Pete's Walks - Hambleden, Stonor, Henley (page 3 of 5)
At the top of the hill, the bridleway emerged from the wood and I turned right along a short track that took me to Coxlease Farm. This bit of the track was new to me, but beyond the farmyard I turned right along another farm track that I had walked once before (on the Maidensgrove Common and Henley walk I did in March this year - I would now be following the same route until I reached Henley). This new track soon turned left and was then very pleasant to follow, as it ran southwards between corn fields with attractive views ahead and across the Stonor Valley to my right. I soon had close-up views of Red Kites, which increased the pleasure of this section even further.
The farm track leading to Coxlease Farm
The footpath south from Coxlease Farm
The footpath south from Coxlease Farm
The footpath south from Coxlease Farm
Looking back towards Coxlease Farm, with the Stonor valley on the left
After about a mile, the path followed the hedge on my right as it turned right to reach Paradise Wood. Here I went over a stile into the wood, where the the path soon turned left to head south once more. I passed through an open area where part of the the wood had been cleared - I saw some more Nettle-leaved Bellflower here. At the southern end of Paradise Wood, the footpath rejoined the farm track, and followed it downhill through another corn field to reach a minor road just north of Middle Assendon.
Recently cleared section of Paradise Wood
Paradise Wood
The path from Paradise Wood to Middle Assendon
I turned left along the road and entered Middle Assendon. It had been spitting with rain or drizzling for a while, but now it became bad enough for me to stop and put on my waterproof jacket. I turned left (east) at a junction opposite the village pub, and soon took a footpath starting on the right. This went steadily uphill between fences and hedges to a stile, beyond which it continued uphill beside a right-hand wire fence in a recently mown meadow. There were good views looking back, over the Stonor Valley towards Bix Bottom (where there is a ruined church that I've visited a few times, it's on the route of Day 17 of my Chiltern Way walks). The path levelled out and crossed another stile into another mown meadow, then ran between wooden fences to reach a lane.
The start of the path heading east out of Middle Assendon
The path east from Middle Assendon
Looking back over Middle Assendon (Paradise Wood is just out of shot on the right) - the valley beyond the slight ridge in the centre is Bix Bottom
The path east from Middle Assendon
Across the lane, I started down the lengthy gravel drive towards Henley Park - I was now heading south again rather than east. The drive ran between hedges or fences, mainly through parkland grazed by sheep. After about half a mile I passed a few large properties, where I heard but failed to see a Raven.
Near the start of the drive going south to Henley Park
The drive to Henley Park
The drive near Henley Park