Pete's Walks - Alternative Ashridge Walk (page 4 of 4)
I continued along the path through Frithsden Beeches, then carried on along the edge of a huge open common encircling a small clump of trees. The path along the edge of the common curved left, and when I came level with the clump of trees I took a path on the right. This headed through the woods once more - there are a few odd junctions of minor paths hereabouts, but I basically went straight on. I passed through a clearing where a couple of mighty beeches had fallen, the path continuing on the far side through more trees, then curving right through a more open area of tall bracken.
The huge open common by Frithsden Beeches
Near Frithsden
The path continuing westwards through Berkhamstead Common (with an A, as opposed to the Berkhamsted Common I was in earlier)
Berkhamstead Common
I was now on Berkhamstead Common (with an 'a'), roughly where the 'Co Const Bdy' is marked on the OS map (the county boundary between Bucks and Herts once ran through the middle of Ashridge House, a short distance to my right). I was on a good wide path (though its not marked as a public right of way on the map), with a small valley in the trees on my right through which ran a drive from Frithsden to Ashridge House. I continued straight on past Woodyard Cottages, and soon joined a bridleway running along a line of fine old beeches beside a huge wood-encircled pasture on the right. Further on, there was an avenue of beech trees that brought me back to the Ringshall-Northchurch road.
The path going west towards Woodyard Cottages
The avenue of beeches by the huge pasture, west of Woodyard Cottages
The avenue of beeches by the huge pasture, west of Woodyard Cottages
The avenue of beeches, heading west to the Ringshall-Northchurch road
Across the road, a well-surfaced bridleway continued back into the woods of Ashridge, with another large pasture a short distance to my right. I went right at a bridleway crossroads, soon passing another edge of the same pasture. I followed this broad bridleway for almost half a mile, spotting a Muntjac deer just before the track reached the drive to the Bridgewater Monument. The car park was then a short distance to the left. There were hundreds of people here now, with cars parked all along both sides of the half-mile long drive.
The bridleway west of the Ringshall-Northchurch Road
The bridleway west of the Ringshall-Northchurch Road
The long bridleway north to the drive to the Bridgewater Monument
The long bridleway north to the drive to the Bridgewater Monument
Muntjac deer
The long bridleway north to the drive to the Bridgewater Monument
The walk had taken around five and a half hours. As ever, it had been an excellent route to follow, but I was glad to get back to the car - the temperature had been around 26C, ridiculously hot for England in October, and I'd been running low on water in the afternoon (I'd intended to bring an extra litre of water, but forgot and ended up with just my usual 2 litres). Nevertheless I was really glad I'd done the walk, and I'm sure I won't leave it another 18 months before I do this old favourite again.