Chiltern Challenge

There are many places around the UK that I would love to run in. The majority of these are AONB (Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty). I have a list that I aim to work through this year. The first opportunity to visit one of these came in March and was The Chiltern Hills.

There are a few different locations that I could have chosen to begin my run. Many of these are within easy reach of London by train. I decided on Henley on Thames. The train from Paddington took me as far as Twyford where I changed for another short ride to Henley on Thames. I had booked an Air B'n'B for the night but wasn't able to access it until the evening and so had all my belongings on my back.

My research on All Trails, Map My Run and Trail Runner apps had revealed good trails north of the town. I aimed to complete around 20 miles up in the hills. It was lunchtime when I set off. 

I began with a nice flat and easy two miles along the south bank of the River Thames heading east to Mill End. It was an overcast and chilly day, but dry. A few walkers were out and about. I passed Temple Island, a small eyot in the middle of the waterway with an Etruscan style folly. 

I crossed the river at Hambleden Lock and entered the fields to the north. Red Kites circled overhead calling out too-weeet too-weeet. I arrived in the village of Hambleden and made my way to the 12th Century St Mary the Virgin church. 

The door to the building was open and I entered to be faced with a beautiful Saxon font made of stone. Stained glass windows cast multi coloured patterns onto the grey walls and stone floor. There was a stillness and quiet that provoked a reaction in me. I sat in a pew and sobbed. Weeks of anxiety and stress poured out in my tears.  Minutes later I dried my eyes and felt a deep sense of peace. I left the church feeling purged and renewed.  

Leaving the village I crossed a road and joined a narrow, muddy footpath which ascended into the woodland above. I forced myself to push hard up the trail, lungs bursting, legs burning, jumping over roots and ducking low hanging branches until I was forced to stop and hike the rest of the way to the summit. Henley appeared below with the river like a ribbon discarded to one side.

Unsure which way to go I took a wide trail for a mile before turning down a track which descended steeply. Earth was banked up on either side, tree roots protruding, bracket and jelly ear fungus clinging to dead branches and tree stumps. At the bottom a sign pointed back up another hill which involved hands on knees to climb the short, steep slope. I was now entering Great Wood. Beech and yew trees lifted their denuded limbs skywards as a faint sun tried to break through the high, grey blanket cloud. A layer of decomposing leaves put a spring in my step as robins, wrens and great tits sang out from the holly and bramble bushes.

What appeared to be an ancient drove road formed my path through the woodland. It was carved deep into the earth through centuries of movement. Slopes on either side held the root systems of the trees that formed a roof scaffolding above me. Something caught my eye through the gap between tree trunks, a sharp movement, a shadow. The rear end of a deer vanished before I had time to acknowledge what I had seen. I crept slowly forward seeking to remain out of sight and downwind. Emerging tentatively a few metres further on, I spied a bevy of deer - all does and fawns on the other side of the field. Their heads were turned in my direction, ears erect, primed to bolt.

The trail diverted in the opposite direction. I saluted and bade them farewell. Exiting the woods I was now in open farmland, a roost of Red Kites were disturbed by my presence and took off from the ploughed soil on which they had been scavenging. They continued to circle above on the thermals before realising I was no threat and returning to the ground.

I entered a forest comprising stands of pines. The ground was covered in luminous yellow and green moss. The sun broke through and lit up the floor carpeted with soft lichen. A sign pointed along a wide track towards Chiltern Valley Winery and Brewery. I thought I would take a look, but didn't partake of any samples before retracing my steps. The people working in the shop were the only other humans I would see all day.

Another steep descent through woodland brought me to Southend village. A gate led me into Kildridge and Balham's Wood. There was no sign of a talking donkey sadly (The Bible - Numbers Chap. 22). It felt like a different microclimate with colourful flowers and tropical plants growing along the route.

Emerging from this otherwordly experience I could see a sprawling mansion in a natural bowl below. This was Stonor Park, home to the Stonor family for over 850 years. Once more Red Kites landed, took off and circled overhead while I admired the stately home and Giant Redwood trees surrounding it.

On leaving the grounds I became lost for about half a mile before spotting a signpost for the Chiltern Way. This pointed towards a field of thick mud which was on the side of a hill. It was a slow and sticky walk to the trees that covered the summit like a Mohican haircut. 

Another field beyond was covered in flint stones. At the edge of the field I checked my map and realised I was about to join the Oxfordshire Way leading back to Henley on Thames. First I took a detour into Warburg Nature Reserve. This added significant elevation as it involved a 100m descent and return. There wasn't a great deal to see, but I imagine in the spring and summer there would be an abundance of wild flowers and accompanying insect and bird life.

I had been out for a few hours by now and was ready for some hot food. I also needed to check in by six o'clock. The route south was a straight forward one involving quiet country lanes with little traffic. I stopped to explore the ruins of St James's Church, Bix Bottom, all that remains of the ancient village of Bix Brand. The ruins appeared in several Hammer Horror films of the 1960's and 70's.

There was just time for one more climb along a narrow ridge which provided a beautiful sunset. Minutes later I was descending into Henley on Thames. The 18 mile circuit had taken around three and a quarter hours. Now it was time for a pub meal and a pint before finding my accommodation for the night. I would be running back to Heathrow in the morning.