Saturday 1 August 2009

Warden and Galley Hill Circular July 2009

Seems like a long time since anything was loaded on to our blog so I thought I'd put in this Sunday afternoon short walk.

We started at the Links Car park at the bottom of Warden Hills and walked some of the Icknield way by the golf course up towards Warden Hill. These hills are one of the most important area of chalk downland in Bedfordshire and is Luton's oldest Local Nature Reserve

Here we are climbing a stile nearing the top of Galley Hill

After walking along above the Golf Course we did the short steep climb to the top of Warden Hill


This is a view of Luton from the top of Warden Hill.


This is part of the golf course and Luton from the Hill

We then went along the top of the ridge and up Galley Hill where there are some barely visible burial barrows, there was apparently a gallows built on one of the barrow in the Middle ages. We came down the hill and across the golf course following more of the Icknield way down towards the A6.




Here we are on level ground parallel to the A6 heading for Streatley.





This is the unexpected find of the 14th Centrury St. Margarets Church,
Streatley




This is the view of Galley and Warden Hill from the other side of the A6.

Then, strangely enough for the Bogtrotters we found ourselves at a nice pub in Streatley which served real ale.
After refreshments and a rest we walked along the footpath from there past the Pasque Hospice back safely across the A6 and to where the cars were parked. Not a hot July day, but fine and breezy, perfect for walking and chatting.



These are some of the 15 intrepid walkers who went on the Sunday afternoon short walk on the Hill overlooking Luton.


I wonder how many people realise that this is to be found so close to the centre of Luton?