Pete's Walks- Sonning Common and Mapledurham (page 5 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.
At the end of the bridleway I came to a minor road, where I went a short distance right to reach a junction with the A4074. I carefully crossed over and went left and followed the road into Chazey Heath where I turned right into Rokesby Drive (rejoining the Chiltern Way which I'd now follow back to Sonning Common). The road took me into Tokers Green, and at its end I went left for a few yards and then took Dysonswood Lane which forked right and then turned right. The surface of the 'lane' deteriorated after it had passed a few isolated houses, so that when it turned left in a valley bottom it wasn't much different to a farm track. A few hundred yards further on it turned right and rose up the other side of this small valley to reach Chalkhousegreen Road.
The start of Rokesby Drive, from Chazey Heath to Tokers Green
Rokesby Drive, from Chazey Heath to Tokers Green
Near the start of Dysonswood Lane
Dysonswood Lane
Dysonswood Lane
Dysonswood Lane, after it turns left in the valley bottom
Dysonswood Lane
Dysonswood Lane, after it turns right
I turned right along the road, staying with it as it turned left by a junction. Just a little further on I turned left down a lane that brought me to the hamlet of Chalkhouse Green. After about a quarter of a mile I then turned left onto a footpath that started down the drive of the first house on the left. Just beyond the garden of this house the path ran between fences with paddocks or pastures either side (horses on the left, white cattle to the right). The path then continued across a very large arable field (it had been ploughed and harrowed) to reach a minor road. Here I went a short way left then turned right down a lane. After a few yards I went left to enter the Kennylands Memorial Green, turning right onto a path which soon curved left in a corner and then led me back to where I'd parked.
Chalkhousegreen Road
The lane in Chalkhouse Green
Near the start of the path from Chalkhouse Green (immediately after the garden)
The path from Chalkhouse Green
The path from Chalkhouse Green
The lane next to Kennylands Millennium Green, Sonning Common
Back at the Kennylands Millennium Green, Sonning Common
I've done this walk, or a similar one, three times now, and enjoyed it each time. If I do it again, which I'd certainly like to, I think I'd include the slight variation I did today, which more or less halved what is otherwise a half mile section of road walking along Hazelmoor Lane. And when I do it again, hopefully it will be in Spring or Summer as so far the three times I've walked versions of this route have been at the very end of October or the beginning of December. Having said that, this route is a nice one to do in late Autumn as it involves plenty of woods that are at there best at that time of year. Last time I did this route I said it was one of the flattest routes I've ever walked in the Chilterns - that's true, but today I thought there were enough small ups and downs to keep it interesting.