Pete's Walks- Coombe Hill and the Hampdens (page 4 of 5)
I'm not sure which wood I was now in, but again the path kept close to the edge of the trees with a large field on my left. After half a mile or so, I reached a surfaced track, part of the Ridgeway National Trail - on my left were the remains of some World War I practice trenches. I followed the Ridgeway right to reach the top of Whiteleaf Hill, with its Neolithic Barrow (amazing to think it is 6500 years old).
The bridleway going west towards Whiteleaf Hill
The bridleway going west towards Whiteleaf Hill
The bridleway going west towards Whiteleaf Hill
World War 1 practice trenches on Whiteleaf Hill
The Ridgeway National Trail, approaching the top of Whiteleaf Hill
Neolithic Burial mound on Whitleaf Hill (about 6500 years old!)
Whiteleaf Hill sits in a prominent position on the Chiltern escarpment overlooking Monks and Princes Risborough. At its top sits a Neolithic Barrow, dating back to about 3500BC. There are also possible round barrows, a bronze-age dyke and WWI practice trenches here. The hill is cloaked in ancient woodland and flower rich chalk grassland. Carved on its steep chalk slope is Whiteleaf Cross, whose origins are unknown although a phallic symbol on the hillside here is recorded in a document of 903. The first reference to a cross was in 1742, and it is known that the shape of the cross and the symbol below it have been changed since then. Whiteleaf Cross is mentioned in the song 'Louisa on a horse' by the legendary John Otway.
View over Princes Risborough from Whiteleaf Hill
View from Whiteleaf Hill
Having taken a couple of photos (it was sunnier now, but there was a cold wind blowing across the hilltop) I sat on a log behind a tree to eat my lunch, as it was now about 12:50pm. I then continued along the Ridgeway, descending quite steeply through Giles Wood to emerge by the Plough at Cadsden (at least that's one pub definitely still in business). I went a few yards left down the road near the pub, then took a path on the opposite side. I noticed a waymark here for the Outer Aylesbury Ring , which is being officially opened at Wendover Woods in a couple of weeks time, May 18th 2013 - it's a walk I may well do sometime, having been told about in an email from Maurice Crump, a member of Aylesbury and District Ramblers.
The Ridgeway descending Whiteleaf Hill, towards Cadsden
The Ridgeway descending Whiteleaf Hill, towards Cadsden
The Ridgeway descending Whiteleaf Hill, towards Cadsden
The path quickly arrived at the Grangeland and Pulpit Hill Nature Reserve, where I turned left and followed a grassy track gently uphill for some distance. There were lots of Cowslips and Primroses here, but I looked in vain for their hybrid, False Oxlip. I crossed a bridleway and continued around the western side of Pulpit hill - I was back on the Ridgeway, which had largely avoided going through the Nature Reserve. The area of scrub to the left of the path had been cleared recently - it looked rather ugly now, but will soon grass over I suppose. I always remember this section of path as being where I saw a Common Spotted Orchid which sparked my interest in wildflowers. The path led to a gate and then to a bridleway. Here the Ridgeway went right for a few yards, then left through a kissing-gate near the little hillock of Chequers Knap (I didn't bother to go up it today, though there are fine views from it).
The Ridgeway, passing through the Grangelands and Pulpit Hill nature reserve
The Ridgeway, passing through the Grangelands and Pulpit Hill nature reserve
The Ridgeway, along the foot of Pulpit Hill - what had been scrub left of the path had obviously been cleared recently
The Ridgeway, along the foot of Pulpit Hill