You have been warned! Chequers - the Coombe Hill monument can be seen in the background Chequers Further warning! After skirting around Chequers the path continued its climb through woodland before we emerged onto Coombe Hill and more spectacular views. The summit of Coombe Hill is 852 feet high. The National Trust, who maintain the site, claim it’s the highest point of the Chilterns. However, Haddington Hill, less than 3 miles away is 876 feet high and has a series of large stones bearing the inscription 'The Chiltern Summit'. I think the National Trust’s claim might be a case of a little wishful thinking! Heading towards the top of Coombe Hill Chequers from the side of Coombe Hill The viewpoint on Coombe Hill is marked with a monument dedicated to the men of Buckinghamshire who gave their lives in the Boer War. The monument is an iconic Buckinghamshire landmark and is Grade II listed. There are always people there taking selfies against the backdrop of the monument. We always stop here for a snack, admiring the views. The monument at Coombe Hill Perfect place to sit and take a break Cows holding a mothers meeting! From the top of the hill, the carnage inflicted by HS2 on Wendover was plain to see. Rather than tunnelling deeper down, which local people were less unhappy to accept, it was decided by HS2 to construct a 1 mile ‘green’ tunnel for Wendover. A green tunnel comprises shallow concrete tunnels that are built on the surface before being buried, with trees, plants and shrubs planted on top to blend into the landscape. HS2 claim that building green tunnels helps reduce the impact on people and nature. This cut and cover approach is also claimed to be considerably cheaper than bored tunnels using tunnel boring machines. Despite huge local opposition, work finally began in earnest in 2021. HS2 workings As we descended into the town and crossed the temporary metal bridge over the excavations, the scale of works could be seen at close quarters. It looks so awful now and goodness knows how many years it will be before people can finally say “You’d never know that there are HS2 railway tunnels below us!”. 'Cut & Cover' HS2 tunnel sections - eventually all the earth on the left will cover them 'Cut & Cover' HS2 tunnel sections There are still people living in these houses Temporary bridge over the workings If you are ever in Wendover and in need of coffee and cake I can thoroughly recommend calling in at Rumsey’s Chocolaterie at number 26 High Street. They sell some divine cakes and many chocolate products that are made on the premises. They have plenty of tables and also do take-aways. As it was the height of summer, we decided to carry on without stopping today and anyway, I’d brought cake from home for us to eat at some point. Wendover - such a pretty town Rumsey's in Wendover The kind of yummy cakes you get at Rumsey’s Chocolaterie! At the end of the High Street we turned right down an alleyway and began a gentle climb along footpaths and narrow lanes into woodland. After about 3 miles of mostly woods we emerged at Hastoe, where after a bit of road walking we entered Tring Park, a 330 acre SSSI comprising a mixture of woodland and grassland, with plenty of footpaths. The wide, main path through the wooded area is at its best in autumn after the leaves have turned. Woods provided some pleasant shade Another Grim's Ditch Crong Radio Site Tring Park Tring Park A carved bench in Tring Park that overlooks the town and beyond provided the perfect excuse to stop to eat our cake that I’d brought with me. It’s a tradition for whenever we do a walk in the Chilterns that I provide coffee and walnut cake. Lovely bench It's definitely time for cake! Definitely a favourite Ridgeway fingerpost in Tring Park On exiting Tring Park, my heart rate started to increase because I knew what was coming up very soon. The path descended alongside fields towards the A41 and the railway, with lovely views of the countryside. There is a narrow concrete footbridge across the A41. I don’t know how high above the road it is but it’s very high is all I can say. I read somewhere that it’s about 100 feet high. As I mentioned much earlier when I was having to cross a similar bridge over the A303 at Amesbury, I suffer from an irrational fear of narrow bridges – gephyrophobia! I’ve crossed this particular bridge many times in the past when walking with members of my family and each time it puts the fear of God up me! Knowing that the bridge is coming up sets off my anxiety. You’d have thought by now that it wouldn’t bother me but every time I cross it I feel exactly the same. That's Ivinghoe Beacon in the background Heading towards that bridge! It's got to be done! Off we go. Just keep looking ahead and don't stop! Yikes! It looks even worse from this angle. © Cathy Cox Anyway, once across the bridge, my heart rate dropped and I could start to enjoy the walk again. The path carried on downhill before reaching Tring Station. Just beyond the station we turned off to the left and began our final 3 mile climb up towards Ivinghoe Beacon at the top of Beacon Hill. If you’re doing this walk and you have some time to spare, it’s well worth making a short (about 0.7 miles) detour into the village of Aldbury by continuing along the Tring Station road, rather than turning off for the final climb. Aldbury is a picture prefect village complete with village pond. This explains why it’s been used as a filming location for countless films and TV programmes. It goes without saying that Midsommer Murders has used Aldbury in the past; it’s acted as the villages of Midsomer Worthy and Binwell! It also has 2 pubs and a village store. What’s not to like! Tring Station. The Posting House used to be a hotel but is now apartments Aldbury Aldbury So, back to the walk. This was a bit of a slog after walking all day but so worth it for the views all the way up and of course, on reaching the trig point at the top. Ivinghoe Beacon is a late Bronze Age hillfort and the 360° views from the top explain why this was such a good location to choose to defend. Only 3 miles to go now! Up we go. Aldbury Nowers is a 50 acre SSSI home to more than 30 types of butterfly At least there are some steps! Great views on the way up You have to work to get to the top! Thankfully we didn't have to tackle Incombe Hole! 550 metres to get to the top. If you must use metric at least get the spelling right!! That's the Whipsnade White Horse in the background. The next stage will take me there You're made to work right to the very top! And we've made it! The GCW Information Board in the Ivinghoe Beacon car park Normally, we would now have to find our way back to Princes Risborough by bus or train in order to pick up my car. However, as mentioned, Nicky lives more or less on the route we’d taken today and her ever obliging husband was able to pick us up and drive us to Princes Risborough where I collected my car. We then drove back to their local pub where we celebrated our achievement and had our tea. What a great day we’d had! Ivinghoe Beacon marks the end (or start) of The Ridgeway. I’d now completed 201 of the 360 miles of the Great Chalk Way. 2 days later I’d be back here to begin the Icknield Way section with a walk to Toddington. Aerial view of Ivinghoe Beacon - frosty morning in November 2025 The Icknield Way starts before the final climb to the top of Ivinghoe Beacon A magnificent stone to mark the start of the Icknield Way