Pete's Walks - Hambleden, Frieth, Stonor (page 3 of 3)
I turned left at the bridleway junction, heading away from Coxlease Farm, and soon reached a lane. A short distance to the right a path started on the left, heading across fields towards Bosmore Farm. There were views south towards distant wooded hills - I initially though I was looking across the Thames to Berkshire, but checking the map I realised that the river turns south near Hambleden and I was looking towards more of the Chilterns around Henley.
The track heading away from Coxlease Farm
Start of the path to Bosmore Farm
At the end of the path I turned right along a drive. I had to pass a large house and then turned left to pass Bosmore Farm itself, but the right of way was generally well signed. Beyond the farm a path followed a line of telephone poles going downhill into a valley. The path then continued through trees and passed an extensive garden as it rose up the other side of the valley. On emerging on a lane, I followed it right for a short distance to reach Roundhouse Farm.
View south from the path to Bosmore Farm
The path just beyond Bosmore Farm
Path up the other side of the valley, heading to the lane to Roundhouse Farm
The lane to Roundhouse Farm
I turned left at Roundhouse Farm, following a drive and then a bridleway towards some woods, again with good views of wooded hills to the south. This bit of bridleway was particularly muddy, and it continued to be so for much of the way through the extensive woodland that I now passed through for the next mile.
Looking south, from just beyond Roundhouse Farm
Entering Great Wood, I think (map not 100% clear about name of this section of the wood)
Path through Great Wood
Path through Great Wood
The path eventually emerged from the trees and dropped downhill through a rough meadow. I turned right for a hundred yards or so along a broad track, then took a bridleway between hedges on my left. This was soon running just inside Ridge Wood, and at a junction I forked left, rising over a small corner of a hill and then dropping through the trees on the other side to reach a minor road with Hambleden immediately in front of me. I followed the street ahead of me to the village square, turning right to return to the car park.
Path just beyond Great Wood
The path to Ridge Wood
Path through Ridge Wood
Hambleden
It had been a dull grey day, with just one or two patches of blue sky late on. This certainly reduced the qualities of the views, but it was a good walk nevertheless. In fact I'd say it is probably a better walk in this anti-clockwise direction, because you then have the benefits of the views as you reach Fingest, Turville and Stonor, the only downside being the relatively long uphill section out of Stonor. The walk is slightly shorter than I'd normally like, but in these very muddy conditions I didn't mind that too much.