Pete's Walks - Four Hills Walk (part 3)
Initially I continued on my usual path from Hampden Common to Great Hampden, turning left beyond the cricket pitch, crossing over a road and following a drive a short distance, then taking a footpath starting between two houses on the right. The path passed a small wood and then crossed a large field and then a track or drive. But when the church at Great Hampden came into view a few yards further on, I turned half-right on a faint path through the tall grass of a large meadow. A Buzzard flew overhead here. I had to go through the electrically operated gate at the end of a drive (to the church and Hampden House), then immediately take a path going back sharp-left through a similar meadow. There was a nice view of the south front of Hampden House over to my left, then the path went downhill into the valley of Hampden Bottom.
Path from Hampden Common to Great Hampden
Path through meadow, Great Hampden
Hampden House
Path through meadows at Great Hampden, descending into the valley of Hampden Bottom
The path crossed a minor road, then followed a hedge beside a corn field to a second road. On the other side, the path switched to the right of the hedge, as it went up the other side of the valley. This section of path was particularly colourful, with a variety of wildflowers including some Musk Mallow, and I also spotted a colourful moth here, a Yellow Shell.
Footpath across Hampden Bottom
Colourful field path in Hampden Bottom
The path then continued half-left through Warren Wood. On the far side of the wood, I crossed my usual route as it approached Little Hampden - I continued to follow the path ahead beyond the wood through a corn field, and then along a track that emerged just a few yards from the Rising Sun pub on my left (Update 22/10/18: sadly this has now closed).
Path through Warren Wood, Little Hampden
I took the usual bridleway from opposite the pub, descending gradually through trees. But at the bottom of the valley I took a new route into Dunsmore, turning left for a short distance along a surfaced bridleway, then going half-right on a rising path through a sequence of meadows to reach a lane on the edge of the hamlet. I turned right, then left at a junction by the village pond.
Bridleway from Little Hampden to Dunsmore
Path through meadow, approaching Dunsmore
Village pond, Dunsmore
I usually follow a wide bridleway through the woods all the way from Dunsmore back to Coombe Hill, but as I left the hamlet I decided to fork half-left onto a footpath through the woods instead. This path led attractively through High Scrub wood for some distance, before I turned right and soon rejoined the usual bridleway (where I turned left) A little further on, I turned left again (the second footpath on the left), following a path that soon turned right to run almost parallel to the bridleway through Low Scrub wood. Close to where the path and a broad muddy bridleway met, I went through a kissing gate on the left, leaving the woods and emerging into the more open area on top of Coombe Hill.
High Scrub Wood, between Dunsmore and Coombe Hill
Bridleway between Dunsmore and Coombe Hill
Low Scrub wood, between Dunsmore and Coombe Hill
I walked straight on, initially close to the wood on my left, and continued ahead to the monument (it commemorates the men of Buckinghamshire who died in the Boer War). As usual, there were some glorious views - much of the walk today had been under grey skies, but there had been a few sunny intervals and fortunately this was one of them. From here there was a good view of Beacon Hill, its distinctive shape reminding me of an upturned boat. I turned left along a broad expanse of grass, at the end of which a path went left through some trees and then across an area of grass and bushes to return to the car park.
Beacon Hill from Coombe Hill - you can see the path through the corn fields I took near the start of the walk
The monument on Coombe Hill
The route back to the car park.
This was a very good walk, and I enjoyed the variations I did. Considering that I made some of the route up as I went along, it turned out very well! I think I need to find another way down from Pulpit Hill, and maybe try to vary the route from Whiteleaf Hill to Hampden Common perhaps, but then I'll have a choice of two very good walks in one of my favourite parts of the Chilterns.
To see a slight variation on this walk (in the opposite direction) which I did on 9/4/11, click here - Variation on 'Four Hills Walk'.
To see another slight variation on this walk (in the opposite direction) which I did on 17/4/10, click here - Variation on 'Four Hills Walk'