A few years ago whilst visiting Cholsey Grange we got chatting to the couple pitched next to us. Since then we have become good friends with Richard and Trudie and for the second year running they have planned their visit to Cholsey Grange to coincide with our stay. It was great to catch up with them last night and to share news and stories of travels.
I am on my own with the dogs today (and tonight) as Lynnie is out for the day and evening with our daughter Lolly. It is humid and there is rain about and I keep watching for a prolonged clear spell before heading out for a walk.
It is definitely a case of ensuring that I have the waterproofs in the rucksack. I leave Cholsey Grange by the gate at the end of the CL site and walk down hill to enter Penley Woods and turn right to walk along the bottom of the valley.
The pheasants have recently been released from pens and are still confidently wandering around in the open. Once the shooting season starts they will soon learn to take cover.
I follow the path as it carries on along the bottom of the valley going through Twigside Bottom and carry on until I meet a road (Chequers Lane) and turn right to walk along the lane into Fingest. As I get close to the village an absolute downpour starts. At the Chequers pub I turn right and walk past the church.
Just after the church I take a footpath on the right and follow the path as is goes steadily uphill and then swings to the left before emerging by a road, which I cross and follow the path opposite leading to a kissing gate onto Turville Down. As I cross the downs there are good views of Cobstone Mill to the right.
After going through another kissing gate I turn left to make the short walk down to the road running through Turville. At the road I turn right and walk past the church.
From here I continue on the road and walk out of the village. After about three quarters of a mile I leave the road to join a bridleway going through the trees. This leads into Turville Woods; a cracking bit of woodland.
I keep on this bridleway as it gradually leads up the hill and then joins a lane that takes me past Hellcorner Farm and Ibstone Cricket Field to reach the drive of Cholsey Grange. I have covered just over six miles and despite the downpour at Fingest it has been thoroughly enjoyable.
Last year whilst staying at Cholsey Grange we picked up a couple of take-aways from the Royal Oak in Stokenchurch, this is a Nepalese Restaurant producing excellent food. So with Lynnie away this is where I pop to collect my evening meal, once again I can recommend their food.
20th August 2016
[To follow our walk you will need Ordnance Survey Explorer Map 171 – Chiltern Hills West]
© Two Dogs and an Awning (2016)