Pete's Walks- West Wycombe, Hughenden, Speen (page 2 of 3)
A private road or drive started on the other side of the road, and when it ended a footpath continued, initially with a good view towards High Wycombe on my left. Further on the path ran between fences with young trees either side, and headed downhill to reach Boss Lane in the bottom of a small valley. I went a few yards left, then another footpath continued on the other side, running gradually uphill through more trees to eventually emerge on the edge of Longrove Plantations, with a grand view northwards. I then turned left, soon re-entering Longrove Plantations and descending steeply to reach the village of Hughenden, the path crossing over a residential street and finishing by passing through a pub garden.
The path from Cryers Hill to Boss Lane
Looking towards High Wycombe - Hughenden church is just right of centre
The path to Boss Lane
The start of the path from Boss Lane
Reaching the end of the path from Boss Lane, in Longrove Plantations
View north from the edge of Longrove Plantations
The path down to Hughenden through Longrove Plantations
I crossed the road and took a path opposite, which crossed a huge stubble field, and then headed uphill through a very large pasture or meadow to reach Piggott's Wood. As I finally drew near to the wood, I saw more Red Kites and a Buzzard.
The path from Hughenden to Piggott's Wood
Approaching Piggott's Wood
View back from the edge of Piggott's Wood
It was quite a lengthy section through Piggott's Wood, very pleasant and colourful, with the fallen brown beech leaves rustling underfoot at every step. On entering the wood the public footpath went left for a short distance, then I turned right at a waymarked path junction, before turning left at another path junction after another hundred yards or so (an unofficial path got here straight from where I entered the wood). I didn't notice the first 'staggered junction' the OS map shows, but a long way through the wood I came to a path T-junction, where I turned left for a few yards before turning right at the next junction. Beyond the wood I went a few yards right, then turned left for a few yards along a garden drive, before the path went left across a lawn (a couple of black dogs barked at me here but were wagging their tails and were not at all aggressive, but their owner kindly apologised anyway). Through a garden gate the path continued beside a left-hand fence through a small enclosure and then across a paddock. It then passed through a small wood, merging with another path on the far side and bearing right. It then soon crossed a large meadow which was speckled with yellow Dandelions. Beyond another paddock, with two occupants, I reached a lane junction where I went more or less straight on to reach the village of Speen where I stopped on a seat for a slightly early lunch at about 12:40pm.
Piggott's Wood
Piggott's Wood
Piggott's Wood
View towards Lower North Dean from the path to Speen
Approaching Speen
Speen, from the bench where I stopped for lunch