Start : The start and finish are near the welcoming Raven Public House (Grid ref TL106306) in the village of Hexton.
(S/E) With the pub on your left, head North along the road for 50 meters and turn left (West) at the signpost marked "Higham Goblon & Recreation Ground".
(1) The road soon veers to the right and a few meters later take the waymarked footpath left (North-West) across the field on your left (Grid ref TL105 308). This is part of the John Bunyan Trail.
(2) After crossing the field and the small footbridge over a stream, the path veers left to head in a Westerly direction towards the outskirts of Barton-le-Clay, with some good views of the Barton Hills to be seen to your left. Cross another footbridge over a stream to come out at the road (Manor Road) in Barton-le-Clay.
(3) Turn left to reach the main road (B655), and turn right for a few paces crossing to the lane (Church Road) on the far side. Go past the church and soon turn left (East) onto the bridleway, with the prominent Barton Hills now in front of you.
At the gate to the entrance of Barton Hill National Nature Reserve, leave the bridle path as it sweeps around this section and instead take the left of the two paths up through the reserve to reach the top of the hills. This is fairly steep walking up the grassy slopes, but wooden steps help to take care of the hardest sections. Gaining height fairly rapidly now, do not wait until you get to the top for the best views though. Keep looking behind from about half way up.
(4) Follow the obvious line near the crest to reach the deep dry valley in front of you (A).
(5) Go left from here to leave the reserve at grid ref TL091296 and rejoin the bridleway. Continue in a Southerly direction to reach the road near Barton Hill Farm.
(6) Turn right at the road (Streatley Road) for approximately 300 metres. Cross the road to pick up the path on the other side to reach the edge of the golf course. Turn right onto the Icknield Way (grid ref. TL096274) and then left 300 metres later to follow the path up the slope, initially through the golf course, to reach the summit of Galley Hill (186m). Then follow the line of the ridge South to the summit and trig pillar of Warden Hill (195m). From here there are some surprisingly good views over Luton in front of you and to your right in the distance, Northamptonshire.
(7) Moving on from the summit, there are various options, including the simplest which is to retrace your steps back to alongside the golf course. However, a nicer, albeit longer route, is to continue South off the hill.
(8) Then turn sharply to the left and follow the fence line North-East. The path eventually sweeps to the right as you come off the hill. Ignore the first fork on your left.
(9) Around 430m take the second fork a couple of hundred metres left before reaching Whitehill Wood (grid ref TL100258). Head North-North-East to rejoin the Icknield Way some 2 km later at grid ref. TL101 277.
(10) Turn right and follow the Icknield Way. Maintain the direction to reach and then continue along the road, going straight on at the bend to soon make your way up the gentle gradient of Telegraph Hill (184m).
(11) After around 3km, turn left and leave the Icknield Way to enter the Pegsdon Hills Nature Reserve (at the gateway with an information board nearby) taking a choice of paths (easiest and most direct to the right) that will lead to the trig pillar and summit of Deacon Hill, (172m). This is the last of the hills visited and the views over the Bedfordshire plains and into Hertfordshire are arguably the best to seen on the walk.
(12) Come off the hill going to the left to reach the path alongside the road (Hitchin Road B655) in front of you. Leave the Reserve and cross the road at the junction to the side of Pegsdon (grid ref. TL119301). Please note the tempting direct route along the drive between Pegsdon and Hexton Manor is not a right of way and should not be used. Follow the lane North as far as the entrance to Green End and Bury Farms (grid ref. TL119306).
(13) Turn left down the lane and pass between the farms. Continue along the lane ignoring the bridleway on the right at grid ref. TL115310. Reaching a T-junction (grid ref. TL108311), turn left. This will lead you back to reach the Raven pub and the end of the walk(S/E).
