Pete's Walks - Maidensgrove, Ibstone, Middle Assendon (page 3 of 7)
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.
In the valley I crossed one of the drives on the Wormsley Estate, and continued more or less straight on down a hedge lined track through the Wormsley Valley - there were Cowslips growing along here, again something I remembered seeing before at this time of year. After about a quarter of a mile, I turned right where a footpath crossed the bridleway, and followed a fence (separating two large sheep pastures) gradually uphill. Just before reaching Commonhill Wood I met two lady walkers coming the other way, who I'd meet again later on in the Stonor deer park. I went over a stile into the wood, where there was a short very steep section up to where the path met a bridleway, where I turned right. The bridleway continued uphill through the wood at a much easier gradient. I soon saw some Primroses growing amongst tree roots (I saw them when I came down this bridleway on my walk two weeks ago). At the top of the hill the bridleway left the wood, running between hedges a short way to a gate, beyond which I turned right on Ibstone Common.
The bridleway through the Wormsley Valley
The bridleway through the Wormsley Valley
The bridleway through the Wormsley Valley
The path to Ibstone, after I turned right in the Wormsley Valley
The path to Ibstone
The bridleway to Ibstone in Commonhill Wood, after I turned right
Primroses growing amongst tree roots (the same ones I saw two weeks ago)
The bridleway to Ibstone in Commonhill Wood
The bridleway to Ibstone in Commonhill Wood
The bridleway to Ibstone in Commonhill Wood
I followed a bridleway along the grassy part of the common, with a hedge close by on the right. After a while I took a path forking half-left from the bridleway, heading through the grass towards the left-end of some trees, where I crossed a drive and continued along the edge of the common. On reaching a corner of the common a short path led through brambles to where the bridleway I'd just been on met Gray's Lane. I turned right along the lane, soon spotting some Cuckoo-flower in the middle of a triangular patch of grass on the left. I passed Hell Corner Farm, and continued on to reach the end of the lane, where a bridleway continued straight on (actually both lane and bridleway are called Gray's Lane), dropping gradually downhill with some fine Beech trees (and more Wood Anemones) on my right.
Ibstone Common
Ibstone Common
Ibstone Common, after crossing the drive
Gray's Lane, just before I passed Hell Corner Farm (on the left)
The bridleway continuing from the end of the lane
The bridleway continuing from the end of the lane