2nd August ChiltERNs Walk the Ridgeway South of Wendover

Ten ramblers led by two walkers at specified distances started from Wendover station. We wended our way up Balcombe Hill and arrived at the Coombe Hill Memorial built in commemoration of the Boer War. It was a very clear day and we had a really good view of the surrounding area including a glimpse of Chequers. We were relieved to move out of the sun and walk through an ancient Chilterns beech wood following the Ridgeway signage until we emerged into open fields reaching the outskirts of Little Hampden where we had our picnic stop on the village green. Little Hampden is one of the remotest villages in the Chilterns which once boasted a pub, the Rising Sun, but alas no more. We continued our walk along the South Bucks Way/Chilterns Way where we entered woods and then climbed the steepest hill of the walk, then along the ridge until we reached the picturesque village of Dunsmore. We walked alongside a beech hedge and passed a lovely garden before passing between paddocks and reaching woodland. We followed white arrows on the trees, a traditional waymarking sign in the Chilterns until we emerged onto open farmland and finished our final walk back to Wendover. No Ramblers walk can be complete without a pub and we finished our walk at the Kings Arms before returning back to Wendover Station. This was my first walk with the Polyramblers since the beginning of Lockdown and I thoroughly enjoyed it; the hill walking will start to prepare me for our next trip away to the mountains of Mourne.