Pete's Walks- Pulpit Hill and Ninn Wood (page 2 of 2)
I turned left along the road here for a few yards, then took a bridleway that started on the far side. This was pretty much enclosed by tall overhanging hedges, with a Pony Club in progress through the hedge on my left. I went straight on at a path crossroads, now just inside the eastern edge of Ninn Wood. The bridleway was rising very gently indeed, so I was a little surprised when I reached the next junction as I thought I had to go further uphill. I turned right and followed a path northwest through Ninn Wood.
The start of the bridleway going south from just left of the car park
The bridleway going south from just left of the car park
The same bridleway
The same bridleway, now climbing uphill just inside the eastern edge of Ninn Wood
The start of the path going northwest through Ninn Wood to Lower Cadsden
I soon spotted a Speckled Wood butterfly. I passed one or two areas of beech trees here, before the path descended quite steeply. At the bottom of the slope there was an open glade, with some Dame's Violet growing. I continued straight on, to reach The Plough at Cadsden..
The path going northwest through Ninn Wood to Lower Cadsden
The path going northwest through Ninn Wood to Lower Cadsden
The path going northwest through Ninn Wood to Lower Cadsden
The same footpath, now at the foot of the hill
The footpath now approaching The Plough at Cadsden
I carried on along the short street from the pub to a road, and continued along a path on the other side which soon took me into the Grangelands and Pulpit Hill nature reserve. I turned left, and followed a clear track through the reserve. There were many more orchids here, and I also spotted Dark Green Fritillary and Marbled White butterflies. Beyond the reserve I continued ahead, now on the Ridgeway again and with Pulpit Hill sloping up on my right. There were now hundreds (possibly thousands) of Orchids in the area to my left - a couple of months ago this had been a bare and barren chalky mess where the scrub had been cleared, I was amazed how it had recovered so quickly.
Grangelands and Pulpit Hill nature reserve
Grangelands and Pulpit Hill nature reserve
Grangelands and Pulpit Hill nature reserve
The Ridgeway, continuing northeast below Pulpit Hill
Through a gate and up a few steps I came to the bridleway that I'd started out on. I now turned left and followed it gently downhill back to the layby where I'd parked.
The Ridgeway, approaching the junction with the bridleway I'd started on
The bridleway going downhill to Great Kimble
The bridleway going downhill to Great Kimble
This was a very pleasant walk, although I must say I only did it because I was looking for flowers, especially orchids. But the walk had a nice mixture of open grasslands and woods, there were some nice views out to the Vale of Aylesbury and the historic interest of the hill fort on Pulpit Hill. Both the uphill sections were fairly gentle, the two downhills being a bit steeper. And at this time of year there were a large number of wildflowers to be seen, the sheer numbers of Fragrant Orchids and Common Spotted Orchids being quite spectacular.