In keeping with the weather of the past few days it is warm and cloudy and no rain forecast. After my early morning walk and a couple of hours working away in the awning it is time for a wander.
There are so many footpaths and circular walks leading from Cholsey Grange that you are almost spoilt for choice. I opt for a route I have done a couple of times before, but is always interesting and usually provides an opportunity to spot some wild life.
I leave the site, wandering downhill on the farm track and follow the route around the field until I reach the Ibstone to Penley Wood footpath. I turn right towards Penley Wood and then on reaching the trees turn right again to follow the footpath as it weaves its way along the bottom of the valley.
There are a number of opportunities to take paths to the left and right, but I ignore all of these until I am almost at a country lane (Chequers Lane). I take a footpath to the right about fifty yards prior to meeting the road and climb up hill (ignoring a path that forks off to the left). This is another of those hills that does not look too steep, but you are relieved when you reach the top!
At the top I climb the stile and turn right for a few yards before taking the footpath on the opposite side of the road. This has brought me out onto Turville Down alongside Cobstone Mill. Blog followers may recall my writing about this previously, it is the windmill that featured in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
From the downs there is a fine view over Turville (the village used for the filming of the Vicar of Dibley). But I am more interested in watching the Red Kite that is circling above. They are a common sight hereabouts and you can observe them easily. They are magnificent to watch.
I take a clear path across the downs heading towards a gate and then continue downhill until I reach the footpath that leads back uphill through the trees.
As I walk through the trees I catch site of a herd of deer. They are well camouflaged in the thicket and stay still for a while as I watch. As soon as I move they take flight.
The path emerges into the open (through a kissing gate) and goes around the top edge of a field. I ignore the option of a path to the right but carry on until the path goes slightly uphill back into the trees. Here it is a turn to the left and then follow the level path through the trees until it reaches a road. I turn right uphill towards Ibstone church and follow the road as it bends away from the church. Shortly before this lane reaches the road back to Ibstone I climb a stile to take the footpath on the right (the same path I followed yesterday) to reach Parsonage Wood.
About twenty-five yards later there is a junction of footpaths and I turn right to follow the main path as it leads through the wood with a final steep climb to Hellcorner Farm. On reaching the tarmac lane I turn right and follow this past the cricket ground to the drive of Cholsey Grange. This has been a cracking stroll of about five and a half miles.
It is Lynnie’s birthday in a few days time and I have a new camera for her present (be warned there will be loads more pictures of sheep!). Tomorrow she is going out for the day with Lolly sightseeing in Oxford so she gets her present early and promptly puts it to use taking pictures of the stunning sunset.
10th August 2015
[To follow our walk you will need Ordnance Survey Explorer Map 171 – Chiltern Hills West]
© Two Dogs and an Awning (2015)