Date: January 1977
Participants: Graham Beevor, Peter Cox and Phil Knowles
Another hike with just Beevor, Cox and Knowles, and another early Saturday morning start. Once again Graham and Peter headed for Phil’s home, this time though it was Graham’s turn to drive.
This year, instead of travelling on with Phil to a different location, the hike was to start from his house, in Hazlemere. So, after parking the car and bidding Sue, his wife, farewell we headed off west, in the direction of Hughenden Manor. It was not long before we were able to access a footpath that took us down the hill into the valley and across the A4128.
We continued on the footpath up the other side of the valley, skirted north of Hughenden Manor, a National Trust property and once the home of Benjamin Disraeli, and into Downley Common. From there we followed the path north-west to Knaphill Common and then north-east to Walter’s Ash.
After a spot of lunch it was back to the hiking as we entered Courns Wood and followed the footpaths up the hill into Speen. After navigating our way though the village we continued north, on the road, heading for the ‘PH’ clearly marked on the map. This was located at the north-west corner of Monkton Wood at a small place called Hampden Row, just east of Great Hampden.
It was in these woods that we made camp and settled down to the usual evening meal of curry and rice.
Also, as usual, the rest of the evening was spent in the pub, having a few drinks and a game of darts.
Following breakfast on Sunday morning we cleared the site and loaded our rucksacks. A quick check of the map and off we set at a leisurely pace along the footpath, first through Hamden Common and then along the side of the hill towards Bryant’s Bottom. We made for The Gate public house where we had decided to have our lunch.
Some time later we emerged fully refreshed and ready to complete the remainder of the hike. We headed south-east to Great Kingshill, and then south across open land to Widmere End. From there a footpath led south and joined the path we had originally set out on. Here we turned east and before long were back at Phil’s home.
Another enjoyable hike had come to an end – all that was left was for Graham and Peter to get back to their homes.