Pete's Walks- Watlington Hill, Russell's Water, Swyncombe (page 2 of 6)
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 bridleway, which was almost imperceptibly rising uphill throughout most of its course, ran between tall old hedges, and then past Long Wood on my right. Beyond the wood it again ran between hedges, before after almost a mile it reached a farmyard.
The bridleway from Pishill to Russell's Water Common
The bridleway from Pishill to Russell's Water Common
The bridleway from Pishill to Russell's Water Common
The bridleway from Pishill to Russell's Water Common
Beyond the farmyard I went straight on along a drive for a few yards, then when the drive went slightly left I just walked straight on into the middle of part of Russell's Water Common, the drive from the farm yard gradually going further left. After a while, trees started along the edge of the common on my left, and after maybe another hundred yards, I turned left and headed towards the trees. I could soon see a white-topped post with waymarks, and when I got to it I followed a track into the hamlet of Russell's Water, which turned left and then right by some cottages, and then passed the village pond on my left (there are some big fish in it!).
Russell's Water Common - I continued straight on into the middle of the common
Taken from where the bridleway turns left in the middle of the common (you can just see the waymarks on top of a post)
The pond in Russell's Water
I turned left along the lane through the hamlet, then just after a bend I took a bridleway on the right. This was heading west, and soon dropped quite steeply down into a valley. At the bottom of the slope I turned left at a bridleway T-junction, following this bridleway along the valley bottom for no more than a quarter of a mile before turning right onto another bridleway (I didn't notice any signs or waymarks here). It led gently uphill between fences and hedges to reach Redpits Manor. The bridleway then continued past some outbuildings and then through the grounds of Redpits Manor, where there was a fine view over the hedge on my left, before dropping down gently into a slight valley.
Near the start of the bridleway going west from Russell's Water
The bridleway going west from Russell's Water
The bridleway along the valley bottom, after I turned left
The start of the bridleway to Redpits Manor
The bridleway to Redpits Manor
The bridleway to Redpits Manor
The bridleway continuing past the grounds of Redpits Manor
The bridleway continuing from Redpits Manor
The bridleway continuing from Redpits Manor