Monday March 31, 2008

The first day of BST

After a set of miserable weekends in terms of weather and my own health which kept us indoors Sunday was a lovely spring day. We did a circular walk starting at the pretty village of Hurley. We followed a path parallel but away from the river in the direction of Temple lock. At Temple we crossed the large footbridge built in the 1980's to replace the ferry which had ceased to cross the river there years ago. After Temple lock we again walked away from the river and turned right again running parallel with it. Here we met some the Marlow Striders who were doing our circuit for the second time today - after the first circuit they had cycled to Hambledon. At least the weather was kind for this activity even if the paths very muddy. We then arrived at Marlow.

We had a forgettable lunch in a pub; the tearooms called Burgers are excellent but are closed on Sundays. The town has had many famous resident writers - Mary Shelley - she finished Frankenstein while living there, a Thomas Love Peacock, also a little known but prolific writer in the middle of the 19th century called G.P.R James and T.S. Elliot who moved here to be away from London in the war. I think all of them lived in various houses in Marlow but all of them on West Street.

Our path back to Hurley followed the river and at Temple we had a hot drink and cake at the lock where the lock keeper's wife runs a tea room. Even if you are not keen walkers starting at either Hurley or Marlow is a nice stroll even if you only get as far as Temple - where you know you can have a coffee stop.

Monday February 18, 2008

Marsh Lock in February..

On Sunday we took the train to Henley and walked to Marsh lock. For those who do not know Henley this is the town's bridge with its church to the left.

It was a lovely sunny day but enough wind to mean there were to be no nice shots of reflections on the river. On our return to the town we had a very good lunch at Villa Marina which is an Italian place. A three course lunch cost us fifteen pounds plus drinks. Hence the reason for taking the train. On the Friday night we stayed at the Cricketers Clavering who do a special rate on Friday's at this time of the year for a room that includes dinner. We both had a very nice meal and the breakfasts are among the best you will get in the UK IMHO.

Monday February 05, 2007

Two walks in winter sunshine

After a frost Saturday promised to be full of sun and no wind. Having forgotten the camera there will be no pictures of Saturdays walk. We started mid point round the walk at Warren Row off the A4. We parked by the now private house which was once the Red House pub. We walked into Cayton Park the ground here was covered by large snowdrops Here we carried on upwards to the summit of Bowsey Hill all 460ft of it. We joined a narrow road by houses after passing through a gate where a large holly bush usually prickles one of us as we go through. We then went along a wide path and under trees with blue sky overhead. As expected we could not take the proper path and were diverted to the path used on the return leg of the walk. Down the path we went then which then become a narrow lane by houses. Eventually meeting the A4 by the Five Stars pub. We took a detour of our own and turned right for a short distance and had lunch at the refurbished Old Devil Inn now much smarter with friendly service. A Ham sandwich salad and chips at five pounds ninety five pence is pretty average price for around here and was nice. We then went back along the A4 and took the path up past the Five Stars and Star Works now a gravel works and rubbish pit. Past us without much warning sped four motor bikes of the trail variety ridden by young lads. Initially I was annoyed by this intrusion but they were soon gone and I suppose it is better them doing this rather than something less desirable. The path meandered along under more trees and we were back to the starting point

On Sunday after a severe overnight frost we drove to Benson once known as Bensington when it was an important coaching Inn stop. Today it has an RAF station which houses the Queens flight. Here before the walk we had refreshement at the Waterfront Cafe which was very busy. We left the cafe, and walked down a little lane towards the lock of Benson.

We crossed the weir first then the lock. From here it was a steady and very muddy path all the way to Wallingford. During the walk we saw several Pill boxes built in the Second World war to try and stop the river being used to an advantage by an invasion force. On the banks there were several fishermen. Not far from the town we passed by the back of HR Wallingford where I used to work years ago. It has its own boathouse and its boat called Florinda II was moored by the bank. Eventually we reached the town and after facing its bridge over the Thames we headed into the town itself. It is said that the bridge over the river here was the first to be built and the current one is 900 feet long only fifteen feet shorter than Old London Bridge. A few fragments of the original bridge are still visible.

We had a wander round the old town - most of it closed for the Sunday. It has a pretty church with a Open Fluted Spire.

This church was built in the 18th century on the site of a former church that was destroyed in the civil war. It was paid for by a William Blackstone a famous judge during those times. His commentaries on the Laws of England were a major influence on the American constitution. He was also responsible for the line of Thames Street being moved so he could enlarge his garden. The town itself is Saxon and at one time had its own Mint, much larger than Oxford . It fell into decline however and at one time shrunk to only forty houses. It recovered however and became an important market town. After a break we retraced our steps and headed back to the bridge.

On the return leg however we were to pass along fields away from the river bank. To do this we passed by the entrance of the town's castle now a ruin. The castle was the site of many momentous affairs of English history much of which is documented here . However Cromwell had it torn down after it took his troops sixteen weeks to break into it. Our path took us back to Benson and the car park. Two nice three mile walks.

Monday January 29, 2007

A Birthday weekend

It having been my birthday on Friday we had a couple of celebratory events. First on Friday we took the train the Shiplake and had a meal at the excellent Baskerville Arms. On the Saturday we drove off in the direction of Oxford to do a walk near Thame. We started by the Falcon Pub on the busy B4012. After half a mile along the road we turned off and entered it being a very extensive parkland with lots of sheep roaming around. After a while we saw the house itself, quite grand and after leaving one of the fenced areas off parkland we past a new tree plantation and a very unusual large tree house with odd shaped windows could be seen. You could not get lost in the park, every so often a railway sleeper with its top painted white would show you the way to go. Eventually the parkland ended and we went past Manor farm and then joined a lane entering the very pretty village of Sydnenham. We past its attractive old school that was built in 1849 the money to build it being donated by a Baroness Wenman who owned the park at the time. It was enlarged in 1886 but closed in 1949 it is now being used as the village hall. We got to the pub the Crown Inn only to find it was closed for this Saturday lunchtime! Opposite the pub was the village's pretty church.

We knew after the second leg of the walk was an alternative pub that we both hoped would be open so we headed on towards Towersey. We followed a series of fields most with sheep in them and lots of Red Kites doing so well in this area after being introduced years ago flying above our heads. Eventually we met the B4445 and crossed it entering a smaller road towards Towersey. After a mile we saw the disused railway track that would take us back to Thame . About 1/2 a mile further on could be seen the pub and we decided to carry on hoping it would be open which it was. I had a nice lunch and we turned back and climbed up the bank onto the old track now called the Phoenix track. Just after we joined the track was a modern odd looking seated sculpture and all along the route were a series of odd sculpture's. Also along the walk was a tree with lots of trainers hanging in pairs from it. We have seen this before in this area but do not know what they are all doing in the tree! We carried on for two miles returning to Thame A nice six mile walk.

We then drove into the town of Thame which is quite attractive it having been an important market town in the 13th century. It has lots of Inns/Pubs and hotels. We went in the BirdCage which is the oldest which specialises in lots of very odd sausages Kangeroo,Springbok, Ostrich, Buffalo, Pheasant & Whisky among others. We then drove through Long Crendon and then onto Brill. This is another pretty village and has a lovely old Post Mill six hundred feet above sea level.

A post mill is built on a post that means the whole structure can be rotated to face the wind. It milled Barley until 1919 where it produce one hundred and eighty pounds flour per hour - a modern roller mill can produce seven thousand pounds in that time now. Around it the ground was uneven with several rolling hills and round mounds. These it is said inspired Tolkien to come up with the idea of the Hobbit's houses. The reason for these effect was the area was a important clay/pottery/brick producing area which started in the 1200's. Bricks were produced in Brill right up to the 1900's when their were eight companies producing bricks in the village. Thame Grammer School and Waddesdon Manor were both built using Brill bricks. We then went back to the Angel at Long Crendon had a rest and a great meal in the restuarant. The following day we went to Whiteleaf and started a walk at the Red Lion and headed up a wooded path to the summit of Whiteleaf Hill. Here it was very windy and at the summit we had great views all around. Here we should have seen a White Cross cut into the grass said to be the site of a former windmill but we managed to miss that. Further along again missed by us is a larger version said to be a navigation device used in prehistoric times.

We kept just inside the wood and headed downhill but here something went wrong with our navigation. We met some fellow walkers and they showed us the way to a pub near our starting point the Plough at Cadsden where we had lunch before crossing a golf course and heading back to the Red Lion then driving home.

( Jan 29 2007, 12:00:01 AM PST ) Permalink

Monday January 22, 2007

One and a half walks..

We took off to Mortimer on Saturday to do a walk around the village. Our first problem was the pub we parked by was closed for refurbishement. The car park was by the first of two ponds in the village called the Fairground Ponds. An interesting history board told what had happened to them over the years. The earliest history tells of when they were used as drinking water for animals who drovers moved across the countryside. When steam lorries were used to move animals they would top up their water supply at these ponds later on. Cart wheels were also soaked in the water during the process of fitting the metal rim to them. Both ponds were also much larger than they are today but never very deep as pictures of horses standing in them show. Back to the walk we passed by the war memorial and turned left. A short distance down the road and we turned right off the road and went through bracken, holly bushes and trees. As we came out of this tunnel the heavens opened with heavy rain and hail. We waited for a while but then turned around back to the car.

On the way back to the house we stopped at a pub called The Magpie and Parrot. This is what pubs used to be like years ago when they where just rooms in peoples houses. The pub does not do food or any fancy snacks apart from plain crisps. Free peanuts were in bowls on the tables. It was nice to know there are some real pubs still around. The pub has beer festivals and other events. Back home it was time to give the Grape and Wysteria their yearly pruning.

On the Sunday after an overnight storm and with strong cold winds blowing we went to do a walk between Wargrave and Crazies Hill electing to start it at the latter place. We had a drink at the Horns and after going back to the car to put our walk boots on we spotted this old Rolls Royce in the car park.

We left the pub and walked past its school and village hall. Also visible was the old Henley Town Hall moved to its new position in 1897. We carried straight on and just by the pretty Rebecca's Cottage we turned off down a footpath. Just after the cottage was house with its own small gauge railway in the garden with a bridge and cutting. Before reaching its famous well we turned right again through a small copse. After our path ran out we dropped down to the road and then turned off towards Bottom Bowles Wood picking up Green Lane. Just before entering another small wood we took the route of a permitted path which will no longer be available after September this year. We crossed Blakes road in Upper Wargrave and after crossing two recreation grounds we walked through a long winding road through a large housing estate. Crossing Blakes road again we headed for distant trees over another field walking along Highfield Road before turning off to go over two large fields. Behind us were some trees - Oak I think.

Here our luck was to run out. After going through part of a Golf course and going down and up out of a valley we were to turn right on Penny's Lane. Some kind of diversion before had got us horribly lost and we eventually turned up at the road between Henley and Wargrave. We knew two miles up the road it would have us back in Crazies Hill which we plodded along rather cheesed off. A four mile walk ended up being six miler and apart from the exercise was not enjoyable as it might have been.

Monday January 15, 2007

A sunny Sunday walk around Holyport

On a very very sunny but colder day we ventured out to Holyport to do a three and a half mile walk around the village. We started at the War Memorial and past the Belgian Arms pub on our right. All along this road were houses and cottages all different most with very pretty names. One was new but built with exposed timbers and red bricks by the company that re-erected Shakespears's Globe theatre. Another had on its gate an old fashioned sign warning people to close the gate otherwise be faced with a fine of forty shillings. We turned right over a stile and headed towards Stroud Farm. Here the path took a diversion around the buildings of the farm and past its pond and then after crossing one of many railway sleeper bridges we would cross on this walk we then turned right and met Coningsby Lane. The instructions were wrong here and we turned left as per the map and soon met Fifield Road where there was a pretty wooden chapel opposite us. A little further on we expected to find a pub but this was no longer there - replaced by three large houses. We then turned off this road and went along a path which many years ago was overgrown but had then been cleared the the local ramblers and re-opened. In a garden on our right was a railway track and according to the walk book we should see a <0-4-0 Saddle Tank Engine but this like the pub was not to be seen.

We had reached the mid point of the walk and started our journey back by a series of fields and any of these were partially flooded. we met and followed along Coningsby Lane for a short distance before turning left into Green Lane and leaving that by a stile to go along a series of large fields to meet Gays Lane. Looking behind us we got a great view.

Going along Gays Lane we past to the right of John Gays House and nearby were a small number of very large handsome houses. Soon we came out onto a road and after a walk beside a garden along an enclosed path we were back in Holyport. We had lunch at the Bridge House pub in nearby Paley St where I had a very good sausage baguette served by friendly staff. After this I spent an hour digging over another patch on the allotment.

Tuesday January 02, 2007

A walk before New Year

Before preparing the house for our New Year visitors we did a walk on Saturday. The weather was good but a strong wind meant later in the afternoon rain was predicted. We went to the edge of the Chilterns to a place called Wooburn and parked by the Old Bell pub. Our initial path had us go through the village alongside its River Wye and as this was an old walk printed years ago the path did not follow the one described in the book. Once we met the busy A4094 we crossed it and entered a road that soon ended up being a gravel track Princes Road. The path then followed the edge of several fields until at a gate we took what is called a Half Left and headed towards Holland Farm. Annoyingly the gate we had to go through was locked. It is really annoying when this happens and this gate was very wobbly making it hard to get over. We crossed a road and then met the A4094 again and went past a small brick building - a sewage pumping station. We were now heading to the pretty buildings of Hedsor Warf with the River Thames close by. Another road was crossed and we were then heading along Church Path. Upon the hill to our right was the pretty church of St Nicolas up there it is claimed there are great views all around. The trees around the church also had an amazing amount of Mistletoe in them.

To our left was a sham castle a Folly built by Lord Boston who was a equerry to George III - it was built to honor the King in 1778. It now looks like it has been converted into a rather large house.

The path then started to go gently uphill through Woolmans wood and after meeting a road we ended up having a rather good lunch at the Chequers Inn . After lunch we crossed a field by the pub and entered a small belt of trees called The Swilley and dropped down into the village of Wooburn passing its pretty church St Paul's on the right.

A rather nice three and a half mile walk.

Monday December 18, 2006

Two walks in winter sunshine

After a grey and leaden sky week it was nice to look forward to two days of sunshine and cold weather at last. Saturday we did a walk local to us starting at a pub called the Beehive, White Waltham which has been elevated to a main entry in the Good pub guide. The walk had us go through the village with a pretty school, village hall finally leaving it along Love Walk to then meet Church Hill that took us to its attractive Norman church St Mary the Virgin.

In the churchyard was a really old Yew tree with a really large trunk sadly not much green left on the tree - a lot of it had broken away. We rejoined along Waltham road road for a short distance inside a narrow belt of trees. and then went past the sewage works. Here overhead were lots of light aircraft making their final approach to the local airfield. Also were lots of gnats that pestered us for about another mile before leaving us alone. At Heywood Farm we turned right and went along Snowball Hill walking towards the M4 motorway. Just before a pedestrian bridge over the motorway we turned right and went around two sides of a field before turning right to rejoin Church Hill. Where we turned off this road the building of Waltham Place could be seen a mixture of stone and brick buildings. Across another field had us in a small housing estate and soon we were back at the pub. Here I had a good but expensive sausage sandwich, the pub itself was burnt down in May 1861 and rebuilt shortly afterwards in June 1861 as a plaque on one of its outside wall explained. A nice three mile walk.

Sunday again was bright and sunny although with a sharp frost. Todays walk was at Watlington in the Chilterns just off the M40. As there was only one pub stop at the start of the six mile walk we elected to start it half way round to give us a break after three miles. This point was at Christmas common. Here at a National Trust car park was a viewpoint from the hill. We went through an avenue of trees then descending through more woodland. A farm Lower Dean farm came into view snuggling in the valley. All around us hedges had lots of berries on them all different colours and shapes. The hill also had large numbers of Yew trees - unusual I thought. The path levelled out through a few more trees and then met a road - the B480. After a short distance along the road we turned left to walk along the Ridgeway a short way before turning off to pass by Lys Farm. Over back towards the hill was a single lone Red Kite - we would see many more before the walk finished. In open ground now we followed the side of fields passing to the left of a dried up small pond before arriving in Watlington. Here we had our pit stop at the Carrier's Arms. This was an excellent prawn bap a at snip of one pound fifty pence. A bargain in this expensive part of the world. Behind one of the bars is a verse called The man behind the bar. Suitably refreshed we left the pub and past the local care home and caravan site - an odd combination to be close together. The road was now climbing and we turned left to go on the Ridgeway for a short distance before turning right on the other famous long distance path in this area The Oxfordshire way. The view below is typical of the lovely panorama behind us as we climbed.

We past Pyrton Hill House and continued along a grassy track. We were now heading up quite steeply on Aston Hill. Here there was still frost on the ground and I suspect it would not have melted by the end of the day. Berries here had droplets of water on them making them look like eyeballs.

We followed the right hand side of a field and met a road and were soon back to the car. A very invigorating but great six mile walk.

Monday December 11, 2006

Two walks in two counties

On Saturday we did a short three mile walk around Maidenhead Thicket that we have done many times before. This walk was in Berkshire. The day was full of bright sunshine and little wind. On the Sunday we decided to do a walk we did many years ago which was difficult to follow as the Eton rowing Channel was under construction and the path diversions were not at all clear. This walk is in Southern Buckinghamshire which seems quite odd to me, I always associate Bucks with the Chilterns. Sunday had started with a very sharp frost but rain was predicted for later in the day. We started at Boveney the other side of Maidenhead from us. The area is very attractive and there are a lot of conflicting landmarks. The River Thames, and the more modern transportation of the M4 and planes taking off from London's Heathrow airport. In the distance the buildings of Windsor Castle and Slough's power generating chimneys can be seen. We left the car park and found the river flowing fast and muddy and the pretty 13th century church of St Mary Magdalene by it.

Soon on our right was Eton college's rather ugly modern boat house and behind it the two Kilometre rowing lake now complete at a cost of ten million pounds. To fund it the college allowed gravel to be extracted from the area - this extraction is now complete. We past Windsor Marina on the opposite bank and then the Gothic designed hotel Oakley Court built in 1858 converted to a hotel in 1980. Again on the opposite bank the 18th century Down Place could be seen now the home of the Bray Studios. Here we turned away from the river and past the other end of the Rowing channel. We met a narrow road and past St James the less Church and the half timbered Dorney Court built in 1440. The word Dorney means Island of bees and the court still claims it fame for its honey but it actually is more famous for being the first place in the UK to grow a pineapple that was presented to Charles II in 1661.

We then met and turned left on a larger road and went into the local pub the Pineapple which does around 1,000 sandwich combinations. I had my usual sausage sandwich which was excellent. Upon leaving the pub it had started to rain lightly. We then followed another watery recent addition the Maidenhead Flood relief Channel now complete. This area has been carefully created to provide a haven for wild birds. We left the channel soon and walked across a field attracting large amounts of mud to the bottom of our boots. Common Road was crossed and we then had a pleasant walk across Dorney common its lush grass that did a great job of cleaning all the mud from the field off our boots. We met a narrow road where it crossed Cress brook and followed it back to the car park. an excellent five mile walk.

Monday December 04, 2006

Six miles around Aldermaston Warf

On a bright sunny Saturday we went along the M4 for a short way turning off at Theale and veering off to park at the Butt Inn at Aldermaston Wark for lunch prior to our walk. The pub might have got its name from the Archery butts that were once positioned in fields opposite the pub. We left the pub turned left along the road and crossed the canal by way of a low bridge that moves when boats need to cross the path of the road. We followed the towpath past a visitor centre and many longboats which would be rented out in the summer for visitors. We left the canal path by way of a metal swingbridge again put there for road traffic to cross the canal. Our walk took us along a a lane with the Aldermaston Quarry on our right. Just before we reached the River Kennet we left the lane and then walked alongside the river with a large house Padworth House in the distance. We carried along until we met the wooden Padworth Mill and here turned right on a lane. Four concecutive footbridges took us over the River Kennet and here we were befriended by a dog who followed us for over a mile before he or she left us to carry on alone. The only slightly uphill part of the walk was here with trees around us many with leaves still on them. We then crossed a series of fields and in one of the fields was a solitary oak which had a perfect shape about it.

We met a road and turned right and past pretty Aldermaston Church sadly no picture as the sun was blazing behind it steeple. We entered the village of Aldermaston itself and went past the school where in 1840 a John Staid a local schoolmaster propagated the first William Pear grown in the UK. A brief pit stop at the 17th century Hinds Head Inn was taken before turning right past the Post Office. The pub had its own Gaol years ago clearly for rowdy locals. Three more fields were then crossed before reaching the river again and then we entered Frouds Lane. Down this lane was a farm with the same name as the lane and beside it a Flower barn. We met the canal again and walked along it the sun now low in the sky and behind us this view.

Just before we got to our starting point we reached the Aldermaston lock which has very unusual scalloped walls built of brick. A very pleasant walk.

Monday November 27, 2006

A three Counties weekend

Last weekend we visited three counties. A walk in Essex, an overnight stop at a B+B in Suffolk and a visit to Cambridge on Sunday. As we set out rain fell so a walk later was a questionably sensible thing to do. We drove to pretty Wendens Ambo and had lunch at the Bell pub. I had a very nice Sausage baguette. Meanwhile the rain had abated a bit so we decided to do the three mile version of our walk starting by the gate to Audley End. We walked by the side of its tall brick wall and entered the grounds by way of a big metal gate. A short while afterwards we started getting into the town of Saffron Walden passing pretty Almshouses and then a church.

Saffron Walden was very prosperous in the Middle Ages as a centre of the Cloth Industry. It was also the main centre for the production of the Saffron crocus grown as a dye and a medicine. It has a wonderful church almost out of proportion to the size of the town built between 1450 and 1525. The spire was an addition in 1832.

We left the town after a good look around and re-entered the grounds of Audley End retracing our steps until we took a right fork across a meadow. In the distance the Palace of Audley End started to appear. We entered a farm with lots of yappy dogs in kennels and met a road. Here we turned left and followed the brick wall of Audley End on the other side could be seen an orchard. Eventually we came up to the main gates of the building where we got our best view of it - sadly closed for winter. On the right was a minature railway also closed.

The Audley End house is Jacobean built in the 17th century by a Lord Howard of Walden on the site of a medieval abbey. Charles the Second bought it in 1669 but returned to the Howard family in 1701. Amazingly parts of it were demolished in the 18th century and it was remodelled with some of the rooms designed by Robert Adam. The park was of course landscaped by Capability Brown - who else.

We then drove to Cavendish and had a wander round there. It has two pubs and a shop called Duck or Grouse.

Our B+B was at the end of the village the excellent Embleton house Bed and Breakfast . We were in the Butterfly room full of 1930's furniture. We were lent a torch to walk into the centre of the village where we had an excellent meal at the Bull pub before walking back. With so little light pollution we could see the stars which makes a welcome change from home.

On the Sunday after a very nice breakfast we visited a friend in Cambridge where we used to live many years ago. After a nice lunch we drove home. A very nice weekend.

Monday November 20, 2006

A closer look at Fingest

After a very wet Friday where we had very heavy rain and it got dark by three PM so we had to be careful where we choose to walk. On Saturday it was a nice sunny day with hardly a cloud in the sky as we set off off the Chilterns to do a walk I have written about before here and here .

We set off from the pretty village Turville and went up a path with its famous Windmill to the left of us. The path then divided a narrow strip of woods and then came out into an open field. This was then crossed and we came out into Fingest. It has an unusual twin gabled tower and the church dates back to the 1200's.

This time we went inside and took a look around. A brass plaque on the wall lists the vicars the church has had over the years. By the entrance are two other plaques that listed the generosity of two people the first who's property was sold and the rent was divided up to the poor of Fingest yearly and the second person who left a yearly sum to the widows and poor of the village. Opposite the church is the Chequers pub where we had lunch. We then left the village by a long fairly steep hill that follows the line of woods on the right. Here the leaves were falling off the trees like confetti.

You enter the woods and pass through them leaving them briefly and then re-entering them to now follow what becomes a sunken path down towards Skirmett. A quick pit stop at its well known pub The Frog and we were climbing again with a view of the Turville Windmill, Skirmett and Fingest around us. This climbing path never seems to end but it does and then its downhill again over several fields back to Turville. We never saw the deer that other walkers told us about it seems there was a stag and his wives wandering about. I imagine the number of walkers on this popular route had scared them off to quieter parts of the countryside.

On the Sunday there had been a sharp frost but it was going to be another clear day. This time we started our walk at Hurley the route taking us to Marlow also on the Thames and back again. We left Hurley passing beside its AD1135 Ye Olde Bell pub and then between gardens before passing a caravan park. A field nearby had two Llamas in it - I don't know why people keep them. We reached the river and crossed it by way of a recent bridge which meant the Thames Path is now complete I think. A ferry used to take people across the river but the service had been suspended many years ago. We went passed Temple Lock and then turned away from the river to follow a pleasant path parallel with the river. Eventually we reached Marlow and had a pleasant lunch in the hidden away pub The Two Brewers. After this we followed the riverside path all the way to Hurley. Before leaving Marlow I took this shot..

On the way back to Hurley on the opposite bank we saw Bisham Abbey - twelfth century, Temple Lock again and then after crossing a bridge to jump on Hurley lock island one more bridge had us back in the car park. A nice five mile walk.

Monday November 13, 2006

An Autumn walk around Binfield

To help us get over the jet lag - more on that tomorrow we decided to do a walk near our house in pretty Binfield village. As some of the paths are used by horses and get muddy we thought as it has been so dry this would be a good time of the year to do the walk. We started in a small area known as Wick's Green where folks can take their dogs/children for walks. Many of the lanes around this area have very attractive names as we shall see. We crossed the grassy area and met a lane Wick's lane crossed it and entered a wide path called Monk's alley. The path grew narrower and by a farm we turned right into Green lane this was beside Tippen's wood initially and the green name was right as the leaves are still green on many trees.

The path slightly rose and to our left we could see Ashley and Bowsey Hills at the very top where we met Carter's Hill and turned right. Along this road are some very smart and nice houses outside the main Binfield village. By a Grove Cottage we turned left into Orange Hill. We then took a path by a hedge and went through two fields. The stiles here are very particular to this area and are easy to pass through with no climbing involved. At Billingbear Farm we turned right to meet the busy B3018. This road was crossed and to our left we could see Allanbay Park with a large pond in its grounds. At Hill farm we turned right and walked along a very straight and featureless lane Hill Farm Lane. Eventually at Stubbs Hill we saw the Binfield cemetery and walked on a path by the B3018 again until we met the pretty 14th centruy Binfield Parish Church.

At this point we turned left into Terrace Road North and had a quick pit stop at the Jack O' Newbury pub which has been here since 1730. Jack O' Newbury was a famous cloth merchant in Henry eight's time - a man of merry disposition and honest conversation! After that break it was a short stroll back to the car park.

Monday November 06, 2006

An inside view of an old walk..

On Saturday did a walk we have done many times before but we took a closer look at two things on the route. We started at the pretty village Waltham St Lawrence by its church and pub. Before we started I took a look at its Lychgate.

It is very attractive and on its front there were some words but the weather had taken its toll. Inside the gate however more was revealed. It turns out the gate was built by friends of Rear Admiral Capel Woodhouse who had been a church warden here for seventeen years. We left the village by Halls Lane turning off and following a narrow path between the gardens of houses before passing Halls farm itself. In the distance was the spire of Shottesbrooke. Along a path we went under trees and to our left were the two hills of Bowsey and Knowl Hill; after a few more fields including passing to the left of a Ha Ha we went under a narrow brick arch to get to Shottesbrooke church.

Here we decided for the first time to go inside and take a look. I don't think the church gets a lot of use but has a lovely coloured window.

We then continued our walk in the grounds of Shottesbrooke park . There used to be a village here but like many it was lost after the effects of the Black Death. Ironically this was at the same time as the church was completed. We left the park by a road and here we missed our turn and went wrong before turning back going along the correct route. We returned to the pub which was busy so we had a nice lunch at the nearby Star instead.

Tuesday October 03, 2006

Winter Hill and an Angel of the South East

Saturday despite the threat of showers we did a nice six and a half mile walk starting from the pretty village of Cookham near Maidenhead. We have done this walk many times before and it is always enjoyable at any time of the year. We parked just outside the village on what is called Cookham Moor and headed off by a small stream and then up the side of a field to a road. We the joined the John Lewis employee golf course and then across the single track railway line that goes to Marlow. Further along the golf course we went slightly uphill to a field edge. We then walked beside a large garden, crossed a road, down a field and then joined Alleyns Lane where there are some pretty houses like the one below.

At the bottom of the road we then went uphill on Warners Hill and met the pub known as Uncle Tom's cabin. We had a passable lunch but the pub is not as god as it used to be. We continued into the village of Cookham Dean and past by the side of another pub and into an open field. Here on our right there were enclosed areas full of turkeys. When they saw us they scurried to the front to meet us hoping for food I guess. We met a road and followed it and then entered an enclosed path that took us out into beech woods. From here you can see Marlow and after following a narrow path we came out onto Winter Hill. At this point the Thames river is just visible and the road takes you down where we joined a path which drops you down looking back to wonderful views of the hill. Around us was a herd of cows munching the grass and the leaves on the trees. We crossed a muddy field and then met Ferry cottage recently renovated the site of a a ferry crossing over the Thames many years ago. At this point we joined the river and followed it for just over a mile passing houses which have lovely views out over it. Finally we left the river to go back into Cookham passing past its pretty church which has a clock and sundial on it. In the graveyard is this pretty stone angel.

We then walked through the village over the moor and back to the car park.