Pete's Walks - Bradenham and Lodge Hill (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.
Across the main road, a path continued along the right edge of another field. When it reached a drive going to Collin's Farm, it crossed it and ran through trees a very short distance to reach a track (very close to where it met a lane). I went left for a yard or two along the track, then left again back into the trees, following the path another short distance until it met the drive again, where I turned right. The drive was flat here, but gradually steepened as it started the climb out of the Saunderton valley to Loosley Row. It was steepest as it passed Collin's Farm on my left, where it became a concrete track. Immediately after this turned left, the path went right, going uphill a short further distance to reach a road in Loosley Row.
The path on the other side of the A4010 main road
The same path after crossing the drive to Collin's Farm
The path just before it joins the drive to Collin's Farm
The drive to Collin's Farm
The drive to Collin's Farm
Where the path turns right from near Collin's Farm
I turned right along the road. When I went straight on at a crossroads, along Lower Road, I was entering what was new territory for me. After a while I saw a green fingerpost on the left where paths went off on either side. I continued along the road here, and nearly missed the next footpath on the left (going to Smalldean Lane) - I wasn't expecting it quite so soon, and only noticed it because four walkers were by the stile at its start. This path left Loosley Row and followed a fence and intermittent hedge on my left, with a meadow of rough grass sloping down to my right. There were nice views here, over the Saunderton valley on my right and back towards the Vale of Aylesbury. When I passed a path junction as I neared the end of this meadow I was back on familiar territory once more.
The road through Loosley Row
Lower Road, Loosley Row
Lower Road, Loosley Row
The start of the path from Loosley Row to Smalldean Lane
View back from the path from Loosley Row to Smalldean Lane
Over a stile, I was little confused - I remembered always continuing along the left edge of another field here, yet there was a clear path heading through the tree belt ahead of me, bordering the field. Checking the OS map, I could see the latter was the correct route, and as I made my way along the tree belt I passed at least one white arrow on a tree that confirmed I was on a right of way. When I got to the end of the tree belt (and the field) I looked back to see if there was any white arrow or waymark pointing the way I'd come, and there was a white arrow that forked in two, indicating both paths were allowed. The path along the field edge would have been better because I'd have had more of the views across and along the Saunderton valley, but I was glad to have walked another section of path that was new to me.
The path from Loosley Row to Smalldean Lane, through the tree belt
The path from Loosley Row to Smalldean Lane, through the tree belt
The path went through a gate, and passed the end of a tree belt on my right to the entrance of another field - the ground here was completely churned up by horses, which I'd just seen in the adjoining field to the left. But once I got into the field the path was fine, and there was a nice view ahead of me looking along the valley as it headed towards West Wycombe. At the end of this large horse field I went through a gate, the path continuing gently downhill beside a tall and thick hedgerow on my left. After several hundred yards of easy descent, the hedge ended and the path turned left very briefly before going right to reach Smalldean Lane.
The path from Loosley Row to Smalldean Lane (this may look nice, but beyond the gate the ground was a quagmire)
The path from Loosley Row to Smalldean Lane
The path from Loosley Row to Smalldean Lane
The path from Loosley Row to Smalldean Lane
Approaching Smalldean Lane and Small Dean Farm (the path reaches the lane at the dead centre of this shot)