Pete's Walks- Ewelme and Swyncombe (page 3 of 3)
The path eventually went over a stile to leave the park land, and I then turned left on another section of the Ridgeway. This soon took me to a farmyard at Ewelme Park. Here I turned left through the farmyard, then (leaving the Ridgeway) I turned right onto a bridleway. There was then a long and pleasant descent, soon with views ahead over the Oxfordshire Plain.
The Ridgeway, heading west towards Ewelme Park
Approaching the farmyard at Ewelme Park
Near the start of the bridleway going northwest from Ewelme Park
The bridleway going northwest from Ewelme Park, with views ahead over the Oxfordshire Plain
The bridleway going northwest from Ewelme Park
After about a mile, I went straight on at a crossroads of bridleways. After a while the bridleway was running between two old hedgerows, with many mature trees shrouded in ivy. The bridleway ended near some large sheds at Potter's Farm (the sheds obviously contained pigs, judging by the sound and smell). This is a familiar spot for me, as it is where the Southern Extension of the Chiltern Way rejoins the original route.
The bridleway continuing towards Potter's Farm, just after the bridleway crossroads
The bridleway continuing towards Potter's Farm
I turned right and continued along a hedge-lined track called Potter's Lane. After about half a mile I reached a lane, where I went a few yards right, then continued along a bridleway on the other side. This passed a landfill area on the left. All the paths today had been muddy (it has been the wettest winter on record) and I had to wade through a long puddle here. The bridleway ended at a corner of a minor road (Day's Lane), where I took a path on the right which dropped downhill along an edge of Cow Common to reach the playing fields at Ewelme, with the car park where I'd started on the far side.
Near the start of Potter's Lane
Swyncombe Downs from Potter's Lane
Potter's Lane
Nearing the end of Potter's Lane, with Ewelme Church in sight
The bridleway past the landfill site
The bridleway past the landfill site
Ewelme, from the footpath back to the playing fields
The footpath back to the playing fields at Ewelme
It was a beautiful day today, and Spring was definitely in the air. I thoroughly enjoyed the walk, and was very pleased with the route. There was hardly any road or lane walking, several ups and downs, plenty of fine views and some places of historic interest (the churches at Swyncombe and Ewelme and the Danish Intrenchment). It's certainly one of the best walks of 7-8 miles that I've done in the Chilterns, and I'd be very happy to do it again (if I couldn't do a longer walk).