Pete's Walks - Bledlow and Radnage (page 2 of 3)
I then crossed a field in the valley bottom that had clearly been left fallow this year. In the far left corner I joined a bridleway running between hedges, where I turned left. After a short distance the bridleway continued southeast along the drive from Daws Hill Farm. At the end of the drive, I continued ahead a short distance along a lane, before taking a path on the left (part of the Chiltern Way). This crossed a drive, then went through a long empty meadow and crossed another lane to reach Radnage church.
The footpath going southeast to Radnage - it joins a bridleway on the far side of this field
The bridleway to Radnage
The bridleway to Radnage
Coming to the end of the drive from Daws Hill Farm
Approaching Radnage church
I walked through the churchyard, then continued on a footpath that ran through two meadows. On entering a third, I went half-left, uphill to reach a gate into a wood. The path steepened now as it led uphill through trees and an area of scrub. It then ran between a hedge and a right-hand fence, with nice views right over a valley, very typical of the Chilterns.
The path continuing from Radnage church
The path rising uphill to Bledlow Ridge
View left from the path to Bledlow Ridge
The path to Bledlow Ridge
The path took me to the village of Bledlow Ridge. I crossed the road here and went down a private drive. A footpath continued from left of the last house - there was a huge bonfire ready for Guy Fawkes in the meadow on my left. At the end of that meadow, I left the route of the Chiltern Way and went over a stile on the right, following a hedge on my right for two or three hundred yards through a field of long grass containing a few small enclosures. Through a kissing-gate, the path now dropped quite steeply downhill through a large sheep pasture, with views ahead of me across the broad Saunderton Valley to Lacey Green and Loosley Row on the opposite slope.
The private drive, Bledlow Ridge
The Chiltern Way leaving Bledlow Ridge
Start of the path going north-east from Bledlow Ridge
The path from Bledlow Hill, looking across Saunderton towards Whiteleaf Hill - the path drops downhill, then turns along the far side of the trees to reach Lodge Hill Farm
At the bottom of the hill the path turned left and followed a fence on the left to reach Lodge Hill Farm. I turned right along the farm drive, and at its end went left on a bridleway, following a tall hedge on my left with Lodge Hill ahead of me. At a staggered bridleway crossing I went right, following a broad track across the eastern foot of Lodge Hill, passing through an area of scrub where I was surprised to see a solitary Common Knapweed in full flower.
Approaching Lodge Hill Farm, with Lodge Hill beyond
The path from Lodge Hill Farm to Lodge Hill
The path approaching the eastern end of Lodge Hill
Bridleway on the eastern slope of Lodge Hill
Bridleway on the eastern slope of Lodge Hill