A little closer to home today but still with a bit of travelling, not a good start as local traffic was really bad so we all arrived at Millets late! Once away from Abingdon and Clifton Hampden the journey to Wendover was a little better. Parked at the station and we set off walking at 10.45 ish.
Our start was the reverse of the penultimate day of the Ridgeway completed last January. Quite good as on that occasion we were picked up in the dark as the track came out on the road into Wendover. Then the following day we started in the town, so it was good to do the missing section!
The path climbs straight up on to Bacombe Hill and some friendly cattle. Only three of us again today, Steve the leader, Richard and myself. Richard an ex farm manager doesn’t think much of these cattle! There’s quite a good view though.
Our path continues up on to Coombe Hill with it’s rather magnificent Boar War Monument, last time I was here the sun was setting !
The path turns south along the hill spur and then into woodland . I’m hoping to see some fungus as the environment should be right. A good path in a mini hollow way and just one lot of fungi.
We rather abruptly take a turn away from the Ridgeway path that we have been following and drop down hill, coming out onto the road. The purpose is to get close to ‘Chequers’, we are now at the side entrance – I can’t see a great deal! We now have to walk along the road and eventually get to where the Ridgeway path comes out. At this point we cross the road and in to the estate. We now have a small fence and it suggests that there is high security. Quite a good view of the house!
The path runs around the edge of the estate and it is great to see that unlike my last visit it is not muddy! Great view across to the memorial, I can remember when I was doing the route the other way and we spotted this with both hope but slight dispair as to how far we had to go!
Our path now takes us around a steep valley and up onto Beacon Hill. There are an abundance of box trees in this area which must have been planted at some point. We are afforded magnificent views for what is eventually our lunch stop – worth the wait and feeling rather hungry!
After lunch we set off down the hill and head for the village of Ellesborough, and beside the church. We go towards the Aylesbury Ring path but actually go wrong and overshoot. A bit of back tracking and then we are on route.
We cross some fields and a familiar feature is again quite close to us. Our track is across fields and we are in horse owning country again!
Towards the end of our walk Steve ignores the path and starts crossing some horse fields, as we’ve got near a stable he’s so far ahead Richard and I don’t know where he is and the owner is not pleased with us- bit embarrassing, especially as I knew we shouldn’t be there. Steve reappeared and apologised, in the end she let us out and on to the road. So we ended up retracing some of the start of our walk.
There was an area next to the railway line which was being developed- we assumed it was a housing estate and then we saw a sign which we felt shocked by – this turmoil of soil and devastation was due to HS2. How can so much countryside be destroyed just to get more quickly between two cities- surely there are better things for a National money to be spent on!
Just over 9 miles today and some very pleasant parts to this walk but a few changes I’d make if I took the opportunity to lead it myself.
Marion's 50 Walk Challenge 