Mountain Hares & Moonlit Roses

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An invigorating 12km walk for a wet and windy afternoon; judge it right and you could be in the woods when it rains and romping across open downland when the sun is shining. Judge it even better and the ice cream van will be in the Coombe Hill NT carpark and they’ll be serving tea and cake in #Ellesborough Church. Get it wrong and you’ll be too muddy to go to the nearby pub when you stagger back to the Pulpit Hill carpark at Lower Cadsden. _____ The first part of the walk is along well-marked paths through dense mixed woodland; gloomy, muddy and a tad claustrophobic. Blink and you miss #Dunsmore – except for the chapel by the village pond. Built in 1897 (Victoriana meets pebbledash), the Church of the Resurrection fell into disrepair in the 1980s and was rescued by the village who now run and maintain it as an ecumenical place of worship. (Once home, I regretted my hasty dismissal of Dunsmore when I discovered Peter Jewell’s affectionate and gossipy history on the village website. Apparently, the village is haunted by a ploughboy who was struck by lightning – and Churchill’s detectives whiled away their time at The Fox pub during WW2 when their boss was at nearby #Chequers.) _____ Breaking out of the woods onto Coombe Hill makes all the sylvan slog worthwhile; the distant views, particularly after heavy rain, are quite spectacular. The path down from the forbidding Boer War memorial is very steep but soon eases. Even if they’re not serving teas at Ellesborough Church, do make the 50m detour to enjoy the rather lovely hilltop setting of this, the parish church for Chequers (I was told that Johnson has not yet worshiped here). Suitably refreshed, the route back to Pulpit Hill is open, nicely undulating, and a veritable showcase (according to the information boards) of Chilterns flora and fauna. _____ My approximate route is on [osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk]. Find the starting point then click on Discover Routes and search for ‘Pulpit Hill to Coombe Hill via Dunsmore’. #autumnwalks #Chilterns #countrywalks #getoutside

A post shared by H M Hulme (@mountainhares) on Sep 29, 2019 at 11:42am PDT

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I nearly gave this 10 km hike just 3 stars, because the trees hide the views on the first bit, then it’s really flat and featureless, and it was hot and there were too many cyclists and couples strolling hand-in-hand and I was rushing (just done an airport drop; had to get back to do ditto with railway station) – but then I upgraded it to 4 stars because the last 3 kms or so make it all worthwhile, when you leave the desiccated fields and scrubby woods behind and break out onto the gorgeous open grasslands of the Ivinghoe Hills with kites (both kinds) swooping overhead and kids running screaming down hills, and scabious and some silvery seed heads I couldn’t identify and little blue butterflies dancing in a cheerful southerly breeze. There was even an ice cream van waiting back at the Steps Hill car park (and a mini tea shop in a caravan but it was too late; I’d already had a chocolate Feast). My approximate route is on [osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk]. Find the starting point then click on Discover Routes and search for Ivinghoe Hills and Common. #autumnwalks #Chilterns #countrywalks #getoutside #ordnancesurvey #lovemaps

A post shared by H M Hulme (@mountainhares) on Sep 21, 2019 at 8:41am PDT

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The fair’s in town #earlymorningcalm

A post shared by H M Hulme (@mountainhares) on Sep 20, 2019 at 12:59am PDT

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Early morning in #Oxford #shade #sunlight

A post shared by H M Hulme (@mountainhares) on Sep 14, 2019 at 6:40am PDT

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This undulating 11km walk links four areas of beautiful woodland in an anti-clockwise direction. In-between are quiet lanes, sun-lit meadows, gorgeous houses (the wonders of public footpaths!), lots of horses – and the most delightful hidden Hobbit path I’ve ever walked. I parked in Wendover Woods – and winced at the cost because I’ve not been here for many years. Resist a coffee at the smart new café and head south through the woods; you soon leave the pushchair wanderers behind as you head downhill. Buckland Wood is a silent church of grey beech trees (take care with navigation here) and Pavis and Brittam’s Woods are peaceful and pretty, full of scampering squirrels, blackberries, and Hobbits. The climb back up to the car park was surprisingly quick – but I still felt I’d earned that coffee. My approximate route is on [osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk]. Find the starting point then click on Discover Routes and search for Four Woods Walk. #autumnwalks #Chilterns #countrywalks #getoutside

A post shared by H M Hulme (@mountainhares) on Sep 12, 2019 at 10:05am PDT

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An undemanding level route of just over 9km from the carpark on Whiteleaf Hill above Princes Risborough #Buckinghamshire. Most of the walk is under trees; stately beach woods, mixed woodland (lots of blackberries!), sunken lanes (Lily Bottom is delightful) and the wooded margins of large fields. Hampden House (private) and church (open) are hidden gems along the way – plus plenty of pretty cottages and two useful pubs en route. Only one big view over the Vale of Aylesbury – but, because we're on the Chilterns at 200m, there's a lovely feeling of light and space throughout. Photo 1 shows the remains of the #WW1 practice trenches dug above Whiteleaf Cross in 1914. Photo 2 is a #CWGC headstone in Hampden Churchyard for a 21 year old pilot killed in 1917. His epitaph reads: “When you go home, tell them of us and say for your tomorrow they gave their today.” My approximate route is on [osmaps.ordnancesurvey.co.uk]. Find the starting point then click on Discover Routes and search for Grimm’s Ditch and Lily Bottom. #autumnwalks #Chilterns #countrywalks #getoutside

A post shared by H M Hulme (@mountainhares) on Sep 12, 2019 at 9:36am PDT