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This Week's Walks - Archive

Please see the Saturday Walker's Club This Week's Walks page.

This is an archive of walks done by the Saturday Walker's Club. You should only need to use this page if the SWC website is down.

Saturday 16 March 2019

Saunderton Double Bill (via Lacey Green, Bledlow and West Wycombe) with Navigation Exercise Option

Book 2 Walks 2 and 3: AKA Saunderton North and South

Train:   Take the 9:53 AM Aylesbury train from London Marylebone to Saunderton, arriving at 10:49. Return trains from Saunderton are at 55 minutes past the hour until 22:55.  Buy a day return to Saunderton.

Distance:  Various options abound with this double-header….

First leg: Saunderton North (via Lacey Green and Bledlow): 12ish miles or 19ish km for those more metrically minded.

Second leg: Saunderton South (via West Wycombe) short option: 6 miles or 9.6km.

Total for both:  18ish miles or 30ish km.

Difficulty:  6 out of 10 (4 out of 10 for the second leg only).

So, I recently did the first leg of this walk on an evening outing a few weeks ago. In the moonlight, it was a cracking route – so thought it would also be very enjoyable in daylight…. The route is option (b) in the instructions for Book 2 Walk 2 – entitled “ending at Princes Risborough” – though it reconnects with the main route to Bledlow as specified in the instructions (rather than ending in Princes Risborough)…

As an undulating circular route, I also thought it would make a good navigation exercise for those interested in honing their map and compass skills for the upcoming Scottish trip. For those, I would suggest we walk the route in opposite (being clockwise)  – using map printouts (from the website) and compass…no gizmos… 

Both groups should arrive at the lunch pub about the same time….

After a break at the Cross Keys in Saunderton, the more energetic (and any late arrivals) can set off on the short version of the Saunderton South walk via West Wycombe….For those taking their time and perhaps taking a break in West Wycombe at one of its pubs….you may be lucky enough to complete the walk with a reasonably full moon along a semi-wooded ridge back to Saunderton.

More information and the instructions can be found here and here.  Don't forget both sets of instructions and the navigators should also bring a print out of the map for the morning section!

Lunch will be at the Lions in Bledlow (01844 343 345). Tea can be had at the Cross Keys near Saunderton Station.  If doing the second loop, refreshments can also be had at The George and Dragon Hotel in West Wycombe.

Enjoy the walk!
T=2.2

2 comments:

Stargazer said...

Six off the train met 2 on the platform, for a total of n=8 for this Saunderton Special under w=blustery-variable-conditions.

After some initial discussion, everyone opted for the navigation option (with the non-navigators agreeing to the rules of the navigation exercise -- thank you for your patience). The route proved a good one for navigation with lots of undulating hills and various path options from which to choose. Generally, our budding Scottish walk leaders navigated the field without incident....with one exception, just before lunch.....with one of the intended paths hidden from sight (probably in plain view), we decided to take an alternate route to the lunch pub...but, in haste (or hunger), unintentionally chose the least direct option of various on offer.....Eventually, we made it to the lunch pub (after two calls deferring our booking) and were warmly welcomed despite our delayed arrival... At lunch we discussed the importance of relocation skills when navigating....(and a nav exercise would not be complete without needing to relocate at least once)....

On a full stomach after lunch, the route finding went very smoothly....and I definitely recommend the alternate route for this walk which brings you along the ridge on the other side of the valley (through Loosely Row) with some fine views....

Before lunch we had some cloud and sunny spells, after lunch was decidedly more overcast with light mist arriving on our final approach to Saunderton.

Back in Saunderton, 6 went to the Cross Keys for a drink, with the first question being...should we catch the train in 19 minutes or 1 hour and 19; we opted for the latter....Then, after finishing the drink, the second question, who was up for the advanced navigation exercise....in the dark, wind and rain (almost perfect Scottish mountain simulation should the weather come in with no visibility)....strangely, everyone opted for staying in the pub and having a second drink before catching the 18:56.....

Stargazer said...

correction...drinks in Saunderton at the Golden Cross (not the Cross Keys)...