**This is a dream...you are remembering last night's dinner...the exquisite potato skins with melted goat cheese...and the huge portions of fish and chips that you and Karen split...and the entire bottle of white wine...and, finally, the chocolate pot - a seriously thick chocolate mousse with double cream on top...OMG**
Mmmmm...chocolate. Dreamy.
Oh, here we are at breakfast...greeted by a cat on the table...what's the cat's name? Trouble.
We were unable to get a photo of the Fat Fox because they had just changed the name of the inn a week ago (from the Fox and Hounds) and were in the process of re-painting the front of the building! Lucky for us, the landlord was on hand to give us a ride back to Britwell Salome so we could rejoin the Shakespeare path at Cooper's Farm. Here is our signpost!
A lovely view of the Chilterns. Now, Adam (from the Fat Fox) told us we would do some serious climbing right away and then have a pleasant descent into Marlow. We shall see...
"On arrival at large village green turn left just before Jubilee seat on grass ahead." Turn left? Nope...stop and have a snack!
Here is Karen going through another nature-made trellis! These walks are so pleasant!
We will go through a lot of woods today. The bent-tree "trellis" concept is not lost here - we've seen many!
Ok, "go up left-hand edge of very steep field - the steepest we have encountered so far - but take heart, there are lovely valley views behind and a pub not far ahead!" This was the worst climb! We were almost walking in slow motion!
But here is the valley view from the top!
...and the pub, The Five Horseshoes. We ordered coffees to keep us going and took a necessary rest!
Here is Karen, leading down the right-hand side of a field with hedge on right. OMG, I sound like the direction book!
This is the Lodge Farm. I took the picture because I was intrigued by the stonework in the midst of the brick. Then I saw lots of houses with the same attitributes throughout the rest of the day's walk. Cute!
This is the long view of Stonor Park - you can barely see the Stonor House in the hills. I have a better picture coming up!
"...over stile and straight down narrow, tree-shaded path..."
"...Family home of the Stonors for over eight hundred years, this lovely mellow-brick mansion with a medieval chapel, in which this staunchly Roman Catholic family have always celebrated mass..." That means that Shakespeare saw this house on his walks, too!
The view of Stonor Park from within Stonor Park.
Another view of the House - see the chapel on the right? We heard the bells ringing as we passed.
A wacky, artistic tree on the path through Stonor Park.
"Turn left on edge of wood by metal gate on right and down steep and possibly slippery slope before bearing right to rejoin sunken bridleway." Those directions were made to help us avoid this very boggy patch here...which we decided to tackle anyway! Karen and I both climbed over this branch to avoid the mud and laughed heartily afterward! :)
The mighty tower of the church in Hambleden.
The front view of the church in Hambleden - which has many medieval displays inside.
"Soon enter Rotton Row hamlet..." Who names their hamlet 'Rotton Row'? Oh, these people do.
Karen found a walking stick along this uphill path! Luckily, she decided it was more trouble than help and she threw it away shortly. :) She's not old - yay!
This is the last path we had to fight to go uphill. Adam said we would only have to climb early in the day - he lied! We went up and down hills all day!
Just before we entered Marlow, we saw lots of deer in the woods! Karen has a couple of videos!
Here we are at the entrance to Marlow - see the signpost! We are right next to The Garden House!
We made it! Now, how do we get to Granny Anne's?
After today's LONG walk, and our arrival at Granny Anne's, we were ready to collapse...in our adorable room by the garden.
The pedometer said: 20.1 miles; approx. 42,500 steps; 1,815 calories burned.
Total so far: 83.6 miles.
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