Pete's Walks - Maidensgrove Common, Nettlebed, Coxlease Farm (page 3 of 4)
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 along the lane, soon passing Valley Farm (Valley End Farm on the OS map) on my right. Just before reaching a couple of cottages on the left, I took a footpath on that side that was soon following a hedgerow on my right, going fairly gently uphill. I was surprised and delighted to spot a handful of Lesser Celandine growing here, a sure sign that Spring can't be too far away now. After a while the path went over a stile in the hedge and crossed some grass to a farm track, where it turned left and followed the track over the top of this small hill and down the other side. In the valley bottom it merged with a bridleway just before reaching a road. I turned right, following the road in the direction of Middle Assendon.
The lane through Bix Bottom, after I turned right
The lane through Bix Bottom
The path after I turned left from Bix Bottom
Lesser Celandine - Spring is on its way!
The path after it goes over a stile in the hedgerow
Further along the same path, after it joins a farm track
The road towards Middle Assendon, after I turned right
After a few hundred yards I came to a farm gate on the left where a footpath started, going sharply left and uphill across a ploughed field to reach Paradise Wood. The path continued fairly easily uphill through the wood. When it turned right to reach a stile on the edge of the wood, I had to make a detour round a fallen tree. The path then rose more steeply beside a hedge on my left, levelling out after the hedge turned left. The next mile or so, heading north to Coxlease Farm, was quite delightful - it's one of my favourite paths in the Chilterns (though I usually walk it in the opposite direction). The path followed a farm track between a hedge on my left and a small embankment, with fine views along and across the Stonor valley down to my left. I met a walker coming the other way, the only one I saw today, and when I said what a lovely day it was he agreed and added that he thought it was a lovely section of path too. I heard and saw a Skylark, and there were at least five Red Kites in the sky.
The path to Paradise Wood
Paradise Wood
Paradise Wood
The path continuing from Paradise Wood
The path continuing from Paradise Wood
The path continuing to Coxlease Farm
The Stonor valley
The path continuing to Coxlease Farm
The path continuing to Coxlease Farm
View across the Stonor valley
Approaching Coxlease Farm