Pete's Walks - Coombe Hill and Great Kimble (page 4 of 4)
The path dropped down to a five-way junction in a valley, then continued straight on up the other side - the trees here were now part of Fugsdon Wood. After a while I could see fields a short way to my left, and then about half a mile from the five-way junction the path reached a lane (the car park at Coombe Hill was a bout half a mile to the left, the small settlement of Dunsmore a similar distance to my right).
The path in Goodmerhill Wood, heading to Fugsdon Wood
Fugsdon Wood
The lane between Coombe Hill and Dunsmore
I went left for about a hundred yards, then took a path on the right that re-entered the woodland - here called High Scrubs. After a few yards I came to a path junction where I turned left, though the new path. soon curved right to resume my general north-easterly direction. I was now briefly on part of my 'Four Hills walk', but left it after crossing over a bridleway. The bridleway I was now on was new to me, running between fences but still in woodland as it continued north-east towards Bacombe.
High Scrubs
High Scrubs
Start of the bridleway from High Scrubs to Bacombe
The bridleway from High Scrubs to Bacombe
After about half a mile the bridleway emerged from the trees, giving a very pleasant view ahead to Wendover Woods, with Boddington Hill and the tree-rimmed valley of The Hale being prominent features. The bridleway continued downhill, soon entering a narrow belt of trees and then turning half-left between paddocks to reach the lane through Bacombe.
The bridleway from High Scrubs to Bacombe, looking to Boddington Hill (right) and Wendover Woods
Another view towards Boddington Hill and The Hale
The bridleway from High Scrubs to Bacombe
I went a short distance left along Bacombe Lane, then took a footpath going half-right - this rose diagonally across a meadow to a stile in the opposite corner, where I turned left on a broad bridleway rising up Bacombe Hill. This was a steady plod coming at the end of the walk, but there were occasional views right out over the Vale of Aylesbury. The bridleway took me all the way back to the car park where I started, the last 100 yards or so being very muddy as usual.
The path from Bacombe to the bridleway up Bacombe Hill
The bridleway up Bacombe Hill
The bridleway up Bacombe Hill
The Vale of Aylesbury from the bridleway up Bacombe Hill
The bridleway up Bacombe Hill
Approaching the Coombe Hill car park
This was a very enjoyable walk (despite yet more grey and gloomy conditions). It was a little unusual - most of my walks are a mix of fields and woods, but here almost all the fields came at the start and the second two-thirds of the walk were predominantly woodland. The latter was definitely the nicer part of the walk, but the field section at the start at least had fine views of the Chiltern escarpment a short distance away. Considering that the route was planned simply around joining two lengthy sections of paths that I'd not walked before, it turned out really well and I'd be happy to do it again. I may well try to include the woodland sections in other walks too.
To see this walk done in the opposite direction on 26/11/11, click here - Coombe Hill and Great Kimble.