Pete's Walks- North from Hambleden (page 2 of 4)
Beyond Hatchet Wood, the bridleway continued to descend, now between mature hedgerows either side. At one point there was a view left over the Hambleden Valley around Arizona Farm. I was delighted to see my first Wood Anemones of the year along this stretch of the bridleway. Eventually the bridleway ended at a lane, where I turned left and soon entered the village of Skirmett. At a road junction I walked straight on, immediately crossing a bridge over the Hambleden Brook. The road soon turned left, and a few yards further on I turned right along a footpath.
Looking towards Arizona Farm in the Hambleden Valley, from the bridleway
The bridleway continuing from Hatchet Wood towards Skirmett
Approaching the lane at the end of the bridleway
The lane into Skirmett
Looking north along the Hambleden Brook in Skirmett
The path started with garden boundaries either side, but soon there was a field beyond the fence on my left. The path rose uphill, fairly soon turning right and then turning left, now continuing uphill through Combe Wood. I'd only walked this path once before in the opposite direction (see my Ibstone, Skirmett and Wheeler End walk that I did in December 2011), and I remembered it as an unusually long descent. This way round it did seem like a long way to the top of the hill, but the path was seldom very steep and it was very pleasant walking through Combe Wood and its neighbouring woods. I spotted some Primroses, the first I've seen in the Chilterns this year.
Near the start of the footpath from Skirmett to Combe Wood
The footpath continuing towards Combe Wood
The footpath through Combe Wood
The footpath through Combe Wood
The path continuing between Great Wood and Poynatts Wood
The path continuing between Great Wood and Poynatts Wood
The path continuing between Great Wood and Poynatts Wood
Approaching the highest point of the path
Eventually the path curved right at its highest point, and descended through what was now Poynatts Wood. It was a nice gentle bit of descent through the trees, with odd glimpses of views over the valley to my left. After a few hundred yards the track turned left, but the footpath continued ahead for a few yards to reach the edge of the wood.
The path descending through Poynatts Wood
The path descending through Poynatts Wood
The path exiting from Poynatts Wood