A walk from Turville Heath

For one of my occasional visits to the Oxfordshire Chilterns, I picked a route from Nick Moon's Circular Walks along The Chiltern Way. The forecast was for the odd shower, so I was prepared to get wet. Taking the B480 from Watlington to Pishill, it reminded me that this must be one of the prettiest roads in the country.

It was getting on for midday when I parked on what the author describes as a "small unofficial car park". It seemed very quiet and remote, so I was a little worried leaving the car. (In the end it was perfectly safe). If I have any criticism of the route, it was that the first part was so wonderful, that the rest did not compare. After walking through Turville Park, the green lane above Rolls Bottom had the most perfect views of the Stonor Valley with Stonor Park in the distance. I spent some time watching some red kites, but they never came close.

Rolls Bottom itself is a fairly ordinary track that passes the busy Turville Park Farm, and the path through Longhill Hanging Wood was likewise. It got better as I joined the Chiltern Way and as soon as i came out of the wood, I stopped for lunch.

I continued across fields and approached Northend Common, the walk by passing the village centre. Blackmoor Wood was the entry to the Wormsley Estate, the path descending steeply to a pretty valley. It was here there stands a large palladian stone ornament. The path then opens out and crosses fields with views of the Sokenchurch Tower. There are fine views of the Wormsley Valley both from the descent and then on the path up through the woods opposite. In the distance, through the trees, I saw a number of cars parked in the valley, and presumed this must be where there is the famous cricket ground.

I didn't find the right path on Ibstone Common, but that was fortunate as I found myself outside the Fox Inn, and was able to enjoy the walk past the cricket ground, before turning into Grays Lane, where the beautiful houses on the left have terrific views of the valley us walkers can only glimpse. Into the wood at the end, and it was only a short walk to Turville Heath itself, and back to the car by 3.30pm. And I never felt a drop of rain.