23 Feb 2014; Amersham to Cholesbury

23 Feb 2014; Amersham to Cholesbury
Walk descriptor Practice Day 00
Date Sun 23 Feb 2014 Start to end time 06h 08m
Start point Amersham End point Cholesbury
Miles today 15.52 Cu miles 15.52
Ft today 1,210 Cu ft 1,210
Route miles left .00 Route ft left
Today’s weather Dull and overcast with some drizzle, especially at the start. A bit brighter later. Moderate wind, very mild (about 9 deg C)
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Today’s location
(the red cross in a circle shows where I am at the moment)
GPX based track of today’s walk
(click here to access to access downloadable file)
Commentary

In an attempt to banish the end-of-holiday blues, we decided to fit in a 15 mile walk from Amersham out to the iron age fort at Cholesbury.

After the last week’s sunshine and snow, the return to grey skies and muddy paths was a salutary return to earth. But the mud was beginning to dry a little and the going wasn’t too bad. I’d only done this walk once before, and then only parts of it, so it was a refreshing new outing. Plenty of interest along the way, too. As well as interesting new vistas, the first highlight was the iron age fort at Cholesbury . The fort was built in the iron age and used on and off from about 400 BC until the mediaeval era. Now it’s mostly farmland with a chapel in the middle and a “holy pond” – so called because allegedly it never dries up. Well it certainly wasn’t dried up today.

Shortly after the camp, we spotted flowering Hazel trees, interesting because they are monoecious. Although the male catkins are conspicuous and have been in evidence since last November, I’d never seen the much smaller and nearly invisible bright pink female styles before.

And finally, passing through the churchyard at Chesham Bois, we saw a wooden seat dedicated to the memory of Miss E. B. Pemberton OBE  who, if my maths is right, must have been 109 when she died. Surely one of Amersham’s oldest ever inhabitants.

OK – batteries are now recharged and I feel just about ready to take on the final 4 weeks of work before starting LE2JOG at last…

Today’s photos (click to enlarge)
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Mud – the defining feature of an English country walk Looking west up the Pednor Vale on the way out of Chesham
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In the moat of Cholesbury fort. Now overgrown with beech woodland So exactly which way are you supposed to go??
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Dimorphic Hazel flowers. Catkin is male, small pink flower is female Probably Amersham’s oldest ever inhabitant. Possibly something to do with never having married!
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Information about the Cholesbury fort. Built about 400 BC
The previous day’s blog follows below the blue line
Solid line blue