Pete's Walks - Maidensgrove Common and Henley (page 4 of 5)
I turned right and followed the road a short distance into the town, but then took a path on the left (part of the Oxfordshire Way). This ran between fences between sports fields and an empty pasture on my left, then rose uphill through a small wood to enter the deer park around Henley Park. The path soon levelled out, and this mile-long section through the deer park was very pleasant indeed (though the views towards the Thames Valley were very restricted today because of the grey and overcast conditions).
The main road (a4130 again) going into Henley
The start of the path to Henley Park
The path to Henley Park
The path continuing through the deer park around Henley Park
Looking back, over Henley and the Thames valley
The path through the deer park
The path through the deer park
I stopped for lunch on some seats carved from tree trunks, just before I left the deer park and passed the house of Henley Park itself. The path then continued slightly west of north, along a surfaced track. After half a mile or so I crossed a lane (southwest of Crockmore Farm) and continued on a path between paddocks (with three or four Red Kites in close attendance). The path crossed another field, then started to descend towards Middle Assendon, initially with good views along the Stonor Valley. The path then ran between small trees to reach a lane as it entered the village from the east.
The track north of Henley Park
The paddocks near Crockmore Farm (the blur in the sky is a Red Kite)
The path down to Middle Assendon
The path down to Middle Assendon
I turned left then right, to follow the main road northwards out of Middle Assendon, then took a rising path going half-right across a field to Paradise Wood. The path rose a bit further through the wood, then ran fairly level along the top of the wood, this area of the wood having been felled fairly recently.
The path to Paradise Wood
Footpath in Paradise Wood
Footpath in Paradise Wood