Pete's Walks- Watlington Hill and Russell's Water (page 4 of 5)
If you are considering walking this route yourself, please see my disclaimer. You may also like to see these notes about the maps and GPX files.
I turned right, briefly joining the route of the Ridgeway national trail. This almost immediately turned right to leave the yard of the farm next to Ewelme Park, following a track and then bearing left beside a hedgerow on my right - I soon heard and saw another Buzzard over the wood ahead of me here. I didn't get as far as the wood, instead turning right onto another footpath (and so leaving the Ridgeway). This was one of my favourite paths in the Chilterns, running along the top of a hillside through part of the park around Swyncombe House, which was down in the valley on my left. As always there were fine views over the valley towards Swyncombe Downs and several Red Kites overhead.
The Ridgeway, east of Ewelme Park
The path through the parkland above Swyncombe House
Looking left from the path through the parkland above Swyncombe House, towards Swyncombe Downs
The path through the parkland above Swyncombe House
The path through the parkland above Swyncombe House
Another view towards Swyncombe Downs
After about half a mile, the path left the park land and continued through Haycroft Wood. It crossed a drive going down to Swyncombe House at one point. At a short gap between Haycroft Wood and Church Wood there was a nice view left, looking out over Swyncombe towards the Oxfordshire Plain. The path then continued through Church Wood - at a slight fork I took the left fork to follow the public footpath rather than continue ahead on the more obvious track which was marked as a permissive path (the latter would have shortened the walk by just a few yards). When the path ended at a path T-junction, I turned right. I soon passed the end of the permissive path (coming in on my right) and continued on through the wood to reach a lane.
The path continuing through Haycroft Wood
The path continuing through Haycroft Wood
Looking left, Over Swyncombe to the Oxfordshire Plain
The path continuing through Church Wood
The path continuing through Church Wood
The path after I turned right in Church Wood
I turned right along the lane, which soon brought me to Cookley Green. Here I immediately turned left along a track or drive, with the village cricket ground over the hedge on my left. The track soon left the village and passed through a small wood before bringing me to Coates Farm. The track now became a lane, which I continued down for another quarter of a mile until it ended at a lane.
The lane as it enters Cookley Green
The track from Cookley Green to Coates Farm
The track from Cookley Green to Coates Farm
The lane or drive from Coates Farm