It was a grey morning with hints the sun was trying to break through when 18 Polyramblers assembled at Princes Risborough station for a circular walk around the edge of the Chilterns.  Amongst the 18 were 4 new faces, all potential new members.

The walk first took us out of the town and on to the Ridgeway an ancient trail that runs along chalk downs from Ivinghoe beacon to Marlborough.  It soon had our hearts beating fast and our jackets being removed as it took a steep gradient over the chalk escarpment up to a trig point where we were rewarded with a wonderful view over Princes Risborough and the vale of Aylesbury.  By this time the sun was fully out and made it a perfect setting for our first group photo.   

From here we walked through woodland until we reached our lunchtime stop, the Hampden Arms.  The trees, mainly beech, were showing off their magnificent autumn colours and fallen leaves carpeted the ground.  We walked passed Hampden House owned by the Earl of Buckinghamshire and which today is an exclusive up market wedding venue.  From here it was a short hop to the cosy Hampden Arms where we made our lunchtime stop with 12 of us eating at the pub.  We had a long wait for our food but the small friendly team who were working flat out and the quality of the food when it arrived made it a positive experience.  

The afternoon walk took us through more woodland, this time more muddy and puddle strewn than before lunch but nonetheless still beautiful.  Eventually the path started to make a steep descent as we came to the edge of the woodland and back down from the escarpment to the rolling fields so typical of the lovely Chilterns landscapes.

After walking across fields we eventually rejoined the Ridgeway and our path back into Princes Risborough and the station.  We’d certainly had the best of the weather as it was coming on to rain heavily as we reached the station.  

Mary
Walk leader

Photos by Melida, Joyanna and others