Pete's Walks - Bledlow and Radnage (page 3 of 3)
At a path junction (where the bridleway turned right), I turned left along another section of The Ridgeway. The path climbed the grass and scrub covered slopes of Lodge Hill. I paused near the top of the slope to admire the views, looking back across the Saunderton Valley and out to the Vale of Aylesbury. Shortly after the path levelled out along the long top of Lodge Hill, I stopped on a bench to eat my lunch (it was about 1.05pm) - again there were good views north over the Vale of Aylesbury.
The Ridgeway, climbing Lodge Hill from the east
Looking back from the climb up Lodge Hill, across the valley to Lacey Green and Loosley Row
Looking towards Princes Risborough and Whiteleaf Hill from Lodge Hill
The path on Lodge Hill
The Vale of Aylesbury from Lodge Hill
I then continued along the top of Lodge Hill, with good views to be had on all sides. Eventually the path dropped steadily down the wooded western end of the hill, then ran along a left-hand hedgerow to a kissing gate. Here the path turned left, crossing a cabbage field (I went straight on at a path crossroads in this field), then going through another kissing gate and crossing a similar field to reach Wigan's Lane. On the opposite side a path continued along the left edge of another cabbage field. At a gate the Chiltern Way came in from the left to join the Ridgeway, and a few yards further on the two paths went through another gate on the left into the corner of a large empty pasture.
The path on Lodge Hill
The path on Lodge Hill
Looking south from Lodge Hill
The Ridgeway, just west of Lodge Hill
The Ridgeway, just west of Wigan's Lane
I followed the right edge of this pasture, beside a belt of trees. After a few hundred yards, I left the Ridgeway and followed the Chiltern Way as it went half-right across another cabbage field, dropping downhill to another tree belt. Beyond that the path continued across another field, then crossed a track or drive before continuing beside a right-hand hedgerow for some distance beside two large fields of stubble. This path took me back to Bledlow, where I turned right for a few yards to return to the church and my parked car.
The Ridgeway, just west of Wigan's Lane
The Chiltern Way, from where it leaves the Ridgeway, heading to Bledlow
The Chiltern Way, heading to Bledlow
The Chiltern Way, approaching Bledlow
Bledlow Church
I remembered this as being an enjoyable shorter route (when I first did it I'd actually intended following the flat path passing to the west of Lodge Hill, which would have omitted the best section of the walk!). Doing it again today, it certainly didn't disappoint me. The day started off rather grey, but brightened up later on and so by the time I reached the top of Lodge Hill the views were really good. There was a nice mix of woods and field paths, and as usual there were Red Kites and Buzzards to be seen. As I suspected, the short variation I tried today was inferior to the way I went last time because it lacked the views from the top of Chinnor Hill, but at least I walked a section of bridleway I'd not done before.
To see a slight variation on this walk done in the opposite direction in August 2015, click here.