Pete's Walks - Bledlow Ridge, Bradenham, West Wycombe (page 5 of 5)
The track continued northwards, through Hearnton Wood. Eventually after about a mile and a half I reached Nobles Farm, and continued ahead along its long tarmac drive. Just past the farm there was an opening on the right where I could look across the valley to the area between Smalldean Farm and Bradenham where I'd walked earlier. The drive continued on through Allnutt's Wood, then descended to reach a lane.
The path going north from West Wycombe Hill. in Hearnton Wood
The path going north from West Wycombe Hill. in Hearnton Wood
The path going north from West Wycombe Hill. in Hearnton Wood
The path approaching Nobles Farm
Start of the drive from Nobles Farm
Looking northeast from near Nobles Farm, back to where I'd walked earlier (just before I reached Bradenham)
The drive from Nobles Farm
The drive from Nobles Farm, with Slough Hill ahead
Across the lane, a footpath continued northwards over Slough Hill, following the left edge of a field. There were nice views across the valley here, and back along the valley towards Bradenham. After a while the path entered the trees and bushes to the left of the field, emerging from them at the top of the hill and continuing downhill through some overgrown meadows, following a hedge on my left. This section of the path gently descending the northern side of this small hill seemed longer than I remembered, somehow, though I did remember the view ahead towards Lodge Hill where I'd been this morning.
The start of the footpath up Slough Hill
From Slough Hill, looking back along the valley towards Bradenham
Looking across the Saunderton Valley from Slough Hill (Smalldean Farm is hidden in a dip on the left of the photo)
The path down Slough Hill, looking north to Lodge Hill
On reaching a minor road, I followed it left for a short distance and then turned right onto another tarmac drive (leading to Lodge Hill Farm, which I'd passed this morning). After a hundred yards or so I then turned left (immediately before a hedge surrounding a bungalow) onto a footpath that crossed a large arable field. It now started to rain, with a little sleet mixed in, so after one last photo I had to put the camera away. The path next followed the left-hand hedge of an empty pasture rising up the side of the Saunderton Valley, following the same hedgerow in the next steeper pasture, before crossing this pasture near the top of the hill and then running between fences to return me to the village of Bledlow Ridge and my waiting car.
The drive to Lodge Hill Farm
The path back up to Bledlow Ridge - it follows the hedgerow on the left, then crosses the top of the steep field (more or less on the skyline) to follow the right-hand hedgeline into the village
The few minutes of rain at the end did not spoil what had been an enjoyable walk. It had generally been a bright and sunny day, and the rain rather took me by surprise. This was certainly a walk I'd enjoy doing again. It was a bit more 'up and down' than I'd remembered, and doing it this way I seemed to generally have short steep uphills and long gradual descents. The views were possibly slightly better doing it the other way (anti-clockwise), but I'm not sure. In either direction, I think it's a good walk.