Pete's Walks - Bledlow, Rout's Green, Lodge Hill (page 1 of 3)
If you are considering walking this route yourself, please see my disclaimer. You may also like to see these notes about the maps and GPX files.
I did this circular walk (actually more of a long thin rectangle) of about 5.5 miles on Saturday, 12th February 2022. It was a new route for me, with about half of it on paths I'd never walked before (and another short section that I don't think I've walked since 2007).
I parked outside the church in Bledlow (Grid Reference SP 778022) and started walking just after 11am. With the church on my right I walked down the street to reach The Lions Of Bledlow Pub, and turned left along a byway next to it. When the byway turned right, I went straight on southwards along a hedge-lined bridleway, this being the first new section for me today. The bridleway ran for several hundred yards, very gradually gaining height. When I eventually reached a crossing track, I turned left for a few yards and then took a path going half-right - I was now back on familiar ground as both the Ridgeway and the Chiltern Way go this way. The path crossed a large pasture (sloping up to my right), fairly soon following a hedge on my left. In the corner of this field I went through a gate and continued along the other side of the field boundary for a few yards to reach another path junction. The Ridgeway goes straight on here, but I took the route of the Chiltern Way by going half-right again. This was now the section that I don't think I've walked since 2007, when I walked the Chiltern Way for a second time. The path crossed another pasture to reach Wigan's Lane, and after crossing over I continued down the long drive to Old Callow Down Farm.
Bledlow
The start of the byway next to The Lions of Bledlow pub
Start of the bridleway continuing south from where the byway turns right
The bridleway continuing south
The bridleway continuing south
Part of the Ridgeway, after I turned left and then immediately half-right
Part of the Chiltern Way, crossing the field before Wigan's Lane
The drive to Old Callow Down Farm
The drive eventually turned right just before reaching Old Callow Down Farm, from where I continued straight on along a bridleway. I soon reached Callow Down Farm, where the bridleway goes right along the drive a short way then turns left. After passing the farm on the left, the bridleway soon switched to the left of a hedgerow. It now started gradually rising uphill, steepening as it passed Neighbour's Wood on the left. At the top of the slope it left the wood behind and followed a track or drive at Rout's Green. Shortly after this turned right, I turned left along a drive or private road. After a hundred yards or so, the Chiltern Way takes a path on the right, but I went straight on (again entering what was new territory for me).
The bridleway continuing from Old Callow Down Farm to Callow Down Farm
Passing Callow Down Farm
The bridleway just after Callow Down Farm
The same bridleway now passing Neighbour's Wood
The same bridleway now passing Neighbour's Wood
Rout's Green
The drive or private road after I turned left in Rout's Green