SAUNDERTON CIRCULAR
Distance: (11 miles)
Map: Explorer 172
Walk surveyed and described by Sue Aldridge, based on Ken’s walk summary as follows:
Circular from Saunderton. Undulating. Lunch at the Le De Spencer’s Arms. Possible teas at the West Wycombe Caves café or Hughenden Manor. (Can be shortened to 8½ miles).
Description checked by Peter and Mooi Simon
Start
1 Turn left down station approach. Turn left under rail bridge to main road. Cross road, walk ahead up Smalldean Lane for two-thirds of a mile. On reaching Small Dean Farm, turn right along footpath between wooden buildings to large field. Follow track round left edge of field with wooded hill slopes on the left (lovely views to the right). After passing through a wide gap in the hedge, follow permissive path as it forks slightly right across next field, rising gently to follow hedge line on left, turning left at gap in far corner for 50 yards, then turn right, resuming same direction, following left hedge line, descending side of field (glorious views of the valley). On reaching crossing track, keep ahead passing bench seating, along right edge of field, through a gate, across a small field to gate leading to drive and out to road opposite Bradenham Church.
2 Cross road, turn right then left, and walk alongside wall in front of St Botolph’s Church with the green on the right. Then pass Bradenham Manor on the left. At the end of the wall, turn left on wide track, rising gently uphill and bending round to the left. Keep left at junction of paths, following bridleway, with red brick wall on left, then curving right away from the wall, gently rising uphill in woods. Continue ahead on track at top, passing cottage on right. After another 100 yards, as track curves right, go straight ahead on green path through woods (at bridleway waymark post). This is Bradenham Hill. Soon after, at junction of paths at Naphill Common information board, fork right on footpath/bridleway. Go ahead in easterly direction. Where bridleway and footpath diverge, fork right on bridleway (BW85). Ignore side tracks until reaching a clearly marked post (showing many waymarks) by a crossing bridleway. Turn right on bridleway (BW84) and keep on straight track inside wood (houses may be seen at times to the left through the trees). Eventually this comes out on to wide vehicle track. Turn left. At junction of tracks near information board for Naphill and Downley Commons, branch right on footpath going through woods . Leave the woods, passing houses on the left, to arrive at the lunch pub, Le De Spencer’s Arms (01494 535 317). (For a shorter walk, omitting about 2 miles, see instructions below, fourth paragraph.)
3 Turn left outside pub, continuing along wide track for a few yards, then turn sharply left down a wide track for about 50 yards, then turn left along another wide track. Continue through kissing gate into wood. At finger sign post, turn right on initially obscure path inside wood (compass bearing 30o), ignoring better-defined path to its right. Edge of wood will come into view on right. Follow white arrows on trees to reach road, Turn right along road, ignore permitted footpath to Hughenden Manor on right and ascend road. Turn right on enclosed footpath (just after 30 mph sign). Go through gate, continue ahead down a dip in the field, rising up again and then forking left across middle of field diagonally, to reach gate. Turn right on wide track which later enters the wood ahead to descend to Hughenden Manor. At entrance to overflow car park, follow road down to junction. Turn right, passing picnic tables to tea room (possible tea stop). Outside tea room, turn right on road, passing Hughenden Manor.
4 At signpost follow ‘Downley Monument Walk’ direction sign, ahead downhill through a wood, a bridleway going westwards in the direction of Downley. At the bottom, bridleway follows a track through a green valley, keep ahead towards the wood. Keep straight on through the wood, ignoring cross tracks. After about a quarter of a mile, at main path junction with waymark post and National trust sign for Hughenden Estate, fork right on bridleway going steadily uphill by Downley Common. Keep ahead across crossing tracks (with houses on the right) and follow track ahead, turning slightly right to keep houses alongside on right. On reaching road junction, turn left along road on edge of common. (At this point, the lunch pub is straight ahead. If a shorter walk is required, the last two paragraphs can be omitted. After turning left out of the pub, on reaching the road go right with the road bend and take the footpath on the right next to the Sports Pavilion.) Ignore two footpaths on the right, go left round the road bend.
5 Turn right on footpath next to Downley Sports Pavilion, go through a kissing gate and follow track alongside hedge on right side of large field (lovely distant views to the left). Continue ahead into wood, descending to meet crossing track in green valley. Turn left going down a wide, green valley-bottom track between trees to a narrow road. Turn left along road for about 200 yards. As road bends left, turn right across a parking area to track on far side, Descend field (panoramic views ahead) through the middle and go through gap in hedge, cross a track and ascend up a long narrow track through small woodland and keep ahead on right side of field. The path descends (lovely views up ahead to Mausoleum and West Wycombe), goes through low woodland, descending to pass under railway – fork left to main A4010 road. Cross road with care and go through kissing gate on footpath ahead on right side of a field. Go through kissing gate on right and continue ahead, ascending left side of a field to meet a road. Turn left and follow road as it bends right to West Wycombe Caves and café (possible tea stop).
6 Take footpath immediately left of caves entrance that runs parallel to small road and opens out alongside open green area with views ahead. At National Trust signpost, turn right (sign-posted Hilltop). Follow track steadily uphill, then steeply up stepped path (views of West Wycombe National Trust property to the right). At the top, keep straight across the crossing track (mausoleum on the left) still rising slightly up hill on a wide grassy track to car park at top. Walk through car park ahead and join wide track which is left of Windyhaugh House with trees in front of the house. Keep on this track as it generally follows in a northerly direction without losing altitude. Branch right at fork in the track leaving large wood piles to left. Follow a wide track ahead through a wooded area and later pass a flat, large field to the left of the track. Keep ahead and go through the kissing gate, pass Nobles Farm on the left, now walking on tarmac lane track. Keep straight on at signposted crossing tracks, descending down a steep sunken lane with good views all around, to reach a road. Turn right, walk along road and around sharp right bend, turning left to station, just before railway bridge.