Location
Location
The Frog
Skirmett,
Henley-on-Thames
RG9 6TG
Parking is available at the rear of the pub
Within Walking Distance
-
Henley-on-Thames
The Frog is 5 miles from the historic market town of Henley-On-Thames. Famous for its Royal Regatta at the beginning of July, it frequently hosts other music and art festivals throughout the summer months.
Henley has some wonderful shopping facilities including various farmers’ markets in the town square from spring through to autumn. These can have a French, Italian or Local theme and are well worth a visit.
-
Turville
The nearby village of Turville (2 miles) is famous for its windmill, which was central in the classic children’s film ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’. A walk up to the windmill commands incredible views of the valley and shows just how beautiful and un-spoilt the countryside here is. In addition, Turville is also well known for that most famous member of the clergy, ’The Vicar of Dibley’. The highly successful BBC television series was produced and filmed on location here and of course the 12th Century St. Mary’s church at Turville features heavily.
-
Hambleden
Just 1 mile down the road is the village of Hambleden. The church of St. Peter and St. Paul is 11th Century with an 13th century façade and is well worth a visit. Film crews can often be spotted here in Hambleden too.
HAMBLEDEN VALLEY’S ‘THREE PEAKS’
Skirmett, Turville, Fingest Villages Walk (3.5 miles – best part of 1-2 hours)
Left out of The Frog. 50m after a converted chapel (with the big arch window), turn left on a shingle drive in an avenue of trees marked as a footpath. Keep straight ahead for 150m, avoiding a private yard on the left, and continue onwards through a small wooden gate. A narrow path takes you into an upward-sloping meadow, following the left-hand edge and then running between fences. The path turns right at the top, where you have a good view of Turville windmill, and at the next corner turns left along a line of beeches. Near the top, your main path forks right as it levels out and runs through fine mixed woodland. Soon, at a post with a yellow arrow, your path forks right downhill. You come out into a grassy meadow with great views of Turville. Go straight down the grass and back into woodland. At the bottom, your path zigzags through a small wooden gate onto a lane. Cross straight over the lane to a wooden swing-gate and a signposted path which runs diagonally right across a sheep pasture. On reaching the edge, turn right on a narrow path, heading straight towards the windmill. At the end of the field, ignore paths left and right and go straight ahead through a gate onto a path which seems quite dark because of its dense covering of maples. At the end, continue on a residential road, followed by a row of cottages (the last being Sleepy Cottage), leading to the green in Turville. The church is immediately on your left.
Cross the road directly opposite where you entered the village, through a small wooden gate, on a signposted footpath leading towards the windmill. Don’t worry: you will not be climbing the hill! Turn immediately right through a swing-gate and go across the flowery meadow, very gently upwards. At the far side, your path goes through a swing-gate into a shrubby wood alongside a fence on your left, then under taller trees. Finally it comes down to a lane. Cross the lane going through a small wooden gate. When you reach the corner of a fence, veer right between fences, then along a flint wall. You come out to a road in Fingest with St Bartholomew’s church on your left, which you can visit by going through a wooden swing-gate. You can emerge at the other side onto a lane opposite the Chequers pub.
Continue along the main road with the Chequers on your right. Just after the end-of-30mph sign, go right over a stile. (If you have a dog, the big metal gates can be opened.) Go up the right-hand side of the meadow. Deer are often seen grazing here. The edge veers left taking you over a stile, or through a metal gate. Near the top, the edge, veers left again with a wood on your right. You now have a wonderful view behind to the village and Hanger Wood. Go past a bench and over a stile, or through a low wooden gate, into Fingest Wood and follow the woodland path, still uphill. You come out of the wood into a high meadow where your path goes diagonally left. Squeeze past a metal gate into another wood, Adams Wood. Only 50m into the wood, on your right is a yellow arrow. Turn right here between posts and follow the wide woodland path. Just after a bench, a path joins you from the left. Keep straight ahead downhill. (The path that curves away to your right is an alternative which re-joins your route.) Your path descends more steeply and comes out between meadows with Skirmett ahead in the valley. You soon reach a large metal gate and coloured arrows. Go right here through the swing-gate, in the direction of a yellow arrow, and straight across the centre of a meadow. Your course is now through a swing-gate, over a grassy horse exercise path and straight ahead across the centre of a beautiful grassy meadow. Finally, go through a wooden gate and along a track to the road in Skirmett where the walk began. The Frog Inn is on your left.
To Chiltern Valley Winery (1.1 miles – 40 mins)
Turn right out of the Frog and follow the road over the flint wall bridge out of Skirmett.
After walking past the Skirmett village sign there will be two open fields on the right-hand side take the footpath sign in the middle of them.
Follow this uphill through the fields and into the woods and this will bring you out at the end of the Chiltern Winery vineyards, follow the edge of the fencing until you reach the road and walk up the hill.
The winery is on your right.