Wednesday August 30, 2006

Two nights, three dinners and three walks

We had a two night three day stay in Bedfordshire for the August Bank Holiday weekend. We were to stay in Woburn but more on that later on. The first day got off to a bad start when I managed to drop an empty wine bottle on my foot which left one of my toes throbbing painfully. We used this break to do two walks from one of our Chiltern books where the walks were at the furtherst most point of the Chilterns from us and both were along the jurney we were to make to/from Woburn. The first started at this wonderful pub The Old hunters Lodge at Whipsnade. Before we set off on our walk I had a great sausage baguette at the pub. While we had lunch it rained heavily but cleared up as we started off.

This area has a lot of quarries and the good news is like our area after the extraction has finished instead of filling them full of rubbish they are landscaped into areas for wildlife including large lakes. One thing we noticed in this area were the berries on the hedges. The Elder berries are huge this year and very many of them. Hawthorn were also present but in less quantities. In this area the trees seem to have been less troubled by the drought and have good leaf cover on them - still green. After the quarries and woodland we came out to Dunstable downs an area of outstanding beauty and a place popular with kite fliers and gliders. At the bottom of the downs was a small airfield and every so often a plane would take off hauling a glider behind it. The walk was soon over, a nice short four mile one to start with - and we did not get wet.

Our second walk on Sunday a longer seven miler had us start in St Neots named after a Cornish saint who was buried in its now vanished medieval priory. It has a 15th century church with a forty metre tower that can be seen for miles in this flat landscape. Apologies for the dark picture.

Our walk had us follow the banks of the River Ouse for most of the walk, in fields with cows eating the lush grass. Eventually we left the river and followed into another old gravel extraction site now being turned into Paxton pits Nature reserve. Extraction is still going on in parts of the area but when the renovation work is complete it will be a great site for wildlife. After heading into Little Paxton itself for lunch we then followed our outward path back to the starting point where a brass band was playing.

We found Woburn very enchanting. Our first evening we ate at Nicollas Brasseries where we had an excellent meal. Its old St Mary's church is now a Heritage centre and a new church was built in 1865 to replace it. I prefer the original and the new one is in the bacground of this shot.

The Pitchings is at the centre of the town and was once a site for markets and fairs. Today it is the hub for the town's annual Oyster fair held every September. On the Pitchings stands the Town Hall designed by Sir Edward Blore who also designed the frontage of Buckingham house. The town's name comes from the Saxon word Wo that means crooked and Burn - a small stream. In the coaching era it had twenty seven inns and the first 24 hour Post Office outside London.

Our final walk had us back in the Chilterns and a start point by the Grand Union Canal by Marsworth. Here are seven locks in quick succession, each lock having a side pond used to save water which might have been lost as the lock gates opened. Also nearby are two large reservoirs now used to fill the canal up, two others are close by. After following the main canal for 3/4 of a mile we took a spur called the Wendover arm and then away from that to see three of the four reservoirs. Aston Hill is nearby and a lot of water flows off it into the reservoirs to top up the 50,000 gallons used by each boat that passes through the lock system. We were soon back to the pub for a well dervered lunch and then we headed home.

( Aug 30 2006, 12:00:01 AM PDT ) Permalink

Monday August 14, 2006

Stowe

This National Trust site is by the famous Stowe private school. There are forty of monuments, many with hidden meanings and in the large garden one of which is a large Roman temple that is used for nighttime music events where you all sit out on the grass with your picnics enjoying the music and ambience. It was created in the 18th century, and Stowe is one of Europe's most influential landscape gardens. The he Ha-Ha at Stowe was built by Charles Bridgeman as a symbol of grandeur and was probably the longest ever built.

One of the best monuments I think is what is called the English Worthies in other words a series of busts of famous English people. They include Shakespeare, Milton, Queen Elizabeth I, Alexander Pope and John Hampden.

There are some pretty lakes and the monuments on the waterside reflect well in the usually still water.

Another highlight in the garden is a Chinese building with wonderful pictures on its outside walls. These have been protected against the heat of summer to avoid them fading in the bright light.

Also in the garden is a very large old Yew tree which must be hundreds of years old and has a very large diameter trunk. There is also a very weird gothic structure that I think some people have got married in - with a special licence I guess. All in all a great place to visit just off the M40, more information on the National Trust website for the gardens.

Tuesday August 08, 2006

A Crazy Hill, an old Town Hall and Rebecca's Well

As we had heard the Horns pub had changed hands at Crazies Hill we decided to do a walk around it to see what it was now like. It had dropped out of favour with us after bad service, value for money and food. We popped in for a coffee prior to starting the walk and the omens looked good. This walk is quite interesting as during it you walk over chalk and flint Chilterns and sandy soil that we have near us. With our back to the pub we turned right and walked along the main road passing its C of E school closed for the summer break. We went down a narrow path and came out by fields. Behind us was Henley's old Town Hall moved here at the end of the 19th century. I think it is nicer than its replacement.

The ground under our feet was terribly cracked with the dry weather we have been having, the grass recovering a bit after the rain we had in recent days. There was a nice breeze blowing to keep us cool as well. We joined a Worley's lane and went past a farm with the same name, crossed into fields and headed across to a sunken path under hedges called Penny's lane . We then climbed up a steep path into woodland. We walked through a part of a golf course Hennerton passing its driving range with bright yellow balls scattered on the grass and along a road past the buildings of the course, and followed another path. We entered more woodland Bottom Boles wood and then High Knowl wood and here the instructions were vague and we took a wrong turn before finding the right path. We then past the pretty Rebecca's Well which has a scene out of the Bible namely Chapter 24 of Genesis.

This well was the hamlet of Crazies Hill source of water many years ago. We past its namesake cottage and joined the road reaching the pub after passing the pretty village Hall. The lunch was excellent and we have promised ourselves a trip back there for dinner soon.

Tuesday August 01, 2006

A six miler around Littlewick Green

On Sunday we did a six mile walk around Littlewick Green on many paths and lanes that we knew already but the combination of these was a new walk for us. We changed the start of the walk to be at the Crown pub in Shurlock Row however. From here we set out and headed across the side of a field where the wheat or barley had just been cut and had been baled into large circular bales insatead of the smaller ones I used to know when I was a child. We passwed by some Horse Chestnut trees showing signs of distress because of the dry weather we have been having. Eventually we met this pretty lodge.

After the lodge we entered woodland and a short diversion had us take a look at Robin Hood's Arbour an Iron Age enclosure dating back to pre Roman times. Having turned right we soon came up to and crossed the busy A4 road and entered Cherry Garden lane and went along it until we passed a house called Altmore where we took another right to go over a series of large fields towards EM>Littlewick Green. On our left as before when we took this path there was a Clay Pigeon shoot going on. On our right in the chain linked fence a series of HoneySuckle shrubs had large red and orange berries on them. Later on we crossed over another field that had been recently cut - this time of Oil seed rape. We soon entered Littlewick Green and had a drink there before setting off again heading again over fields to the next pub The Ring of Bells. At this point we recrossed the A4 and headed over a field used for the Knowl Hill annual steam rally. At its far end we passed a enclosure with some very broken down ancient farm machinery and wooden carts inside it. We were now climbing onto the shoulders on Ashley Hill. Looking back we had a nice view with three trees two still alive one dead.

As we climbed the last field before entering the wood that covers the top of Ashley Hill the wind was carrying loads of Thistle seeds across the field. I have never seen so many of these seeds with the clever aerodynamic fluffy exterior designed to maximise how car they get carried by the wind. Just as we entered the wood a WW2 fighter buzzed over our heads - it looked like a German plane. We climbed up through the wood passed the rebuilt Keepers Lodge and turned left to go down its drive. Here the walk had us trying to find a path that did not exist to take us past Hall place now the Berkshire college or Agriculture. We saw the house in the distance where a horse show was taking place. We did however find an alternative path that took us back to the Crown

Monday July 24, 2006

Finchamstead walk

Last weekend we did two long walks and as we were to do none this weekend I document Sundays now. It started in Finchamstead just off the Nine mile ride road from Bracknell. We took a track up to the top of Wick Hill and into pretty and shaded woodland. All along this part of the walk are some pretty large houses with swimming pools and the like. We also were to see a lot of wildlife on this walk; a fox, deer and rabbit. Along this path was an odd stone marked 1913 marking the start of the National Trust held land Finchamstead Ridges. It was one of the Trusts earliest acqisitions the first sixty acres having cost 3,000 pounds all raised by public subscription. It had been part of the Bearwood estate owned by the Walter family once owners of the Times newspaper. Back to the walk we continued along Wick Hill lane, in more woodland and trees. We came out of the area by the Lower Sandhurst road crossing it to walk beside Moor Green Lakes. On the right were current gravel workings hopefully when these are finished with more lakes will be made from the holes from the workings for wildlife. We met the Blackwater river and followed its path for some time. On our right lots of broom had seed pods which were opening up with a loud crack in the summer sun.

Shortly after leaving the river, we passed along Longwater lane and missed a plaque that gave details of an incident with Henry VII back in 1501. We then crossed a large recreation ground split into two by a hedge - the second half having a cricket game played on it. Another shaded path covered by trees gave us a break from the Sun and out past pretty St James church.

This is a Saxon church and by it our refreshment stop the Queens Oak pub - renamed at the time of Queen Victoria's death having been called the White Horse before. It claims to be the only pub in the country with that name. We had a stop and carried on past a farm and then along a field edge before returning to part of the Wick Hill track back to Finchamstead. Nice walk.

Tuesday July 18, 2006

Pangbourne walk

A nice long six mile walk in very pleasant conditions, sunny and a stiff breeze to keep us cool. We started the walk at Tidmarsh by the Greyhound pub. This has a thatched roof that has caught fire twice in recent years. The landlady told us this time the roof has been replaced properley with a guard between a potentially hot chimney and very combustible thatch roof. Expensive mistake. We set off down a lane by the pub and were soon in open countryside. Wheat and barley fields and gently rolling countryside. We had a nice respite from the sun under a enclosed path and after following a track and road went past Pangbourne College and through its grounds to a road. Across more fields and we went into what is called Berry's Copse. The path was overgrown and nettles and brambles that took their toll on my legs. At the end of this we went under the railway arch that carries the main line to Oxford from Reading. Afterwards we crossed the A329 and followed it into Pangbourne. On our left was the River Thames and some very nice houses on the other side of the road looking over it. As we followed the road an old canal boat overtook us and was named Muddy Water great name for a boat.

In Pangbourne we passed the Swan pub where the Three men in a boat are said to have completed their journey. We carried on and had a very nice lunch in the Cross keys. From here we entered Pangbourne meadow and followed the river for a while. Behind us we could see one of the few toll bridges over the Thames that is Whitchurch bridge. We struck away from the river and headed up to recross the A329 again. Soon we met the River Pang and crossed it and had this nice view before continuing our walk.

Following the path by the river for a while we saw a few Fledglings who were try to fly ahead of us dropping down on the ground for a rest as they clearly were not strong enough for sustained flight yet. Before we turned out onto the road by the Greyhound in the field by us hidden by a hedge a few Highland cattle were in the shade getting out of the midday afternoon sun. Excellent walk.

Monday July 10, 2006

Two walks and a haunted house

Last weekend we did two walks of four miles and visited a haunted hotel. The first walk started at the Dewdrop Inn near Ashley Hill. It must be the the most secluded pubs in the county and was built as an ale house for the forest workers 300 hundred years ago. Our motivation for going was we had heard it had changed hands and we wanted to see what it was like now. To the left of the pub is a horizontal pole and feeding baskets so you can tie your horse up so it can have its lunch when you are having yours! Soon after we set off I heard a rustle on the ground near me. I just saw a snake slither off and hide itself. Thankfully they are more scared of us than us of them ( usually). We did four sides of a small square up into the woods around the old keepers lodge now a monterous sized house and back out of the woods to a lane. Just here the path was very overgrown typical of this area with nettles and brambles. The problem is in the summer do you wear shorts and get attacked by these or cook your legs in long trousers. I have the evidence to show I took the first choice. We past the Crown pub really a restuarant with a small bar not in our favour at the moment. We were now in pretty Burchetts Green. Soon we were approaching Hall place a Georgian house now the Berkshire Institute of Agriculture. You walk right through the complex and there were all sorts of animals from Ferrets to Llamas in the grounds ( in pens ). We left the complex and headed out the the furthermost point of the walk and before returning back to the pub had a lovely view ofver Hurley, Marlow - with its church, Bisham Abbey just visible and the Thames Valley. I had a good lunch in the pub so it looks like it is in safe hands.

In the evening prior to having a meal with our neighbour he took us out to Oakley Court a one time house and now a very posh hotel.

In its brochure it mentions all sorts of claims to fame but does not mention it was the setting of the Rocky House Picture Show a spoof musical. It is a lovely setting on the banks of the Thames but six pounds for a glass of wine seems a bit steep. It has many unusual gargoles on its roof.

On Sunday we did another walk in order to try out a pub again changed hands. We made our start at Knowl Hill and headed past the Royal Oak pub then a small farm to reach Bottle lane. At this point a light drizzle had started to fall and I feared the worst. We carried on and soon crossed the railway line over a narrow bridge with more inviting brambles and nettles ready to attack us. At the other side we crossed a laege cereal field, the seed heads now turning golden yellow. It was a huge field easy for the farmer to use the land but a lot of wildlife will have lost their homes as a result of hedges being grubbed out. We soon reached Waltham St Lawrence and its pretty pub near its church.

In the churchyeard is a 17th Yew tree and the 14th century pub was given to the church in 1608 by Ralph Newberry , Lord of the Manor and Master printer to Elizabeth 1st We both had an excellent lunch in the pub, and left the village by way of Church farm. another large field was crossed this time with oil seed rape in it. We went through Effies Copse named after the late Effie Barker a indefatigable local fox hunter . Our final route had us walk between parts of a golf course along an old Roman road.

Tuesday June 13, 2006

A walk in the Chilterns

Did a walk on Sunday that we last did last winter around three pretty villages in the Chilterns. We started at Turville went onto Fingest, Skirmnett before finally returning to the start. At Turville is a pretty windmill on the top of a hill.

The walk takes you on the path up to the mill but we do not go to its summit thank goodness. We followed a very dry and chalky path across a field before going into woods for some much needed shelter from the sun. Above us were the first pair of Red Kites we saw that day. Once in the wooded area we saw Elderflower in flower and the florets can be used to make a very nice home made wine. We then past Fingest's unusual twin gabled tower and past its pub The Chequers. We went in for lunch and I had a very nice ham and cheese ploughmans. Now refreshed we had the first of two climbs to do after leaving the pub. Again as we were following the side of a wood we had excellent shelter from the sun. Behind us we could see the village growing ever smaller as we climbed.

We entered the woods and after a bit a right hand turn had us follow another path on down into Skirmett. Above us a second pair of Red Kites had been disturbed by walkers in front of us. We soon saw they had been foraging on the fresh remains of a rabbit. At this stage my hay fever had not been too bad but somemhing in the fields here triggered off my eyes which is the worst aspect of the allergy. By the time we got the the Frog I had started rubbing them and anyone who gets hayfever will know what happens next. We took a break in the pub and then strolled through the village before turning left and climbing again up another hill and into woods. After leaving the woods we followed a field and a rather tangled mass of gas pipes hidden in trees. Before we returned to Turville we followed this hedged lined path for a while.

With bright red smarting eyes I went into the shelter of air conditioned car and we drove home. One of our favourite walks in the area spoiled near the end by the hay fever.

Monday June 05, 2006

A weekend in Suffolk

A meet up with friends in Bury St Edmunds found us staying Suffolk for the weekend. We were to stop over in a pub on Saturday and meet up with them on the Sunday for lunch and a wander around Bury afterwards. We found this nice walk but decided to cut it down to six miles from its usual nine. The walk started in Moulton by this pretty Pack Horse Bridge going over a very feeble River Kennet.

We past Moulton's church following the Icknield way beside which the river ran. The landscape of Suffolk is reasonably flat but with some rolling countryside thrown in for good measure. The path followed field edges and dipped into woods. In the distance a sailess windmill could be seen a mournful sight. We then turned away from the river and headed through an avenue of Horse chestnuts now in flower and then met the childhood home of Cecil Rhodes. He was responsible for the colonisation of Rhodesia now of course Zimbabwe.

Beside it was a church the spire of which was lost during a great storm that swept over England the night Cromwell died. We were now in Dalham and went to the pub a pretty thatched affair by the river. Based upon our lunch the Affleck Arms will be getting a Good pub Guide lucky dip recommendation. After lunch we then went through more of the village and passed this Brick Kiln before heading into woods.

The wood aptly named Brick Kiln wood nearly had us lost but by the time we reached Blocksey wood I knew we were back on track. We then headed along more of the Icknield way before entering Gazeley where we had a liquid refreshment. We left the village and then headed back along the road we had driven along to get to Moulton reaching the Pack Horse bridge and the start. Certainly a part of the world that merits another stay next time longer.

Thursday May 25, 2006

Zap!

I forgot to mention during this weblog a mildly amusing incident. After looking over the Basildon Park we did a woodland walk around it. Upon leaving the wood we walked alongside a field and suddenly a great view of the house presented itself. However to get the best viewpoint I had to clamber over a old style metal fence made of rusty posts and cross members. I slung my left leg over and as I reached out to touch the ground with my left foot a big jolt of pain went through my left leg. This had the effect of unbalancing me so I lurched to the right and then swung back to the left again. At each of these oscillations a jolt of pain went through my leg. Looking down I could see on the other side of the rusty fence had been fixed an electrified wire. I managed after a few more shocks to get myself off the fence. It confirms that you should always Look before you leap.

Monday May 22, 2006

Two Houses; one in a tree and one with Pride and Prejudice

Despite the promise of heavy rain we took our chances and did a walk around Streatley that we have done before. The village of Streatley is on one side of the River Thames on the opposite bank is the equally pretty village of Goring. We parked at the Bull Inn and headed out towards Lardon chase. Before we started the climb onto its summit we saw this pretty tree house in a garden.

On the chase the ground was covered in Buttercups also known in this area as Crazies. Also visible were the blue flowers of Speedwell. At the summit we had wonderful views of both villages and it as very windy too. In the distance we could also see Didcot power station. After we left the summit and headed down to a lane the other side of Lardon chase had Cowslips on it sadly past their best but still visible. We joined a lane which was bordered by Hawthorn and Lilac both flowering profusley. We then turned left and headed over a golf course before crossing another lane and heading up into a wooded area known as the Holies. We got slightly lost here and in doing so passed three small mazes cut out of the ground with flints indicating their paths on the ground. We retraced our steps and found the right path and eventually headed down a steep hill to the pub. The pub was once a coaching inn for the Royal mail coach to Oxford. We had an excellent lunch and then drove to nearby Basildon Park.

The house was built between 1776 and 1783 to the design of John Carr by a Sir Francis Sykes a wealthy East India Company "nabob" of Yorkshire origins. Between 1910 and 1952 the house was unoccupied and it became run down and in danger of demolition. Lord and Lady Liffe saved the house and restored it and in 1978 it was presented to the National Trust. Its recent claim to fame was last year the most recent film version of Pride and Prejudice was partly filmed there and it became Nethefield from the book. It was closed for much of last year to allow this - the rooms used were emptied and protected and different fittings and furniture were put in place. In one part of the house an exhibition described how this was all done. The highlights for me must be the Octaganal room and the Shell room. The latter contained many shells collected by Lady Liffe in cabinets which themselves were totally covered by shells. Also in the room where large collections of shells arranged by the same artist who decorated the cabinets into a face, a vase of flowers and many other delightful shell sculptures.

Wednesday April 19, 2006

A nice break at Easter

Just got back from a nice four day break at Easter. The weather on Good Friday did not look promising but by the time we had driven to our first walk on route to our hotel the weather had improved enough to risk the walk. Just East of Swindon we stopped at a National Trust car park by one of the many White horses cut into the ground in the UK to make the pattern of the horse in the underlying chalk in the ground. This horse is quite odd as it has a very modern appearance but is actually the oldest White horses in the country. Its link to the nearby fort is unknown. So we set off and the earthworks of the now ruined Uffington castle were clearly visible. This is an iron age fort and dates at 500 B.C. We passed one of the triangulation points and headed onto the Ridgeway . For this part of the walk we followed this for a short distance soon turning off it. The Dragon hill was then visible a natural outcrop but levelled out on its top and said to be the place where St George slew the dragon. Behind us the White horse was coming into view. We then entered the village of Woolstone and had a break at the local pub. Our path then had us leave the village and then walk along fields and finally by the side of a wood Hardwell wood and then onto the Ridgeway again this time for a longer stint. As we left the path and headed back to our starting point several people were flying kites in the strong wind.

We then drove to Old Sodbury where we were based and had a meal at the hotel. The second day we were to do a walk from nearby Wotton-under-Edge We walked out of the town past one of its churches now a sales room. We climbed very steeply up a hill ( hence the 'edge' in the town's name) Here our walk book had us lost but is is an old version and a friendly walker helped us along. She had two dogs and despite her protestations one of them ran off and dunked itself in a muddy pool, coming out a different colour. As we had got lost we never saw the planting of trees to commemorate the Jubilee of Queen Victoria. On this spot had burned a beacon to celebrate that date. We left the wood and soon could see a monument in memory of William Tyndale who was the translator of the English bible. He was born on the site of the monument.

He did however suffer martyrdom at Volvorde in Flanders on October 6th 1536. We walked down more woods and met the delighfully named Pitt Court where we met a road and carried on until a fork in the road led us to the most remote pub I know in this area the New Inn at Waterley bottom. We had a break there and then continued up the lane back to Wotton. Initially climbing quite steeply then following the contours of Combe Hill with the town of Wotton visible below us. On a good day you could see the Welsh mountains but not today. We were soon back in the town and having a well deserved drink.

Our third day of walking had us do two walks instead of one big long one. The first had us start at Nympsfield but before doing so we had a coffee in the local pub there. Refreshed we then set off and followed the edge of a ridge out of the village. We then descended and met a road that we followed until we saw a sign for Uley Long Barrow.

This barrow is nicknamed Hetty Peglar's Tump is 55 ft long and has a central stone lined passage, with chambers either side of it. Near here overhead were gliders circulating in the thermals and also paragliders doing the same. While we watched one gliders was towed up into the air on the end of a tether from a light airplane. We were soon back in Nympsfieldwhere we had lunch at the pub.

In the afternoon we parked at nearby Malmesbury to do a two mile circular walk around the town. The centre of the town is divided both by the River Avon but also by smaller tributaries of it so we were never far from water. At one point we saw a pair of swans who had built a big nest in the water. At the end of this walk we saw the 7th Benedictine abbey now a third of its former self.

In the churchyard was a tomestone that marked the grave of a woman mauled to death by a tiger that had escaped a travelling circus in 1703.

In summary this area is on the fringes of the main Cotswolds and was quiet despite it being a holiday weekend. It has delightful countryside and towns/villages and is well worth a visit.

Tuesday March 21, 2006

A couple of walks this weekend in the early spring

Our first walk had us start in the small village of Shiplake Row. We left the car park to walk across fields towards the main village of Shiplake. We were facing a very cold strong wind and for a moment turning back was considered. Upon reaching Shiplake we popped into the Plowden Arms pub and sat by the fire and had a very nice baguette stuffed with bacon, chicken and cheese. We crossed the A4155 road and headed toward the pretty church where Tennyson was married.

Here we branched left and headed downhill towards the boating sheds of Shiplake college. The Thames river was just below us and we crossed it by way of an old wooden bridge. We then followed the course of the river for three miles; it was very choppy with the wind blowing. We did not see any boats just a few ducks, geese and swans. Half way towards Sonning we saw two tents sited on the riverbank. Whoever was staying in those must have been freezing. We soon reached Sonning and its famous river bridge but we crosssed in the other direction meeting the very expensive but nice resturant The French Horn. An enclosed path took us to the old road that led into Sonning and we were soon along fields headed up to the A4155 again. We stopped off at the Flowing Spring where we met the main road and then soon left the busy road climbing up fields towards Binfield Heath. We past its pretty congregational church with its pretty mini square tower and crossed two fields before entering Shiplake copse. Here on the ground were loads of bluebells bulbs producing leaves - in the late spring the copse floor should be a carpet of bluebells. We left the copse and went up a road to meet a very odd well with a Cupola top

This well was established by a Admiral Swinburne and supplied water for the village during the late 1800's. Our final part of the walk had us follow a path above the road back to Shiplake Row. On Sunday we did a shorter walk on account of the fact I was to do two trips to a local stable to pick up manure for the back garden to be used as a mulch. The walk took us around a nearby hill Ashley Hill. We parked on Honey lane and headed up onto the hill.

As usual with walks here the paths are not so clear so it was not long bewfore we got slightly lost but a bit later we soon were on the right track. We were going along a nice path surrounded by trees that offered shelter from the wind. We met the busy A4 Bath road and for a short distance walked alongsideit on a path and then headed away from it across fields and then into a farmyard. There were two duck ponds here and a swan wandering around the yard. It seemed interested in us but we kept our distance; these birds can really hurt if they want to. After a while the bird gave up and left us alone. It is amazing how big a mute swan is out of the water. To our left as we left the farmyard was Bottle meadow the site since 1971 for the annual Knowl hill steam rally. We met and went along Warren row road for a short distance and passed through more woodland and fields. At the summit of another hill we could see the Thames valley in the distance. Near here was a small shed with a terracotta cat on the ridge of its roof.

We could also see the restored Pudders farm which is now surrounded by very well kept paddocks and fields used we think for racing horses. Our first and only stop was to the very attractice and nicely named Dewdrop Inn which nestles in the trees of Ashley hill After this stop we continued rejoined Honey lane and back to the start.

Tuesday March 14, 2006

Two walks, a nice meal but no pictures...

A nice weekend centred around an evening at the pub/restaurant the Mole and Chicken at Easington, Bucks. We were to meet friends there for dinner the pub being 1/2 between both our respective houses. We were to stay the night at the pub, therefore both of us being able to have a glass of wine or two. We started the Saturday driving to the area and commencing a walk at Cuddesdon in nearby Oxfordshire. However soon after leaving I soon realised I had left the digital camera at home. My literaryskills are going to be put to the test... We checked into our room at the Mole and Chicken first as they are closed in the afternoon and made our way to Cuddesdon and had lunch there at the Bat and Ball Inn full of cricket memorabilia. I had a nice Pannini with chips. We left the pub and headed out towards its playing field which we crossed and went over a small footbridge. We went over some fields and found ourself on the road we had driven in on which we crossed to follow yet more fields. This area is very different to our own and the nearby Chilterns it has a rolling countryside and the soil a blacker colour, and comprising of clay, making it better at retaining water than our own. We reached Southend village and across some more grassy fields we met Garsington church on a small hill. We past it and entered the village which is medieval and has connections with the Bloomsbury set, D.H. Lawrence and Virginia Wolf both visitors here. Up a short road we took a liquid refreshement at the Plough pub having past a very old stone cross which is dated back to 1240. We were then on the return leg and the Ripon Ecclesiastical collage was now visible in the distance. This only being a four mile walk it was not long before we returned to the starting point of the pub.

In the evening a very nice meal was had by all, I started with mussles in a chilli and cream sauce. Others had mains of crispy duck with thin cuts chips and salad, I had a Thai red curry with prawns and rice. Being full I left the puddings to the other three. In the morning we had breakfast looking out onto a field with a horse in it. A few flecks of snow came down but nothing serious. We made our way to the second walk this time in nearby Stanton St John. This time our starting point was the Star pub. The village is only five miles north east of busy Oxford city. We left the pub and past its village stores and village hall. We could just see Rectory Farmhouse where a John White was born a fellow of New College Oxford and no that does not mean he just lived there... He was to be the chief founder of the colony of Massachusetts, New England .

A little while later we crossed a road and headed across fields. The farmer had recently ploughed them and had also replaced the fencing. The fields were very muddy and it was very hard going. To our right was Stanton Great Wood which would have been a much more attractive proposition for us but it was marked "private". We plodded along more muddy fields and at last after a very old and broken down barn headed off these fields inbetween two areas of wood both named Holton wood. As we entrered a new field at its far edge about twenty deer skampered across the field. Even in full flight they were quite well camouflaged the fields and hedges both a dark brown colour. Just before we got to Holton itself we passed a house with several outbuildings. These were full of dogs barking like crazy. Luckily there were no near neighbours but we could make out their yapping in the main centre of the village. We soon past a pub where we had a quick drink and joined the B4027 Islip to Wheatley road. As it had a footpath and a good grass verge we elected to do the rest of the walk along here and avoid any more muddy fields. A mile later the walk was finished and we had a sandwich lunch at the Star before driving back home. Both walks were new to us and are in Pub walks for motorists, Berkshire and Oxfordshire Edition by Les Maple

Monday March 06, 2006

Two walks from a new book

One of my birthday presents in January was a new walking book titled Pub walks for motorists by a Les Maple. This edition covers Berkshire and Oxfordshire. This weekend we did two walks from the book. The walks are well described and easy to follow. Our first took us just into the Chilterns to a village we had not been to before called Satwell and its pub called the Lamb. The morning had started bright and frosty but soon clouded over with a few snow flurries only providing nuisance value to us on the walk. The pub was not open when we arrived so we started the five and a half mile walk straight away. We started going through lovely woodland and during the walk we saw many different types of trees, Yew, firs, oak and birch, the latter with a few brown leaves still on the branches.

On the ground we also saw bluebells just poking through the ground and this walk will be nice to do in May when they are in flower. After a spell in the woods and passing the entrance to Nettlebed Estate we were then in the open and walked along a farm track heading to both Bromsden Farm and its cottages which years ago would have housed the families of those who worked on the farm. We then re-entered woods and eventually climbed up a short hill to come out by a large pond frozen over with ice. We then went into a copse with a funny name of Famous copse. After this was Lawrence farm which kept lots of horses and had a large horse sized statue on a big plinth to celebrate the fact. We now spent a longer spell of time in open fields approaching the grounds of the National Trust property of Greys Court. The picture below shows its church and maze. The churchyard had loads of snowdrops flowering.

We passed by the front of the property, there are many buildings on the site, at least two had odd hexagonal shaped flint additions to them. Sadly the main building was under cover and scaffolding for work on the roof I think. We left Greys court and carried along more fields and woodland passing the small hamlet of Shepherd's Green. We soon entered the woodland where we started the walk and went back to the pub. As we approached the pub the name Anthony Worrall Thompson's name was on the pub sign. When we had arrived ealrier I had managed to get inside the pub and saw the man himself propping up the bar. I had not realised then he had bought the pub. Unfortunately we were told the pub did no coffee ! The meals were all bistro style so we left on went to another local pub for lunch.

On the Sunday another bright day beckoned us this time the cloud not obscuring the blue sky as much as yesterday but a stronger, colder wind was present as we were to find out later on. The walk had us start at the Jolly Farmer at Cookham Dean but we started the walk by the railway station at Cookham also on route. We headed through the village and turned left along a lane then track with views of Cliveden tower on our right in the distance. We soon met and started walking along the National Trust held Cock Marsh .

We followed the route of the River Thames but some distance away from it around Cock Marsh opposite the river was Bourne End. A train passed along the single track railway on its way to Marlow having left Maidenhead stopped at Cookham, then Bourne End. By our left now was Winter Hill and we had a chalky zig zag path to ascend to its summit. At the top were amazing views of the river, the Chilterns and the urban sprawl of Marlow. we carried along the ridge now with the full force of the cold wind in our faces until we met a road and carried on that into Cookham Dean village. We turned right by the war memorial and met the pub. A very friendly landlady served us and a sausage baguette later we were on our way past the pretty church with crocus in its grounds.

A short walk along a series of paths after the church gave us a very good view of Cliveden house itself descending now into more houses before meeting the railway station again. Cookham Dean was the home of author Kenneth Grahame and the Thames below Winter Hill was the inspiration for his book The Wind in the Willows. Two very nice walks.