Length: 27.7 km (17.2 mi) or 20.1 km (12.5 mi)
Ascent/Descent: 412m or 256m
Net Walking Time: ca. 6 ¼ or 4 ½ hours
Toughness: 7/10 or 4/10
Take the 09.32 Birmingham Moor Street train from Marylebone,
direct to Haddenham & Thame Parkway at 10.09.
Return trains: xx.06 (fast), xx.17 (slow), xx.38
(fast).
This is a very rewarding walk through the pleasant rolling countryside
of the north westerly parts of Aylesbury Vale, just north of The Chilterns,
with some far views on clear days.
The walk first crosses the Thame Valley north of Haddenham and then
passes through the area of the ancient Bernwood Royal Hunting Forest on a wide
circular route to return south on a different route back through the Thame
Valley to Haddenham.
The lunch stop is in any one of two charming pubs in the ancient hilltop
village of Brill. A short loop around the village, providing far views into
five counties, passes its well-preserved windmill in a prominent position on
Brill Common, before a long descent from this steep-sided village follows.
There are a few ascents throughout the walk at regular intervals, with
the third one – up to lunch in Brill – the longest, as the walk links a total
of four hilltop villages and crosses one other hill chain.
It also contains several arable field crossings, which should be fine
this time of year and after a long dry period.
A shortcut reducing the effort to 4 out of 10 is described.
Lunch: The Pointer (12.1 km/7.5 mi, food all day) or The Pheasant (12.9 km/8.0
mi, food to 15.00) in Brill (on the main walk only).
Pub on the Shortcut/Tea on the Main Walk: The Ash Tree (11.5 km/9.1 km from the end, just re-opened, no food!).
Tea: The Crown in Cuddington (3.7 km from the end) or The Rising Sun (900m from the
end).
For walk directions, map, height profile, photos
and gpx/kml files click here
. T=swc.191
5 comments:
On the shortcut, the pub at Ashendon formerly known as The Hundred of Ashendon, has reopened as a community pub called The Ash Tree. Among the campaigners who saved the pub was local resident Tony Hadley (ex Spandau Ballet). Tenant currently being sought, so no food service as yet.
Thanks Gouldman, for the tip. Post amended.
The 9.02 train reached Haddenham at 9.40 and not finding anyone else, the Mumbaikar took off in the right direction and all was well with #no rain-cloudy-bit of sunshine- windy day till crossed into a field with a grazing herd of huge cows who made it very clear any presence unwelcome, by chasing en masse, this Mumbaikar out. Not disheartened, the tarmac and the careful car drivers ensured the way to Cuddington where The Crown was very welcoming with crumble and homemade hot custard. Didn’t meet anyone except for 3 walkers from Buckingham at the Crown. The 14.06 was taken before the onset of very dark and threatening clouds.
Also fantastic views with birdsong aplenty!
An all-male group of 4 alighted from the posted train, 3 of those bravely wearing shorts despite the rainy forecast and the guarantee of wet meadows after overnight rain. The "heavy thunderstorms" forecast had turned to "light rain" only and - until lunch at least - we didn't get much of that either, more like overcast with sunny breaks and a couple of 5 minute mini-showers.
That all changed just after 3 of us had sat down in The Pointer for a well-earned and very tasty lunch, when it started bucketing down. The sandwicher joined us and on we went, now again in the dry.
Fine far views were had from the circuitous route around Brill and up to the windmill, followed by the scenic descent from the hilltop. Rain started again as we approached Ashendon, so 3 of us dutifully paid a visit to the now community-owned pub (familyman walked on, aiming for the 18.06 train). The chat there was that a new manager would start end of month and it would become a full service pub again, food included. But, "To cut a long story short", no Tony Hadley in sight!
Lucky until now, we were finally inundated with the wet stuff upon reaching Haddenham's outskirts, i.e. still 15 minutes from the station. 19.06 train.
Wildlife: some inquisitive herds of cows and cattle, with only one of them (in the pm) being a wee bit overexcited. Inquisitive horses as well, in the grounds of the former stud farm at Musk Hill, which is now still a farm but not a stud anymore, with the gallops overgrown and the stables empty. Seeing that it was notorious for a rabid dog darting out of the stables and yapping at walkers' heels and an indifferent dog owner to boot, I can only say: that's karma! Don't mess with the SWC...
Kites galore, buzzards, a heron lifting off from a meadow as we entered it, a fallow deer in a field to the side of the path, buttercups, loads of buttercups in fact, many fallow fields with plenty of flowers.
The only negative: the rain was so deceptively non-existent for most of the walk that no one bothered to put on waterproof trousers, which - with lots of wet grass, nettles and thistles - only meant that our trousers, socks and boots ended up very wet indeed.
With the early starter, that's n=5 on an w=overcast-day-with-only-a-few-showers-of-consequence
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