Saunderton to Princes Risborough via Lacey Green and Bledlow.
Length: 13 km 8.1 miles Toughness: 3/10
This variant of the Saunderton/Bledlow circular follows a linear (ish) route to Princes Risborough. The start and end are different to the main walk but the mid-section and lunch pub are the same.
Trains: Get the 9:52 from Marylebone arriving Saunderton 10:52.
Returning, there are 3 trains an hour from Princes Risborough at xx:12 and xx:22, with a slower train at xx:51. Get a return to Princes Risborough.
Lunch: The Lions, Bledlow 01844 343 345 is the recommended stop. Might be worth phoning.
There is an earlier option, the Whip Inn, Lacey Green 01844 344 060 but you will probably pass it too soon.
Picnic options include Bledlow churchyard and the Lyde Gardens nearby.
Tea: following the directions “(i) into Princes Risborough” would bring you to the Bird in Hand 01844 345602 atop Station Road. After visiting, follow Station Road left, then right to find the station.
Directions: Now, pay attention at the back. You start with the alternative directions on the “Finish in Princes Risborough “ button. This leads you along the eastern side of the valley (different to the main walk), then crosses over to join the main directions (on the "Download Walk" button) nearer lunch. After lunch. in the Lions, you turn right out of the pub and swap back to the alternative directions to finish in Princes Risborough. The route is shown on the GPS file. (If you inadvertently follow the main start, dont panic, you'll still reach Bledlow. See comment.). t=2.2.variant
Sunday, 7 January 2024
Sunday Walk: Saunderton to Princes Risborough
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3 comments:
Because of industrial action, TFL are advising people to have completed any tube journeys by 17:30 this evening. If you want to shorten the walk to 6.2 miles, combine the conventional start with the Princes Ris ending. https://tfl.gov.uk/plan-a-journey/
An elite n=6 today, plus one dog. We opted for the alternative route via Lacey Green. The weather was w=sunny-but-chilly. The morning was mostly firm underfoot but it had its muddy moments. Especially the one where a local mocked me for not wearing wellies.
Mr Tiger, of course, was with the fast group, reaching Bledlow about 1:30. But his even faster chums and the dog had sped ahead and were not in the Lions. Mystery of mysteries.
Nothing for it but to quaff a quick drink and head off. No sooner was it almost quaffed than who should turn up? Only the slow 3 who ordered slap up meals.
Mr Tiger thought about hanging around to see if there were any chips going (and to socialise, of course) but he was anxious to avoid any tube curfew mayhem. He made his excuses and left, aiming to get the 15:51 and change to the Central line. Readers, he caught the 14:51. Turns out that stretch only takes about 50 minutes. Not that it was a breeze. A long fenced-in section was more stream than footpath. And that was followed by a quaggy turnip field. Wellies, eh? Thankfully, he was on his own so spared any glowers from the rest of the group.
If Mr Tiger had lingered at the Lions in Bledlow, he would have found ample benefaction involving chips, largely because they were frozen ones of the most economy kind that no one wanted to finish. The salad was out of a bag. Food did though arrive quickly and with willing service. Opinions differed about this venue, from companions who thought it characterful, to me who thought its complete lack of basic maintenance took it over the line between historic and decrepit.
But by not contemplating any lingering, Mr Tiger got a train earlier than did four of us plus a dog, and thereby avoided being brought to a halt by a pair of trees fallen onto the track. Perhaps it was the shock wave generated by his passing no more than an hour earlier that caused them to subside. Passengers volunteered to get out and remove them but health and safety said no. After half an hour or so, the train reversed slowly back to Gerrard's Cross, from which three got an Uber to West Ruislip and made by just a few minutes what would have been the last Central Line train into London had the tube strike not been called off shortly before.
It would take much more than these tribulations to offset the attractiveness of the morning part of the walk, and the brilliant sunshine.
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