Pete's Walks - Buckland Common to Ashley Green (page 2 of 4)
The path soon led to the minor road through Chesham Vale. I went a short way to the left, before forking right onto a bridleway. This went northeast between hedgerows (where I saw a lot of Garlic Mustard and some Yellow Archangel), before turning right to pass by a wood. It continued gradually uphill, turning left and then briefly right again to reach Flamstead Farm, where it finally turned left to reach a lane on the edge of Ashley Green.
The bridleway to Ashley Green
The bridleway to Ashley Green
The bridleway to Ashley Green, shortly before reaching Flamstead Farm
Here I left the Chiltern Heritage Trail (which turned right), continuing on a path on the other side of the lane. After a small meadow the path switched to the left of the hedgeline, descending beside a field of stubble into a small valley. At the bottom of the valley I entered Hockeridge Wood - there was a distinct absence of waymarks here, but I managed to pick the right paths, going right at the first 'crossroads' I came to. This path through the wood eventually turned left, running close to the Berkhamsted-Chesham road. In a dip I then managed to pick up the footpath going north (left) through the wooded valley of Hockeridge Bottom - here, as in so many other places today, there was a good display of Bluebells.
Path leaving Ashley Green
Heading towards Hockeridge Wood
A clearing in Hockeridge Wood
Path through Hockeridge Wood
Path along Hockeridge Bottom
Path along Hockeridge Bottom - lots of Bluebells here
The path along Hockeridge Bottom
Across another lane, I continued along a bridleway on a concrete farm track, with the A41 dual carriageway just a few feet to my right. This was quite noisy, but after about half a mile the path turned left, away from the road. I now followed a very long hedgerow on my left, beside a huge field of stubble.
The concrete farm track beside the noisy A41 (a few feet to the right)
Start of the bridleway leading away from the A41, towards Marlin Chapel Farm
The bridleway to Marlin Chapel Farm - the wood ahead is Cock Grove
The bridleway as it reaches the corner of Cock Grove, just before Marlin Chapel Farm