A beautiful day, and a beautiful walk!
Today I went on a long circular walk in the Buckinghamshire section of the Chiltern Hills. Starting from Coombe Hill (close to the Prime Minister's country retreat at Chequers), I followed the Ridgeway national trail as far as Whiteleaf Hill (overlooking Princes Risborough), then followed paths to Parslow's Hillock, Hampden Common, Great Hampden, Little Hampden and Dunsmore. I then took a somewhat convoluted route back to Coombe Hill, by descending one side of Bacombe Hill and turning back and following an almost parallel path back up - it was worth it for the views back towards Wendover and Wendover Woods.
I am currently re-visiting some of my favourite walks in the Chilterns, and this walk is definitely one of the very best I've ever done in the area.
Beech woods near Coombe Hill
Path near Chequers (I sometimes see policemen carrying submachine guns around here - obviously some very dodgy characters in the neighbourhood!
)
Chequers, with Coombe Hill behind
The Vale of Aylesbury, from near the hillock of Chequers Knap
The Ridgeway path, approaching Whiteleaf Hill
The path near the top of Whiteleaf Hill
Hazy view from Whiteleaf Hill, over Princes Risborough towards Bledlow Cop. There was a lot of mist in the Vale of Aylesbury this morning, so the views were nowhere near their best.
Looking back along the bridleway to Parslow's Hillock (the log in the bottom left is a seat, with a nice view out to the Vale of Aylesbury)
The path from Hampden Common approaching Great Hampden church
The valley of Hampden Bottom (between Great Hampden and Little Hampden)
Path through Coach Hedgerow, between Great Hampden and Little Hampden (there were lots of Wood Anemones along here)
Path to Dunsmore, from Little Hampden
Path from Dunsmore to Coombe Hill
From Bacombe Hill, looking back over Wendover
Vale of Aylesbury from Coombe Hill
A Red Kite flew overhead as I reached Whiteleaf Hill (which, incidentally, is immortalised in a song by the legendary John Otway!
) and I had a few other distant views of Kites. There was a lot of Lesser Celandine around, and I saw Coltsfoot, Dog's Mercury and a few Violets. I saw my first Wood Anemones and Primroses of the year. I also saw several Brimstone butterflies and a Comma.
and a couple of miles is my limit at the moment.The lambs were all enjoying the sun,they gather together in little nurseries and play.A pair of buzzards calling to each other over head,the bumble bees thankful that the gorse bushes are in flower and me thankful my husband is cooking dinner.
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