Pete's Walks - Coombe Hill and Great Kimble (page 4 of 4)
I went a short way left, and took a path on the other side of the road. This continued through more fields, still heading roughly northeast. Eventually the path reached the splendid old farmhouse of Wellwick farm and its many outbuildings. I went straight on over a dilapidated stile across a rough pasture, through a pedestrian gate and straight on to a gateway in a corner, where I turned right between a house on my left and the farmyard.
The footpath continuing from Butler's Cross
The footpath continuing from Butler's Cross
The footpath continuing from Butler's Cross
Approaching Wellwick Farm
The path at Wellwick Farm
The path at Wellwick Farm - it goes straight on to the field corner in the centre of this shot, where it bears right between a house and the farmyard
At a waymark post I went half-left to a similar post where the path turned half-right, now heading south west. The path then turned left along the northern edge of some large paddocks. It then went half-right for several hundred yards between wooden fences, finally joining a track that led to a road on the western edge of Wendover.
Start of the path from Wellwick Farm
The path from Wellwick Farm
The path from Wellwick Farm, going through the paddocks
The path from Wellwick Farm, looking towards Boddington Hilll and Wendover Woods
Approaching the road on the outskirts of Wendover
I followed the road uphill to my right. As it turned sharply right I went straight on, soon keeping right when the path forked, going through a gate and following the surfaced path straight on. Soon I was following a wide path that was another part of the Ridgeway. It was then a lengthy and very gradual climb up Bacombe Hill - this is always a pleasant section, with views out over the Vale of Aylesbury and back over Wendover to Wendover Woods. The path led eventually to the monument on top of Coombe Hill, where I turned left. The path here crossed a broad area of grass, passed through a small belt of trees and then crossed a smaller area of grass and bushes to reach the car park.
Near the start of the path up Bacombe Hill
The path up Bacombe Hill
Looking back towards Wendover from the path up Bacombe Hill
The path up Bacombe Hill
The path up Bacombe Hill
Looking back towards Wendover from the path up Bacombe Hill
The path continuing on Coombe Hill
Approaching the monument on Coombe Hill
View of the Vale of Aylesbury from Coombe Hill
View of Beacon Hill from Coombe Hill
The path back to the car park from the monument on Coombe Hill
Approaching the Coombe Hill car park
When I wrote up this walk in November 2011 I concluded by saying "overall I think I slightly preferred doing it the other way round (anti-clockwise), mainly to get the best of the views over Wendover from Bacombe Hill". I still think that, partly because today I forgot to look back from the bridleway from Balcombe as it entered the woods, and so missed out another fine view. Nevertheless this was a good walk, with the flat paths at the foot of the Chilterns between Great Kimble and Wendover contrasting with the undulating paths through the woods in the early part of the walk.