A walk from the lovely village of Bledlow, climbing up for the breathtaking views from Lodge Hill before returning via a very old church.
Distance: 5 miles (Allow 2½ hours)
Start & finish: The Lions of Bledlow pub, Bledlow HP27 9PE
Access Information: Easy walking on good paths and along a couple of quiet lanes
Refreshments: The Lions of Bledlow.
Route
Turn left out of the pub car park and walk straight up to a path junction at the top.
- Turn left for 30m and right through a gate to join The Ridgeway. Follow the path across the field and, near the end, turn left through a gate and right to a road.
- Cross, through a gate and straight over the fields to pass a further gate in the hedgerow ahead. Turn right and follow the path as it climbs steeply to the top of Lodge Hill. Head along the ridge, through a gate, forward for 500m and bear left down to the next gate. Go through and continue to descend to a lane.
- Cross straight over and take the wide track to the right of the farm gate. Follow the path between fields, through a gate, walk forward a few metres and turn right. Stay on this path, go past the next gate and, taking extreme care, cross the railway line. Go through a gate and turn right to leave The Ridgeway and join The Chiltern Way.
- Turn left, cross a high stile into the grounds of The Old Rectory and follow the driveway to a road. Go straight and stay in the same direction along the field edge to cross a stile below the railway embankment. Cross the line with great care and go over the stile at the bottom. After 200m, turn left through a gap in the hedgerow and the grounds of St Mary & St Nicholas Church to a lane. Turn right, left at the junction and first right into Oddley Lane.
- At the bend, continue straight ahead through a kissing gate, follow the right-hand edge of the field and bear half-right across past a stile in the hedgerow. Turn right for 60m, turn left into a field and directly across it through a gate into a lane. Turn right, take the first left into Church End and continue passing The Lyde Gardens and Holy Trinity Church to the pub.
