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After a bit of a break we are back on the Bunyan Trail. Starting point this time is the village of Streatley', 5 miles from Luton Town Centre. The Icknield Way passes through the village as part of the 110 miles between Ivinghoe Beacon and Knettishall Heath in Suffolk. The lack of walking has been largely due to the knee injury of course.I shall be carrying something of a First Aid kit today hopefully covering all eventualities. There are various bandages and supports, painkillers and muscular gels. After a steady start we will encounter some steep elevation with the Sharpenoe Clappers. We immediately pick up the Chiltern Way, passing the Swedish Cottages on our right hand side. We aren't on it for very long as we turn left towards Barton Hill. The weather is good n the early cold and rain has given way to intermittent sunshine. It is lovely open countryside too.The next landmark on the map is showing as 'Jeremiah's Tree'.
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Sadly, try as we might, there isn't a sighting of the tree though. A Jeremiah Tree is a biblical metaphor from Jeremiah 17:7-8, describing a person who trusts in the Lord as a tree planted by water. Thriving green and fruitful even in a drought. Legend has it that this is an old hanging tree site. Next to the stump a small Oak tree has been planted as a replacement for the original Jeremiah’s Tree. This was planted in March 1998 by the Barton Conservation Group.Hope you have better luck than we did in finding it. Beware though, an evil atmosphere is said to lurk around it....
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| Sharpenhoe Clappers |
We make our way through Barton Le Clay passing the football ground.Lots of Red Ribbons adorn the village in tribute to local boy 'Gorgeous George'. Sadly George died of a Brain Tumour in April 2022. By all accounts he was a real fun loving thirteen year old with a real zest for life. My thoughts go out to him and his family and what they have been through. This walk is now dedicated to George.
We continue on the footpath past Brook End Green Farm towards Sharpenhoe. There is a sense of trepidation as the 'Clappers' come into view. Will my knee stand up to the vigorous sharp climb? We are about to find out. The classic chalk escarpment is part of the Chilterns area of outstanding natural beauty. There are traces of an Iron Age Hill Fort and a Beech Woodland. Oh, it is also said to be haunted too. The 'Clappers' part is said to come from from medieval Latin 'claperius' or the French 'clapier' meaning a heap of stones or rabbit hole. It is now owned and managed by the National Trust. There are numerous steps (250 I think) marked out that help to get some sort of purchase on the climb. My lack of walking this year is very evident as I huff and puff my way to the top. Thankfully someone has hung a swing device from the branches of a tree. It might not look it but it was actually quite comfortable.
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These hills may well have been the inspiration for Bunyan's 'Delectable Mountains' in a 'Pilgrims Progress'. There are some great names too; 'Smithcombe Hill', 'Watergutter Hole' and 'Cow Hole'. We make our way back towards Streatley on the Icknield Way'.
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We walk through the Churchyard of St Margaret's back towards our starting point. The village pond is known to have existed for at least 150 years. Possibly even several hundred years. It was largely used by Horsemen and Farmers to water their animals. Following years of leakage and low water levels the pond was restored in 2005. It has an important role in the local landscape and essential for the local wildlife. It is also a breeding area for Frogs and Toads and shelter for other pond invertebrates.
It has been a smashing walk and very pleasing to be back out again. In total a fraction under 8 miles covered.
