Lane End - Frieth - Lane End
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This is a walk to take slowly and savour! There is much wildlife interest, with many wildflowers to enjoy in spring and you are almost certain to see red kites wheeling in the thermals above the hills. It is a pleasure at any time of year but is especially recommended in the autumn, when the colours are at their most glorious.
The woodland explored as you leave Lane End and walk to Frieth is Moorend Common and it is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). Old photographs show that it was far less wooded in the past; trees have grown in relatively recent times because changes in farming mean that it is no longer used for grazing. It has been made an SSSI because it is an area of acid clay on top of the Chilterns chalk. This difference in the soil means that the plants that grow here are unusual for this part of the country and there are some rarities. In the woods on the left of the path, unfortunately not accessible by public footpath, is a swilly hole called Gubbin's Hole, where a small stream, flowing over the more impermeable clay, meets the permeable chalk and disappears underground. It has eroded a large, cup-shaped depression about thirty metres deep, sometimes impressively filled with water and sometimes dry. You may spot some domestic animals not often seen in the English countryside, as one of the local farmers keeps llamas. If they happen to be in a field the route crosses do not worry; they can be a bit curious but are easily deterred.
The return from Frieth offers the best views of the walk, perhaps even better in winter when there are no leaves in the way, though the going then can be muddy in parts, so go prepared. For refreshment, there are pubs in Lane End on or close to the route, while the pub in Frieth, the Yew Tree, is now more of a restaurant, a fate that has befallen many village pubs.
England - Central England - Buckinghamshire - Chilterns
Features
Birds, Church, Flowers, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Pub, Public Transport, Restaurant, Toilets, Wildlife, Woodland
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