Book 2, Walk 2 - Saunderton via Bledlow Circular
Length: 17.3 km (10.7 miles ) (but with the afternoon hills, often seems longer) Short walk to Princes Risborough: 6.5 miles
Toughness: 6 out of 10. Some good inclines after lunch - the morning 3 out of 10. Short walk 3 out of 10
This is a good walk for car drivers. Parking is available close to the railway station. For those comfortable using public transport, with its Covid rules, your recommended train is:
London Marylebone: 10-13 hrs. Chiltern Railway's service to Aylesbury
Arrive Saunderton: 10-53 hrs
Return: Saunderton to Marylebone: 16-28, 17-25, 18-26 and 19-38 hrs
Princes Risborough to Marylebone: 15-19, 15-25, 15-48, 16-23, 16-46, 17-20 and 17-57 hrs
Rail ticket: I suggest a day return to Princes Risborough - one stop up the line from Saunderton - in case the weather is inclement and it makes sense to avoid the hills in the afternoon and instead head for Princes Risborough on the level.
Since the resumption of our Wednesday walks all have been relatively flat, with only modest inclines. So today's walk will come as a bit of a shock, as the post lunch hills are humdingers - and will test the old quads !
But today's walk starts gently along a valley bottom We then walk along a section of the Ridgeway, before continuing over fields and along field edges until we reach the village of Bledlow, for our lunch stop at the Lions pub, usually good and accommodating to walkers.
After lunch we encounter the first of the inclines as we head for the village of Radnage, with its interesting church: then it's a steep but short climb up onto Bledlow Ridge for a ridge walk before we drop down on clear paths over some vast agricultural fields, offering fine views, before we commence our homeward leg along field edges and over fields before returning to the starting point of today's walk. If you have time before your drive home or train home, I do recommend the Golden Cross pub just down from the station, for a post walk drink. The pub also serves nice puddings and good pub grub in generous sized portions for anyone peckish after today's exertions: you get a very enjoyable workout today.
T=2.2
Walk Directions are here: L=2.2 Princes Risborough ending here
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6 comments:
Hi! I'm really interested in joining this walk - is it just a case of turn up at the meeting point when the train gets in and join the walk? Rachael
Yes, Rachael. We will meet just outside the railway station on arrival of the scheduled train, to exchange names and contact details and separate into pods
of six. So just turn up !
Marcus just wondering about the walk tomorrow in relation to the weather forecast of rain and high winds. Is it possible to modify the route to a safer lower level route? Marion
Hi Marion
Answer - yes. If it is very windy and wet tomorrow, the walk can be shortened by omitting the steep hills in the afternoon, and instead - after lunch at the Lions - you can head for Princes Risborough on the level. This makes for a short walk overall of some 6.5 miles. To keep your options open I suggest you buy a day return to Princes Risborough - one stop up the line from Saunderton.
The unfavourable weather forecast for today kept our fair weather walkers snug under the duvet. Just 3 of us alighted from the scheduled train at Saunderton. A fourth overshot - sleeping ? - and had to return from Princes Risborough: he completed the walk alone an hour plus behind us. So let's call that n=4.
The weather forecasters were accurate for once. We had no high winds or gales, but it did w=rain-steadily-all-day-accompanied-by-a-breeze. Infact, the rain never relented, start to finish. It had only stopped by the time we returned to Marylebone shortly after 6-15 pm. I hope it remained dry for SWC's evening walkers in my home town, Epsom.
As for the walk, some paths were overgrown and chalky ways were slippery in the wet. The hills were challenging, particularly the bank up to Bledlow Ridge, but fortunately we battled through in the wet without personal mishap.
The manager at the Lions pub could have been more cheerful and welcoming, but no matter, it was a relief to shelter from the rain for an hour. The food was rather indifferent but my pint was excellent.
After slip-sliding up to then along Bledlow Ridge we resisted the temptation to take shelter in the Boot pub but kept going, soon enjoying the panoramic views over the vast wheat fields as we descended towards Saunderton, atmospheric in the rain and mist.
We had time to dry off in the Golden Cross pub and have tea before catching our train home.
An energetic day in the rain !
I didn’t remain under any duvet but ventured forth with my local ramblers along the Thames path but we all gave up at lunchtime due to the constant rain and spent some time at weatherspoons in Putney instead! Marion
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