tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13665817.post2813032665952428592..comments2024-03-28T11:16:38.801+00:00Comments on SWC - This Week's Walks: Rolling Buckinghamshire Hills and a National Trust mansionAndrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11395064086819994526noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13665817.post-48902384160068360342015-05-31T16:51:30.785+01:002015-05-31T16:51:30.785+01:00Enjoyed Walker's very fair description of the ...Enjoyed Walker's very fair description of the walk. I’d like to add: ‘Near the start, passed several pretty thatched houses’.<br />I managed to get into Waddesdon Manor on the last timed entry at 2.30pm (note, you have to go to car park to get ticket). I suggest foregoing the pub lunch, have a picnic in the grounds or NT café then at 2pm watch the film on the Rothschilds in the ‘power house’ before visiting the manor, which is stuffed with riches, ie Gainsboroughs, Joshua Reynolds, Sevres porcelain, etc. Then explore the fabulous grounds and aviary at your leisure.<br />NB: the 5.31pm bus to Aylesbury arrived five minutes early! Comfortably caught the 6.05 train.<br />SallyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13665817.post-61739506772954202582015-05-30T23:28:19.613+01:002015-05-30T23:28:19.613+01:00Saturday 30 May: n=12 on this walk, w=mainly-sunny...Saturday 30 May: n=12 on this walk, w=mainly-sunny with just a bit of cloud to add interest. For the first few miles the route was across flat fields which I imagine would be muddy in winter, but which at this time of year are awash with buttercups and cow parsley. Then just when one though the route was developing a positive aversion to hills, it turned north for a beautiful ascent up to Upper Winchenden - the top of this climb in lush green grass dotted with flowers, with a fine view back to the Chilterns.<br /><br />There is then a fine approach across a valley and up a formal avenue to Waddesdon Manor. Here two opted for the full morning route and said the Rothschild Foundation Library building was worth seeing. The rest of us took the short cut. observing as we walked that it would be easy to veer off the path and up across the grounds to the manor house without paying the entry fee (something we did not do, of course, because we are all law-abiding).<br /><br />We lunched in The Lion <i>(the recommended pub, the Long Dog, only being recommended in the walk directions, not in the list of pubs, so we did not notice it) </i>. The Lion was smart, friendly, but had a rather unimaginative menu. What they did do, they did well, however, and portions were good. Their patio could do with some pot plants or other greenery, but it was nice sitting in the sun.<br /><br />After lunch four went to visit Waddesdon Manor but could not gain access to the house, and so after exploring the grounds got a bus to Aylesbury and the 16.35 home.<br /><br />The rest of us carried on with the walk route. One fast walker soon moved ahead of us and may well have walked all the way to Aylesbury. Two peeled off to get the 16.30 train from Aylesbury Vale Parkway. The five of us who were left had a very nice snooze in the corner of a field while a chaffinch chortled away nearby, and then walked south through Eythrope Park, a pleasant estate. <br /><br />Just beyond it, as one crosses the bridge over the river, we left the route and carried on down a tarmac drive which becomes a lane and leads in two miles to the village of Stone. Here there are three buses an hour on the Oxford to Aylesbury bus route. Our search for tea options was a bit less satisfactory, however. 500 metres along the road the Rose and Crown was friendly and did mugs of tea, but was clearly a "locals" kind of pub. The Bugle Horn, with its lovely garden, would alas have been another 500 metres along the road.<br /><br />We got the bus to Aylesbury, the 18.35 train and arrived at Marylebone in time to see surprisingly cheerful Aston Villa fans streaming off the trains from the Cup Final at Wembley. Then three of us had a nice Turkish meal, but that is another story...Walkerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09314024151810191831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13665817.post-29247954451219089352015-05-28T21:59:39.252+01:002015-05-28T21:59:39.252+01:00download a 2 for 1 voucher for Waddesdon Manor. ht...download a 2 for 1 voucher for Waddesdon Manor. http://www.daysoutguide.co.uk/waddesdon-manorAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13665817.post-27602621977593535802015-05-28T21:56:28.037+01:002015-05-28T21:56:28.037+01:00Art Fund Member can get into Waddesdon Manor for f...Art Fund Member can get into Waddesdon Manor for free. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com