With it being nineteen days since my last walk I'd been looking forward to this. My last visit to the hills around Quainton was glorious and I was excited to be getting up the hills.
My friend and I set off from a side road in North Marston, walking clockwise on a slightly shorter route this time to get a different view of the hills and put the exciting hills during the latter half of the walk. The first mile was unremarkable, then we passed a barn, crossed the road and came to our first ascent. Stomping to the top and turning round to appreciate the view was enjoyable - I love the panting, the tight chest and aching calves at the top of a hill, coupled with the huge view and enormous sky.
We carried on across the hill to our favourite tree ever, the ash with the outer shell. We both climbed it this time to have a look down into the hollow trunk and see the younger tree growing up out of the hollow. It was very satisfying in the tree and I'll be looking out for others to climb now that I'm starting to feel more lithe and more likely to bounce than splat.
Down the other side of the hill and into Quainton. What a pretty village. We stopped to take photos of some huge thistles populated by industrious bees, then shot uphill and along the ridge to enjoy our dinner in the shelter of the radio mast, with Buckinghamshire stretching out before us. I got to stroke a cow - properly scratch-scratch-stroke a cow - before heading off down the other side of the hill, to the earthworks marking a medieval village we so categorically failed to see last time. There's not much there - a few ditches and a couple of minor mounds - but I always get a deep sense of humanity stood in these spaces, of communal living, open fires, huts and children and animals. It's incredibly nostalgic every time I immerse myself in it and I definitely enjoy seeking out these simple remains.
Once done, our route moved east instead of following our previous path north, to cut a mile or so from the walk. Across flat, open fields, under some power lines and uphill to the road which lead down to the start point.
Another stunning walk with wonderful company. I will bring people here again.
