Pete's Walks - Cholesbury and Whelpley Hill (page 4 of 5)
A bridleway continued northwest from Sale's Farm, running between tall hedgerows. When it turned sharply right, I took a footpath that continued straight on, descending gradually across a huge empty pasture to eventually reach a valley bottom. The path then continued up the opposite slope of the valley - I struggled to find signs of a path in this large stubble field, but eventually found a white marker post on the far side, where the path continued for a short distance beside another hedgerow. In the next field corner I reached a path junction, where I turned left to reach the village of Ashley Green.
The bridleway going northwest from Sales Farm
The start of the path going east to Ashley Green
The path going northwest to Ashley Green
The path going northwest to Ashley Green - it turns left along the next hedgerow
Looking east from the same spot
The path to Ashley Green
Approaching Ashley Green
I now stopped for lunch in a well-built shelter on the village green (it was now about 1.10pm), before crossing the main road (the A416 Berkhamsted-Chesham road again) and continuing along Hog Lane. Still on the route of the Chiltern Heritage Trail, I turned left down a bridleway between tall hedges to reach Flamstead Farm (the name always puzzles me, as Flamstead is miles away from here). The bridleway continued past the farm, turning right then left and soon running between tall hedges again, until after about half a mile I reached a minor road in the valley of Chesham Vale.
Ashley Green
Where I stopped for lunch
The bridleway to Flamstead Farm
The bridleway to Flamstead Farm
The bridleway beyond Flamstead Farm
The bridleway beyond Flamstead Farm, approaching Chesham Vale
The bridleway beyond Flamstead Farm, approaching Chesham Vale
I went left for a short distance along the road, then took a path on the right that took me past Bower Farm. It was now bright and sunny, so I finally took off my waterproof jacket (tempting fate or what?). I took the first path going left, to reach a public byway at the Ostrich Farm in White Hawridge Bottom (see Pathfinder Ostrich Farms for details about it [Update 5/11/17: sadly I'm not sure the ostrich farm is still open]).
Footpath by Bower Farm
The path down to the Ostrich farm
The public byway past the ostrich farm