Pete's Walks - Maidensgrove Common and Henley (page 5 of 5)
At the end of the wood the path turned right, and followed a left hand-hedge uphill through a cattle pasture. The hedge curved left to a gate, beyond which the footpath followed a farm track, initially still beside the same hedgerow. There were good views ahead along the Stonor Valley on my left, and this mile long section to Coxlease farm was a real pleasure (I've walked it twice before this year in the opposite direction, but like most of this route this was the first time I'd walked it in this direction). I had to stand aside to let a tractor with a trailer full of muck passed by, and just before reaching the farm I saw a bull in the field over the fence on my left.
The long track to Coxlease Farm
The Stonor valley from the track to Coxlease Farm
The long track to Coxlease Farm
Approaching Coxlease Farm
I turned sharply left along the edge of the muddy and mucky farmyard, continuing on a path that led into Almshill Wood. The path was soon dropping very steeply downhill through the wood. Over a stile on the edge of the trees, I crossed a pasture to return to the road I'd followed out of Middle Assendon just as it entered Stonor. I turned right and followed the road into the village, until a fingerpost indicated a footpath going left.
The path descending through Almshill Wood
The path descending through Almshill Wood
The road through Stonor
The path rose slightly through an empty pasture, then continued uphill through a larger pasture. The slope was easier but longer than I'd remembered (I was back on part of the Chiltern Way). When I reached Park Wood I enjoyed the view back over to Stonor to Stonor House in its deer park. The path continued slightly uphill through the wood, then crossed a flat field of cabbages or similar crop to reach Lodge Farm, at the end of the lane through Maidensgrove. There is another good view from here, southwards towards the Thames Valley and the hills of Berkshire beyond, although the view was not at its best on such a grey day. I turned right and followed the lane, then went it turned right I went left and followed the edge of Maidensgrove Common to return to my parked car.
Near the start of the path from Stonor west to Maidensgrove
The path from Stonor to Maidensgrove
Looking back over Stonor to Stonor House in it's deer park, from the edge of Park Wood
The path continuing through Park Wood
The path continuing from Park Wood to Lodge Farm
I always enjoy this view from Lodge Farm, Maidensgrove. Parts of Berkshire are just visible beyond the Thames.
The lane through Maidensgrove
Maidensgrove Common
I really enjoyed this walk, even though it remained grey and cloudy all day. There was a lot of woodland sections, and the beech woods were particularly enjoyable at this time of the year with the fallen leaves rustling under my boots. The section through the deer park was also very pleasant, as was the long track to Coxlease Farm with the views down to the Stonor Valley. I felt a bit stupid about taking the wrong route at one point, but the 'diversion' was perfectly pleasant - it not only took me to the attractive hamlet of Shepherd's Green, it also brought the mileage a bit closer to the 15 miles I usually aim at (not that I seem to have walked that distance much recently!). It's certainly a walk I'd like to do again, but I can't decide which way round I preferred to do it. Both clockwise and anti-clockwise it's a good route.