We had a lovely summer’s day for this Chilterns walk with 14 Poly Ramblers. After an hours delay having been ‘detrained’ at West Ruislip we set off from Saunderton up Smalldean Lane and through fields to the foot of the Chilterns Hills, with views across the valley to our return route.  We had a short stop at Bradenham Church where a couple of walkers took advantage of the generously provided tea and coffee. The walk then took us through woods up to Naphill Common where we had lunch on a convenient tree trunk.

The route to Hughenden Manor passes between Flagmore and Common wood with some lovely views before climbing up to the Manor House. There was time for a cup of tea and a quick look around the gardens of Disraeli’s former home, with gardens filled with colour.

Then we headed down through the woods and across fields, skirting around Downley. We crossed Downley Common, sadly having to miss out on the pub because of our late start. The path down from close to Cookshall Farm passed through a field of maize higher than all of us and then opened up to some lovely views of our next stopping point, the Dashwood Mausoleum on the site of an ancient fort and the current St Lawrence Church.

We broke the climb up from near West Wycombe at the Hellfire caves, where the loo and the ice creams were very welcome A small group who needed to get back a bit quicker peeled off here and successfully got a bus to High Wycombe. A steep but short slog got the rest of us up to the mausoleum and some gorgeous views. The last 3 miles or so took us along the ridge and then down through Hearnton Wood, coming down to Smalldean Lane again on the other side of the railway. The party made it back in time for our train.
Thank you everyone for coming along and to Ida for the photos.

Jo

15 Poly Ramblers met at Wadhurst Station and our path followed the undulating Sussex Border Path to The Old Vine pub in Cousley Wood, where we stopped for a welcome drink and comfort break. We then descended through the woods to reach Bewl Water Reservoir. The shore being open and unfenced unlike many other reservoirs made the perfect spot for a picnic with fine panoramic views across the water. Continue reading Wadhurst via Bewl Water circular – 13 August →

Ten Poly Ramblers were on this walk which followed part of the Royal Military Canal. The notes for this walk say: ‘The canal was hastily constructed in the early 19th century to protect England from a threatened Napoleonic invasion which never came. The project was soon being condemned as an extravagant military folly. Napoleon whose armies had crossed the Rhine and the Danube was hardly likely to be deterred by this innocuous waterway.´ The canal is 28 miles long and goes from Hythe, Kent, to Cliff End in East Sussex. Continue reading HAM STREET CIRCULAR VIA APPLEDORE -10 AUGUST →