Pete's Walks - Bledlow Ridge, Stokenchurch, Sprig's Alley (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.
The footpath led uphill through High Wood - this section seemed shorter and less steep than I remembered. On leaving the wood the path continued across a huge arable field, mainly flat but then dropping down to reach Crowell Wood. I was pleasantly surprised that the sun had now come out and there were patches of blue sky, I had been expecting grey skies for the whole walk. Just inside the wood, I went a short way left along a bridleway and then turned right at a bridleway junction. This bridleway followed a valley bottom through Crowell wood. After a few hundred yards, there was a green field sloping up on my left, with the wood still on my right.
The footpath through High Wood
The footpath continuing from High Wood
Approaching Crowell Wood
The bridleway through Crowell Wood
The bridleway through Crowell Wood
The bridleway through Crowell Wood
After another few hundred yards a footpath crossed the bridleway, where I turned left and followed the path up the slope on that side. Beyond the green field the path continued between hedges or fences, soon levelling out and finally running along a drive to reach the lane through Sprig's Alley, where I turned left.
The start of the path from Crowell Wood to Sprig's Alley
Looking right from the path to Sprig's Alley
The path to Sprig's Alley
Sprig's Alley
After following the lane for a third of a mile or so, I took a bridleway on the right (opposite a long white cottage - a footpath started at the same place). The bridleway started along a track, with a hedge to my left and initially a thin slither of Venus Wood to my right. Further on I had a wire fence on my left with the now much wider wood to my right (the OS map shows Venus Wood is triangular). The path dropped steadily downhill with a nice view over the valley ahead of me. At the bottom of the slope I turned right onto another bridleway which followed the valley bottom, with Venus Wood still to my right and Sunley Wood sloping up on my left. After a few hundred yards Venus Wood ended and I had green fields to my right.
The bridleway after I turned right from the road
The bridleway beside Venus Wood
The bridleway beside Venus Wood
The bridleway after I turned right, running between Venus Wood and Sunley Wood (left)
Further along the bridleway
Further along the bridleway
Further along the bridleway