Posts tagged Buckinghamshire

Chiltern Walks: Bourne End, Cookham and Wooburn

Start & Finish: Wakeman Road Car Park, 2A Wakeman Road, Bourne End, SL8 5SX
Distance: 8.2 km (5.1 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 83m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Thames Path, Shakespeare’s Way, Beeches Way, Chiltern Way Berkshire Loop, High Wycombe to Bourne End Disused Railway
Other routes touched (cycle): N/A
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several in Bourne End and Cookham village centres. Also The Ferry (2.4 km in), The Garibaldi (3.7 km in), Chequers Inn (5.3 km in),
Map: OS Explorer Map (172) Chiltern Hills East
Links: Bourne End, Cookham, Wooburn

This is part of a series of short circular walks in the Chilterns. The guidance below will help you navigate but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide. Always take a map and/or a GPX route and prepare well for the weather and terrain.

For this walk we parked at Wakeman Road Car Park in Bourne End and walked to the River Thames via the footpath to the left of the station. At the Thames cross over the railway bridge and, at the bottom of the steps, take a right to follow the Thames Path in a southerly direction.

Leave the Thames Path at Cookham Bridge and cross over to the north side of the Thames to follow Ferry Lane north. Here you have 2 choices: to follow The Beeches Way by taking the first path on the right after the bridge or to take an alternative route via Hedsor Road. Both options come together around the 5km mark at the top of Harvest Hill. We had already done the Beeches Way option so we took the alternative described below.

Continue north along Ferry Lane the take a right onto Hedsor Road, following it for ~500m to take a left onto Heavens Lea. Cross over Hedsor Hill (road) to follow Harvest Hill (road) in a north-easterly direction to Kiln Lane. Take a left onto Kiln Lane then a right onto a footpath just before the Chequers pub. Follow this footpath all the way down to Wooburn Park then cross over the River Wye and Town Lane.

Take the path to the left of Spake Oak depot to reach the disused Wycombe to Bourne End Railway Line. Follow this in a south-westerly direction to the end at the A4155 Cores End Road. Follow this back to the car park in Bourne End.

Shakespeare’s Way Previous Section (west): Marlow Donkey

Shakespeare’s Way Next Section (east): Beeches Way

Back to Chiltern Walks Index

Richard gower9 March 2024Trek, Chilterns, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Thames, National Trails, Railway, Disused Railway, EnglandComment

Walking The Aylesbury Arm Canal

Bridge 10 between Puttenham and Broughton

The Aylesbury Canal is an arm that branches off from the main Grand Union Canal at Marsworth near the Hertfordshire / Buckinghamshire border. The canal opened in 1814 and was used for the transport of agricultural produce and coal. Unlike the Wendover Canal the whole length is still navigable.

We walked the length of the canal in three sections over the autumn of 2023. Each section was part of a circular walk of around 10k. A single point-to-point walk of the canal is also 10k. Scroll down to the bottom of this page for details.

Section 1: Marsworth To Puttenham

Start & Finish: The Red Lion Pub, 90 Vicarage Rd, Marsworth, Tring HP23 4LU
Distance: 9 km (5.6 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 52m.
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Aylesbury Ring
Other routes touched (cycle): Grand Union Canal Towpath, Tring 5 Cycle Route
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Red Lion (at start and end), The Farmhouse Kitchen at PE Mead and Sons (7.2 km in)
Map: Chiltern Hills North Map | Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 181
Links: Aylesbury Arm Canal (Wikipedia / Canal & River Trust / Aylesbury Canal Society), Marsworth, Grand Union Canal, Drayton Beauchamp, Wilstone

For section 1 of the Aylesbury Arm we picked up where we left off on the final section of the Wendover Canal walk. The Red Lion Pub on Vicarage Road is a good place to start as there’s free on-street parking. From the pub walk north to cross the Grand Union Canal and take a left to follow the Grand Union Towpath to Marsworth Wharf. Here you can either cross over the gates on the first lock of the Aylesbury Canal or cross over the Watery Lane bridge. Either way, take a right after crossing the Aylesbury Canal to follow the towpath heading west.

This first section of the Aylesbury Canal towpath is just under 3km leading to bridge #7 near Puttenham. Once leaving the towpath follow the lane in a south-easterly direction to Drayton Beauchamp, crossing over the B489 Lower Icknield Way. Once in Drayton Beauchamp find the footpath on the left that leads to Wilstone Reservoir then follow the northern edge of the reservoir to join the B489 at PE Mead & Sons Farm Shop. There’s a cafe there that’s a good place for a rest before the final section.

After the Farm Shop continue along the B489 in a north-easterly direction to the point where the road curves to the right. Take a footpath on the left of the curve that leads back to Watery Lane in Marsworth, crossing over Wingrave Road on the way. Follow Watery Lane back over the Aylesbury Canal then return to the Red Lion either via the same route as the start of the trip or along Church Lane.

Section 2: Puttenham to Broughton

Start & Finish: St Mary’s Church, Church Lane, Puttenham, Tring, HP23 4PR
Distance: 9.8 km (6.1 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 28m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Aylesbury Ring
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Pubs / Cafes on route: None
Map: Chiltern Hills North Map | Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 181
Links: Aylesbury Arm Canal (Wikipedia / Canal & River Trust / Aylesbury Canal Society), Puttenham, Broughton

This section starts at St Mary’s Church in Puttenham which is one of the few places to park near the route. From the church take a footpath heading in a north-easterly direction to connect with the outer Aylesbury Ring. Follow the Outer Aylesbury Ring as it curves to the south-east, connecting with the Aylesbury Canal 2km from the start of the walk.

Follow the Aylesbury Canal towpath for just under 4km to bridge #11. You’re now at the end of this section of the towpath and on the outer edges of Broughton, a suburb of Aylesbury. Cross over the bridge to the southern bank and pick up the footpath that heads east all the way back to St Mary’s Church at Puttenham. Navigation is fairly simple as there’s few other paths connecting with it. It was very overgrown when we were there and having some hedge clippers would have made it easier.

Be careful with this section in damp conditions. It was a very wet October day when we were there and the ground on the northern side of the canal was soaked.

Section 3: Broughton to Aylesbury Basin

Start & Finish: Aylesbury Basin, Aylesbury, HP21 7SH
Distance: 7 km (4.3 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 20m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Round Aylesbury Walk
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Pubs / Cafes on route: Many in Aylesbury Town Centre
Map: Chiltern Hills North Map | Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 181
Links: Aylesbury Arm Canal (Wikipedia / Canal & River Trust / Aylesbury Canal Society), Marsworth, Broughton, Aylesbury

For this final section we started in Aylesbury Town Centre where there’s a lot of options for parking and access by public transport. I tried to plan a full circular walk like for the other sections but couldn’t find a good scenic option around the urban part at the basin end. Instead, the first and last 2km repeat the final part of the towpath.

Start at Aylesbury Basin and follow the towpath on the southern side of the canal to Victoria Park. Leave the canal and cross over the Bear Brook Stream following it in an easterly direction parallel to the towpath. Cross under the A4157 Oakfield Road Bridge into Oakfield Park continuing the follow the Bear Brook as it curves down to the south-east. At around 2.1 km into the trip you can take a left hand path that crosses over the stream and through the Bear Brook Flood Relief Area. This area is (as you might imagine) prone to flooding, so if it’s impassable stick to the path to the right of the Bear Brook up to a crossing to Broughton Lane.

Whichever way you cross the Bear Brook, find the footpath that leads into fields on the eastern side of Broughton Lane north of Manor Farm. Follow the path through the field for approximately 1 km curving up to the north-east to return to the Aylesbury Canal at Bridge 13. This is where section 2 left the canal. Take a left at the bridge to follow the towpath in a westerly direction back to Aylesbury Basin.

The Full Aylesbury Arm Canal Route

The 3 circular route sections shown together. Red = Section 3, Green = Section 2, Blue = Section 3

The 10km point to point Walk from Marsworth to Aylesbury

Details for a Point-to-Point Walk:

Start: Marsworth Wharf, Tring, HP23 4BW
Finish: Aylesbury Basin, Aylesbury, HP21 7SH
Distance: 10 km (6.2 miles)
Elevation change: +18m /- 44m. Net -26m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Aylesbury Ring, Round Aylesbury Walk.
Other routes touched (cycle): Tring 5 Cycle Route
Map: Chiltern Hills North Map | Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 181
Links: Aylesbury Arm Canal (Wikipedia / Canal & River Trust / Aylesbury Canal Society),

The Bridges

There’s no number sign on bridge 13.

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Richard gower8 October 2023Trek, Canal, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, EnglandComment

Walking The Wendover Arm Canal

Two sides of the Miswell Bridge. Left: looking west, Right: looking east.

The Wendover Canal is an arm of the Grand Union Canal that branches off from the main Grand Union at Bulbourne near Marsworth on the Hertfordshire / Buckinghamshire border. It was originally planned as a feeder to carry water from springs near Wendover on the northern edge of the Chilterns the main line of the Grand Union. Paul Whitewick’s video tells the story of the birth and decline of the canal and is useful watching before visiting it.

We walked the length of the canal in three sections over the autumn of 2023. Each section was part of a circular walk of around 10k. A single point-to-point walk of the canal is 11.4k. Scroll down to the bottom of this page for details.

Section 1: Wendover to Stablebridge Road

Start & Finish: Wendover Clock Tower, 3 Tring Rd, Wendover, Aylesbury HP22 6DU
Distance: 10.8 km (6.7 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 166m.
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Aylesbury Ring, Outer Aylesbury Ring, Wendover Woods Hillfort Trail
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Pubs / Cafes on route: Many in Wendover Village Centre, Restaurant at the Chiltern Forest Golf Club (6.3k in), Wendover Woods Cafe (8.4 km in)
OS Trig Pillar: TP2394 - Coombe Hill
Map: Chiltern Hills North Map | Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 181
Links: Wendover Arm Canal (Wikipedia / Canal & River Trust / Wendover Canal Trust) , Wendover, Halton, RAF Halton, Wendover Woods

Section 1 starts at the Clock Tower in Wendover Town Centre. From here head north along Aylesbury Road then take a right onto Wharf Road. Here you’ll find the start of the Wendover Canal footpath at the point where Heron Brook passes under the road into the canal. This first section of the path covers 4.5 km, ending at Stablebridge Road. Along the way you’ll pass through Halton village and past the RAF Halton.

At Stablebridge Road leave the canal and walk south along the Outer Aylesbury Ring. Cross over the B4009 Upper Icknield Way and ascend up through the Chiltern Forest Golf Course. Continue along the Outer Aylesbury Ring to the Wendover Woods Visitors’ Centre. Along the way you can opt to take a short-cut across a field to visit the Coombe Hill Trig Pillar.

From the Wendover Woods Visitors’ Centre, pick up the Hillfort Trail to reach a footpath that leads down to Beechwood Lane. Continue in a south-westerly direction along Beechwood Lane, Barlow Road, Hampden Road and onto the B4009 Upper Icknield Way to return to the Wendover Clock Tower.

Section 2: Stablebridge Road to Miswell Farm

Start & Finish: Small car park on western side of Stablebridge Road, Aston Clinton, just south of the canal.
Distance: 8.9 km (5.5 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 157m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Outer Aylesbury Ring, Tring Parish Walk 1: Little Tring
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Pubs / Cafes on route: Restaurant at the Chiltern Forest Golf Club (6.7k in)
Map: Chiltern Hills North Map | Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 181
Links: Wendover Arm Canal (Wikipedia / Canal & River Trust / Wendover Canal Trust), Aston Clinton, Drayton Beauchamp

Section 2 picks up at Stablebridge Road and follows the Wendover Canal for 2.6 km to the wooden footbridge near Misbourne Farm. This takes you to the point where the restored part of the canal finishes. Cross over the footbridge and follow the path in a south-easterly direction. Cross over the B488 Icknield Way, following Miswell Lane and take a right onto Buckingham Lane. Continue in a westerly direction through the residential estate to meet a footpath by the playing fields. Take a left to follow this path.

Continue to follow the path as it curves round to the west, crossing over the A41, Dancers End Lane and then up the hill into the woods. Here you’ll reconnect with the Outer Aylesbury Ring near the Chiltern Forest Golf Course from section 1. Descend the hill in the opposite direction that you took in section 1 (heading north) to return to the canal at Stablebridge Road.

Section 3: Miswell Farm to Marsworth

Start & Finish: The Red Lion Pub, 90 Vicarage Rd, Marsworth, Tring HP23 4LU
Distance: 9.7 km (6 miles)
Elevation change: +/-61m.
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Tring Parish Walk 1: Little Tring
Other routes touched (cycle): Grand Union Canal Towpath, Tring 5 Cycle Route
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Red Lion (at start and end), Waters Edge (0.6km in)
Map: Chiltern Hills North Map | Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 181
Links: Wendover Arm Canal (Wikipedia / Canal & River Trust / Wendover Canal Trust), Marsworth, Tring Reservoirs, Grand Union Canal

Section 3 completes the Wendover Arm and gives a tour of Marsworth, the start of the Aylesbury Canal and the Marsworth Reservoirs. The start and end is at the Red Lion Pub in Marsworth village centre where there’s free on-street parking. From the pub follow Vicarage Road heading in a south-easterly direction and take a right onto Church Lane. When Church Lane starts to curve to the right, take a footpath to the left that leads to a bridge that takes the B489 Lower Icknield Way over the Grand Union Canal.

Cross over the Grand Union and take a left into the Startops End Car Park. This is a good alternative place to start the walk but can often be full at weekends. Take the footpath along the north-westerly edge of Startops End Reservoir then cross over Tringford Road to follow the north-westerly edge of Tringford Reservoir. Keep heading in a southerly direction to Little Tring Road to the bridge over the Wendover Canal.

Before the bridge leave the road to pick up the footpath heading (right) in a westerly direction to a dead-end / turnaround spot for canal boats. Continue along the footpath, now in a south-westerly direction to a path junction. Take a right, heading north to return to the Wendover Canal at the wooden footbridge where section 2 left the canal.

After crossing the footbridge, take a right to follow the route of the canal, currently dry and under restoration works. The path will lead you back to Little Tring Road where you’ll need to temporarily leave the route of the old towpath to reach the Little Tring Road bridge again. Rejoin the canal towpath, this time taking a left to head in an easterly direction. Follow the canal towpath for 2.1 km to reach the end of the Wendover Arm at Bulbourne.

To complete the walk, take a left onto the main route of the Grand Union Canal, following it for 1.7 km to the start of the Aylesbury Canal. Cross over the first lock of the Aylesbury Canal and continue to the Long Marston Road Bridge. Cross over the bridge and you’ll be back on Vicarage Road near the Red Lion Pub

The Full Wendover Arm Canal Route

The 3 circular route sections shown together. Green = Section 1, Blue = Section 2, Red = Section 3

The Point to Point Walk from Wendover to Bulbourne

Details for a Point-to-Point Walk:

Start: Wharf Road, Wendover, Aylesbury, HP22 6HF
Finish: Junction with main route of Grand Union Canal at New Canal Cottages, Tring HP23 4NG
Distance: 11.4 km (7.1 miles)
Elevation change: +55m /- 57m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Aylesbury Ring, Outer Aylesbury Ring, Tring Parish Walk 1: Little Tring
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Pubs / Cafes on route: Many in Wendover Village Centre, none on route
Map: Chiltern Hills North Map | Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 181
Links: Wendover Arm Canal (Wikipedia / Canal & River Trust / Wendover Canal Trust) , Wendover, Halton, Aston Clinton, Tring Reservoirs, Grand Union Canal

Back to Chiltern Rivers Index

Richard gower30 September 2023Trek, Canal, Chilterns, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Trig Pillar, EnglandComment

Walking The Uxbridge To Denham Disused Railway

Start & Finish: Buckinghamshire New University, Uxbridge Campus, 106 Oxford Road, Uxbridge, UB8 1NA
Distance: 6.3 km (3.9 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 27m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): London Loop, Colne Valley Trail, South Bucks Way
Other routes touched (cycle): Grand Union Canal Towpath
Pubs / Cafes on route: Swan & Bottle pub (near start and end)
Map: Chiltern Hills East Map | High Wycombe, Maidenshead & Rickmansworth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 172
Links: Uxbridge, Fray’s River, Alderglade Nature Reserve, Colne Valley Regional Park, Grand Union Canal

This trip was a return to visit to Uxbridge following my previous week’s cycle adventure on the Staines West to Denham Lines. Although we cycled between the old Uxbridge High Street Station and Denham, we followed a more cycle-friendly route rather than the course of the old rail line. This week Timea and I returned to walk the true route of the line. As with last week’s longer route from Staines West to Denham, this trip was inspired by Geoff Marshall’s London’s Lost Railways videos. Check out Geoff’s video for more detail on each of the lines and stations.

The route starts at 106 Oxford Road, the site of the former Uxbridge High Street Station, now a campus for Buckinghamshire New University. It’s actually in Hillingdon, Greater London, though and not in Buckinghamshire which is just across the River Colne to the west. The line closely follows the Hillingdon/Buckinghamshire border staying in Hillingdon for most of it’s length apart from one very short section at the start of Alderglade Nature Reserve.

From 106 Oxford Road follow Braybourne Close in a northerly direction to the end then into Alderglade Nature Reserve. The path follows the left hand side of the old railway embankment then follows the top of it. You can see a few bits of remaining metal from the railway if it’s not too overgrown. At the 1.3 km mark you’ll reach an old graffitied bridge that goes under the railway. Here you’ll need to cross over the Shire Ditch (Stream) and divert away from the rail route as it passes through private property.

Keep heading north on the footpath closest to the rail line and you’ll pass under a raised section of the A40 and through the Graffiti Gallery. On the north side of the A40 follow a path taking you east back to the course of the old rail line. There was a lot of nettles when we were there in July which made if difficult to see the path. Once on it, you can follow the route of the rail line through wood most of the way to the old mainline junction.

This section after the A40 is littered with old railway sleepers and bits of old railway metal. It’s a great place to explore in an area that attracts relatively few people. Around 500m from the A40 you’ll cross over an old bridge over the River Frays. Climb down the embankment just to the south of the river to get a good view of the old bridge. After the bridge continue along the route of the old railway to the site of the triangle junction that took trains onto the GWR/Chiltern Main Line. The route now ends here as the triangle is now used by a concrete company. Here you have the choice of retracing your steps for 200m to the footpath junction or, as we did, take a circuit of the small fishing lake in the woods to the east.

Whichever route you take to return from the end of the line, take the footpath that crosses between the 2 lakes on the eastern side of the old rail line. Cross over the Grand Union Canal and take a left to head south back to Uxbridge. When you pass Denham Deep Lock you could take a right into Denham Country Park to follow the South Bucks Way to Denham Station. As I’d followed that route on the bike the previous week we continued south along the canal. When you return to Uxbridge the Swan and Bottle Pub (next to the canal bridge) is a good place to stop for a rest. Look out for old photos of Uxbridge on the wall and a great map of waterways in the area. From the Swan and Bottle cross the bridge to the eastern side of the canal and back to the start at 106 Oxford Road.

Back to Chiltern Railway Walks Index

Richard gower30 July 2023Trek, Canal, Railway, Disused Railway, Colne Valley, Buckinghamshire, London, Chilterns, EnglandComment

Cycling the Staines to Denham Disused Railways

HS2 train parked up at Colnbrook Station

Start / Finish: Site of Staines West Station: The Old Station, Moor Lane, Staines, TW18 4BB
Distance: 22.9 km (14.2 miles)
Elevation: + 99m / -67m. Net +22m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Colne Valley Way, London Loop, Shakespeare’s Way, Celandine Route, South Bucks Way
Other Routes Touched (cycle): Grand Union Canal Towpath, NCN 6, 61
Pubs / Cafes on route: Fat Boys Cafe, Colnbrook (7.8k in), Several as you pass through West Drayton and Yiewsley (~14 km in), Swan and Bottle pub, Uxbridge (18.8k in), Colne Valley Cafe (21 km in)
Maps:
- Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell Map | Thames Path | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 160
- Chiltern Hills East Map | High Wycombe, Maidenshead & Rickmansworth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 172
Links: Staines-upon-Thames, Staines Moor, Stanwell Moor, Poyle, Colnbrook, Harmondsworth Moor, West Drayton, Yiewsley, Cowley, Uxbridge, Denham, Colne Valley Regional Park

This is a short cycle adventure inspired by 3 of Geoff Marshall’s London’s Lost Railways videos. It traces 3 separate disused railways that ran from Staines in Surrey to Denham in Buckinghamshire. Much of the route travels through the Colne Valley Regional Park, an interesting mix of countryside, industry and transport links on the western edge of Greater London. I cycled this route as a part of a 100 km circular tour of the Colne Valley, Chiltern Hills, South Bucks and Windsor. There’s a mix of road and off-road sections so it’s best to take a mountain bike or similar.

Check out Geoff’s videos for each section of the route for more detail on each of the lines and stations.

Line 1: Staines West to West Drayton

The Staines to West Drayton Railway was in existence from 1884 to 1965 and once also connected to the Reading to Waterloo Line at Staines. The Staines West Station building is still intact and now used as offices.

From Staines West Station follow Moor Lane until you reach a footpath on the right hand side just ahead of the A30 Staines Bypass. Follow this path to cross over the old bridge that crosses the River Wraysbury and the route of the old railway. Take a left after the bridge to pass under the A30 and onto Staines Moor. Keep to the south-western edge of the moor and find a gate leading to a bridge in the woods and the route of the old railway. Here you’ll find an information board about the railway and steps up to join the old rail line.

Follow the route of the old railway in a northerly direction to meet the site of the old Yeoveney Halt Station. There’s not much left but you can find some concrete remains in a clearing to the right hand side of the track.

Continue north following the edge of the M25 and River Wraysbury and take a path that passes through Junction 14 of the M25 to reach the western edge of the motorway. Just before you join Horton Road take a track heading south for about 100m to the approximate site of the old Poyle Halt Station. Nothing remains. You’re now also at the most westerly point of Greater London.

Retrace your route back from Poyle Halt to meet Horton Road following it west and then join Poyle Road at the roundabout. Take a right on the next roundabout onto Blackthorne road, following it east to the junction of Blackthorne Crescent where you’ll be at the approximate site of Poyle Estate Halt. As with the previous station, nothing remains.

Retrace your route back down Blackthorne Road and take a right back onto Poyle Road heading north, then a right onto Bath Road. Colnbrook Station can be found on the left hand side of Bath Road just after the junction with Meadowbrook Close. The old building still remains and is now a private house called Station Cottage. After Colnbrook Station the rail line is still in use but now only for cargo and not for passengers.

There was one extra station north of Colnbrook station called Colnbrook Estate Halt. There’s nothing left of it and I couldn’t find a way to get close to the location so we cycled on to West Drayton. To do this continue east along Bath Road over the M25 then take the first track on the left which takes you north to Harmondsworth Moor. Pass under the M4 near the M4/M25 junction and onto a road called The Common. Continue north, then right onto Cricketfield Road, right onto Mill Road, left onto Station Road, right onto Warwick Road where you’ll find West Drayton Station and the end of this section.

Line 2: West Drayton to Uxbridge Vine Street

This section follows the Uxbridge (Vine Street) branch line from West Drayton station. The line ran passenger services from 1884 to 1962 and completely closed in 1979. Today nothing remains of Uxbridge Vine Street Station or Cowley Station, the only other station on the route. You can still find evidence of the line in the shape of streets and some road names.

From West Drayton Station cross over High Street and follow Tavistock Road, following the curve of the old railway. Take a right onto Trout Road over the Grand Union Canal, a left through a path onto Chantry Close then a left onto the A408. Taking a right onto Moorfield Road then take a left onto St Martin Close, a right onto New Peachy Lane and a left onto Peachy Lane. Note that in Geoff’s video he found some alleyways between the houses that traced a closer route to the old line.

Take a left off Peachy Lane onto Kingdom Lane, a cycle path that directly follows the route of the old railway. Follow this for 0.5km to Station Road, near the site of the old Cowley Station. Cross Station Road and continue to follow the old rail route up Cleveland Road, Whitehall Road and Kendal Mews. You’ve now arrived at the busy A4020 (Hillingdon Road) dual carriageway that runs through Uxbridge. The Hertz building on the north side of the A4020 is on the site of the old Vine Street Station.

Line 3: Uxbridge High Street to Denham

From the site of Uxbridge Vine Street Station navigate round the roundabout to pick up Oxford Road to the site of the old Uxbridge High Street Station at 106 Oxford Road. There’s no remains of the old station and the site is now a building for the Buckinghamshire New University.

Geoff’s video on this section describes a walk along the route of the old line that connected Uxbridge to the Chiltern main line (formerly GWR) from 1907 to 1964. Having cycled through Alderglade Nature Reserve and Frays Farm Meadows before I remember it being a tricky ride and best tackled on foot. This time we opted for a more cycle-friendly route to the west of the old line. Timea (wife) and I went back to Uxbridge a week later to walk the true route of the old railway and you read about that in my next post.

From 106 Oxford Road we followed the Grand Union Canal Towpath from the Swan and Bottle pub to the southern entrance of Denham Country Park south of Denham Deep Lock. From here follow the South Bucks Way through the Country Park, Buckinghamshire Golf Course, Denham Village and along The Pyghtle to Denham Station. This is the end point of the route along the 3 disused rail lines.

The full cycle route from Staines West to Denham

The full cycle route: all 3 lines from Staines (south) to Denham (north)

Elevation plan for the full cycle route between Staines West and Denham

Stations on the Staines West to Denham Lines

Displayed in order of the cycle route from Staines West to Denham. Click on each photo to connect to the Wikipedia article for the station. Includes West Drayton and Denham which are still operating stations.

Staines West

Yeoveney Halt

Poyle Halt

Poyle Estate Halt

Colnbrook

West Drayton

Cowley

Uxbridge Vine Street

Uxbridge High Street

Denham

More Disused Railway Posts

Brockenhurst, Sway and the Disused Railway

The Downs Link

The Ebury Way

The Nickey Line, Ayot Greenway and The Alban Way

The Parkland Walk

The Phoenix Trail and Watlington & Princes Risborough Railway

The High Wycombe To Bourne End Disused Railway

Guildford & Shalford

The route back

When exiting Princes Risborough Station look out for the footpath opposite the station building before the entrance to the car park. Follow this path south to Picts Lane then take a right to cross the bridge over the railway. Continue along Bledlow Road for 400 metres then take a footpath on the left, following the Risborough Blue Route trail. Take the first path on the right to pick up the Chiltern Way and follow this all the way to the village of Bledlow.

Keep following Church End Road through Bledlow to the Lions of Bledlow Pub, now leaving the Chiltern Way. The Lions is a great old pub to stop for a rest at this half-way point. After the pub take a footpath diagonally across a field in a south-westerly direction. Keep heading in the direction on the track that follows the Midshires Way up the hill to Bledlow Ridge. Here you’ll join the Ridgeway which you’ll follow until it meets Hill Road. Take a right onto Hill Road to follow it in a north-westerly direction back to Chinnor station. There’s no pavement on the first half of this section of Hill Road and a safer route is to follow the edge of The Rec (playing field) to exit onto Hill Road where the pavement starts.

See my post on Cycling The Phoenix Trail and Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway for more on the disused line and the stations along the way.

Back to Chiltern Walks Index

Richard gower11 June 2023Trek, Railway, Disused Railway, Chilterns, National Trails, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, EnglandComment

Race The Sun 50k Ultra Marathon

View North to the Chilterns from the top of the descent to Checkpoint 4 at Wooburn Town

When: June 3rd 2023
Start and Finish: North Maidenhead Cricket Club, SL6 8SP
Distance: 51 km (32 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 207m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): The Green Way, Maidenhead Boundary Walk, Thames Path, Jubilee River Path, Beeches Way, Shakespeare’s Way, Chiltern Way Berkshire Loop, Wycombe to Bourne End Disused Railway
Other routes touched (cycle): NCN 4, 50, 61, Round Berkshire Cycle Route, Beeches Cycleway
Maps:
- Chiltern Hills East Map | High Wycombe, Maidenshead & Rickmansworth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 172
- Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell Map | Thames Path | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 160
Finish time: 7 hours 52 minutes 28 seconds
Links: Maidenhead, Cookham, River Thames, Bray, Jubilee River, Taplow, Burnham, Burnham Beeches, Wooburn, Bourne End

This was my 12th Ultra and the second of a 2-part series of local ~50 km Ultras with 3 weeks between them. My legs were back to normal after the recent Goring Gap Run and I was hoping to crack my sub-7 hour target for a 50 km. With a relatively flat course and dry conditions it should have been fine. However, my running nemesis: the sun was also out and it was a very hot one.

Signing up for this race was a no-brainer as it started and ended in Maidenhead where I grew up and took in trails that I’m very familiar with. The original route also went within 100 metres of my house. The final published course took a different route on the second half but still on home ground. My friend Mark wanted to join too as he grew up within half a mile of the start but other friends’ wedding plans took him away for the weekend.

The concept for this race was to start at midday on a Saturday and to finish before sunset at 21:24. This also meant that I could fit-in a parkun in the morning and get to the start line with time to spare to get showered and changed. Timea though this was a crazy idea but I did my best to explain that it was “perfectly normal”. I had done much longer Ultras in the past so the best way to think about it was that it was a 55 km Ultra with a long break between the first 5 km and the rest of it .

The first third of the race was pretty straightforward with a pleasant cross-country run to Cookham and a section of the Thames Path to Windsor. I kept a steady running pace and the heat wasn’t too bad. At 19 km, between the Thames and the Jubilee River, there was a flooded stream crossing the path with no means to keep dry. The only way through it was to get our feet wet. With very dry conditions for the few weeks before I didn’t think of bringing spare socks so I knew this would be trouble. My shoes and feet dried quickly but I knew that there would be trouble ahead.

From 20 km the heat kicked in and my running was over for the day, replaced by a power-march. Somewhere around 40 km I could feel the impact of getting my feet wet earlier with blisters forming on both feet. I knew that my sub-7 hour target wasn’t going to happen so it was now about finishing. It was a tough final 10 km but the finish line eventually came and I completed in 7 hours 52 minutes. I can never be disappointed with a finish time. Just completing is always enough and I was well within the sunset cut-off time.

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Richard gower3 June 2023Run, Ultramarathon, National Trust, National Trails, Chilterns, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, EnglandComment

Chiltern Walks: Saunderton and Bradenham

Start & Finish: Saunderton Station Car Park, Saunderton, High Wycombe
Distance: 7.8 km (4.8 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 170m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): None
Other routes touched (cycle): Chilterns Cycleway
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Red Lion Tea Room, Bradenham (2 km in), The Golden Cross, Saunderton (at end)
Map: OS Explorer Map (172) Chiltern Hills East
Links: Saunderton, Bradenham, Bradenham National Trust

For this walk we parked at Saunderton Station and took a right onto Slough Lane, ascending to the entrance to Nobles Farm. This is private property but you can follow the Public Right of Way along the drive until a footpath intersects it. Take a left onto the path and descend the hill to the A4010 Wycombe Road.

Carefully cross over the A4010 to the Red Lion Pub. This is now a tea room and a great place to stop for a rest. Walk up Bradenham Wood Lane until the start of the cricket green then take the path that leads around the south-eastern side of Bradenham Manor. Various paths will lead off the the east, but keep on the western trail until it leads you back to Bradenham Wood Lane. Cross over the road and continue heading west through Bradenham Woods.

Follow paths around the northern edge of the woods where you’ll see the perimeter of RAF High Wycombe. There’s a lot of different paths through this wood so a GPX file or OS map are essential to keep you on track. After 6 km take a sharp right at a footpath junction to start descending, first through the woods, then a field that leads down to Smalldean Lane. Follow the path at the north-western edge of Smalldean Lane towards the south-west and exit the field onto Smalldean Lane behind The Residence (an old office building since converted into apartments).

Cross over the A4010 onto Slough Lane and back to the start at Saunderton Station.

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Richard gower1 April 2023Trek, Chilterns, National Trust, Buckinghamshire, EnglandComment

Chiltern Walks: Piddington and Wheeler End

Start & Finish: The Dashwood Roadhouse, Old Oxford Road, Piddington, Bucks, HP14 3BH
Distance: 8.5 km (5.3 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 145m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): None
Other routes touched (cycle): Chilterns Cycleway
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Dashwood Roadhouse at the start and end
Map:
- OS Explorer Map (171) Chiltern Hills West, Henley-on-Thames and Wallingford
- OS Explorer Map (172) Chiltern Hills East
Links: Piddington, Wheeler End

For this walk we parked outside the Dashwood Roadhouse, formerly the Dashwood Arms. The pub is on the Old Oxford Road which runs parallel to the A40. There’s plenty of free parking spaces outside of the pub. From the pub we took a left then a left again onto Chipps Hill and a right onto a track that runs parallel to the A40 in a westerly direction. Keep heading west through Dell’s Wood until you get to a path junctions just before Bigmore Lane at 2.3 km.

Take a left at the path junction and climb up through the woods to reach some farm buildings. Continue heading south through fields then through woods as the path curves round to the east. Continue heading east through Wheeler End Common and Denham Wood. You’ll be close to the M40 here and there’s always a hum of traffic in the distance but not as loud as you might expect based on the map.

After Denham wood, the route curves up towards the north, reaching Bullock Farm Lane. Cross over the lane and descend through the woods and a field back to Piddington and the start point at the Dashwood Roadhouse.

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Richard gower15 January 2023Trek, Chilterns, Buckinghamshire, EnglandComment

Cycling The Phoenix Trail and Watlington & Princes Risborough Railway

Start / Finish: Car Park at The Mount, Princes Risborough, HP27 9AN
Distance: 47.6 km (29.6 miles)
Elevation: +/- 313m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Risborough Pink Route, Midshires Way, Oxfordshire Way, The Ridgeway, Aston Rowant Discovery Trail, The Chiltern Way
Other Routes Touched (cycle): NCN 57
Pubs / Cafes on route: Many in Princes Risborough, Thame and Watlington. We stopped at the Spire & Spoke in Watlington (27 km in) and the Lions of Bledlow (41 km in)
Maps: OS Explorer Map (180) Oxford, Witney and Woodstock and OS Explorer Map (181) Chiltern Hills North
Links: Sustrans Phoenix Trail, Sustrans NCN 57, Wycombe Railway, Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway, Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway, Princes Risborough, Thame, Tetsworth, Watlington, Chinnor, Bledlow

It’s now become an annual tradition of mine to do a muddy cycle trip on the day before starting work in the New Year. Having a micro-adventure under the belt is always a good win before trying to remember my work password, what I do and why I do it. My first weigh-in of the new year with a “Personal Best” kilo total was also another motivation to get out of the house.

This year’s trip with to explore the 2 disused railways from Princes Risborough station on the north edge of the Chilterns. The first one is a stretch of the old Wycombe Railway that’s now been adopted as a cycle path called The Phoenix Trail. The second is the old Princes Risborough to Watlington line. The first part of this to Chinnor is now as heritage rail line. The rest has been completely abandoned but you can find remains of the old stations if you know where to look.

If you’re arriving by car, a good place to part is The Mount, just off Princes Risborough High Street. Although you can also park at the rail station, The Mount is cheaper and often has more spaces. The Mount is also on NCN 57 so you can pick up the route from there and ride the 1 km to the station.

To access the Phoenix trail continue along the NCN 57 as it crosses the road bridge to the south of the station and passes through the village of Horsenden. Before reaching the start of the Trail you’ll pass over a level crossing that’s now part of the Princes Risborough to Chinnor Historic Railway.

Once on the Phoenix Trail navigation is as simple as you’d expect from a disused rail path. Along the way you’ll pass art installations and the locations of the three stations along the old track. The first station, Bledlow, is easy to spot as the building is still intact, albeit extended. You’ll find it on the left hand side of the Trail after crossing Sandpit Lane.

Towersey Halt, the second station is less obvious as nothing remains of it. The location is just after the bridge that crosses Chinnor Road. Further along at Thame the Trail passes through the middle of the still-intact platforms.

Approximately 1.5km after the old Thame station the Phoenix Trail abruptly stops and the NCN 57 takes a sharp turn to the right along Hatchett’s Lane. Here you have a choice of following the NCN 57 round to the roundabout and taking a left onto the A329 or you can continue along the path of the old rail line along a bumpy footpath. We took the footpath option to arrive at the A329 opposite a car dealership.

From here the Wycombe Railway continued west to the next station at Tiddington then on to Oxford. For our trip it was the end of the line as there’s no option to continue along the old rail route. We headed south along the A329, then took country roads to Watlington via Tetsworth.

Watlington is a great place to stop for a rest before exploring the more challenging final section of the route. My new favourite cycle cafe/pub is the Spire and Spoke on Hill Road. A couple of coffees and a carrot cake were perfect fuel for the rest of the ride.

After the Spire and Spoke, the remains of the old Watlington Station can be found on Station Road, just off the B4009 Watlington Road. The station, which was the end of the line from Princes Risborough, is on private land but you can see the roof and chimney from the gate on Station Road.

After Watlington Station, go back along Station Road and take a right onto the B4009 Watlington Road heading north-east. After 3km you’ll reach the B4009/M40 Bus Link with parking spots at the side of the road. This is the location of the old Lewknor Bridge Halt. According to the Wikipedia article, the steps up to the Halt are still there. We only found the steps down to Hill Road on the northern side which are probably not the same.

Further along the B4009 the road goes under the M40. After the motorway exit take a right onto Aston Lane and continue until you reach some woodland on the left before the first house. Some remains of the old Aston Rowant Station can be found in the woods. We decided not to explore that day but I might return another time.

Further up Aston Lane, take a left onto The Ridgeway and follow it towards Princes Risborough. We were there after a lot of rain and this second of the trail was a mud-bath. Even on a dry day I recommend taking on the route with a mountain bike and definitely not a road bike. There were several spots along this section where we had to get off and push.

After ~1.5km along The Ridgeway the trail crosses Kingston Hill (Road) and you’ll see the old Kingston Crossing Halt, now a private cottage in a good condition. Next continue along the Ridgeway to Chinnor Hill and take a short diversion north along Chinnor Hill Road to visit the well-preserved Chinnor Station, now the end-point of the Princes Risborough to Chinnor Heritage Railway.

After Chinnor return to the Ridgeway and continue towards Princes Risborough. Just over 1 km after Chinnor Station take a left hand bridleway to leave The Ridgeway to Hempton Wainhill. Wainhill Crossing Halt, rebuilt by the Princes Risborough to Chinnor Heritage Railway is on the left hand side of the lane. From here retrace your route back up to the Ridgeway.

At the top of the hill leave The Ridgeway and continue along the lane down the hill following the Midshires Way. This will lead you to the village of Bledlow where the Lions Of Bledlow pub is a god place for a final stop before the final stage of the route. After the pub follow Church End (road), take a left onto Perry Lane and head north. Perry Lane crosses under a railway bridge that carries the Historic Railway. This is the site of the old Bledlow Bridge Halt Station. You can’t access the station from the road but it is visible from the Historic Railway.

At the end of Perry Lane take a right onto the B4009 Lower Icknield Way and follow it in a north-eastly direction towards Princes Risborough. After 1 km you’ll arrive back at the bridge were the Phoenix Trail begins. Leave the B4009 and follow the NCN 57 back through Horsenden to The Mount.

Disused Stations on the Phoenix Trail

Displayed in order of the cycle route from Princes Risborough to Thame. Click on each photo to connect to the Wikipedia article for the station.

Bledlow Station

(bridge near) Towersey Halt

Thame Station

Disused Stations on the Princes Risborough to Watlington Line

Displayed in order of the cycle route from Watlington to Princes Risborough. Click on each photo to connect to the Wikipedia article for the station.

Watlington Station

Lewknor Bridge Halt

Aston Rowant Station

Kingston Crossing Halt

Chinnor Station

Wainhill Crossing Halt

(bridge under) Bledlow Bridge Halt

Princes Risborough Station

The Wycombe Railway and Princes Risborough to Watlington Railway Lines

More Disused Railway Posts

The Nickey Line, Ayot Greenway and The Alban Way

The Downs Link

The High Wycombe To Bourne End Disused Railway

The Parkland Walk

Brockenhurst, Sway and the Disused Railway

Walking The Ebury Way

Staines West to Denham

Guildford & Shalford

This is a great video by Paul and Rebecca Whitewick that tells the story of the Watlington to Princes Risborough line.

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Richard gower3 January 2023Cycle, NCN, Disused Railway, Chilterns, England, Oxfordshire, BuckinghamshireComment

Chiltern Walks: Hambleden and Medmenham

River Thames between Mill End and Medmenham

Start & Finish: Car park next to the Stag and Huntsman, Hambleden, Henley-on-Thames RG9 6RP
Distance: 9.1 km (5.6 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 85m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): The Chiltern Way, Shakespeare’s Way
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Stag and Huntsman at the start and finish
Map: OS Explorer 171: Chiltern Hills West, Henley-on-Thames and Wallingford
Links: Hambleden, Medmenham

For this walk we parked in the private car park behind the Stag and Huntsman. Although there’s free on-street parking in the village, it gets very busy and takes away from the old-fashioned feel of the village. The car-park, at time of writing, can be paid only by phone via an app or text.

From the car-park walk through the village past the church and the village stores to the small bridge over the Hambleden Brook. Immediately after the bridge take a footpath on the left that crosses fields and follows the Hambleden Brook in a southerly direction. The path ends 1.3 km from the car-park at a small road leading to Rotten Row. Take a right onto this road then a left onto Skirmett Road. Continue along the pavement on Skirmett Road until it ends at the A4155.

Take a left onto the A4155 and follow it for 100m. Cross over the road and into a small parking area to the left of the last house on the south side of the A4155. Walk through the car park then take a left onto a path that leads to Ferry Lane. Continue along Ferry Lane to the end where there’s a footpath junction. Take a right to follow the path along the side of the field towards the river. Follow the path next to the river for 2.2 km until you reach the small bridge over a stream at (a different) Ferry Lane.

Here’s you’ll find an elaborate monument to a legal case regarding the ferry that used to cross the river here. The inscription says “This monument was erected to commemorate the successful action fought by Hudson Ewbank Kearley First Viscount Devonport which resulted in the Court of Appeal deciding on the 28th of March 1899 that Medmenham Ferry is public”.

Take a left onto Ferry Lane, following it for 300m until you reach a footpath on the left opposite the last house on the right. Follow this footpath until you meet the access road to the large estate to the left of the footpath. The access road is private but there’s a footpath that runs parallel to it on it’s western edge. Follow this path in a northerly direction until a path juction near a stream. Cross over the stream and continue along the path in a north-westerly direction to meet the A4155.

Cross over the A4155 to take the first footpath on the right. This leads steeply up a hill into woodland that’s part of the Hambleden Estate. Keep to the right at the first footpath junction on the hill to takes the path that leads to the small road to Rotten Row. Cross over and continue along the footpath until you’re back at Hanbleden.

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Richard gower2 January 2023Trek, Thames, Chilterns, Buckinghamshire, England Comment

Chiltern Walks: North-East Hambleden Circular

Start & Finish: Car park next to the Stag and Huntsman, Hambleden, Henley-on-Thames RG9 6RP
Distance: 9.7 km (6 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 145m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Shakespeare’s Way
Other routes touched (cycle): Chilterns’ Cycleway
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Stag and Huntsman at the start and finish
Map: OS Explorer 171: Chiltern Hills West, Henley-on-Thames and Wallingford
Links: Hambleden

From the car-park follow the Chiltern Way as it heads out of the village in an easterly direction. You’ll soon ascend into North Cot Wood, then level off as you cross fields to Rotten Row. After 2km you’ll reach the Marlow Common to Rotten Row road. Take a right onto it then, after ~150m take a left into the woods. Continue down the hill to the clearing, taking a left and leaving the Chiltern Way as it tracks east.

Follow the path in a northerly direction for just over 1km to take a right onto Chisbridge Lane. Soon there will be a split where a farm track leaves the lane. Follow this track to the left. Before this track reaches a cross-roads take a left onto a footpath that takes a westerly route through Bushes Wood to Colstre Lane. Follow Colstre Lane, still heading west for 250m, taking a right onto a footpath that follows a metal fence down the hill. Follow this path for 1.25km until you return to the Chiltern Way. Take a left onto the Chiltern Way and follow it back to Hambleden.

The Hambleden and Rotten Row walk is a shorter version of this circular that includes the Hutton’s Farm Trig Pillar.

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Richard gower26 December 2022Trek, Chilterns, Buckinghamshire, EnglandComment

Chiltern Walks: Stokenchurch and The Ridgeway

Start & Finish: Free on-street parking around or near The Common, Stokenchurch, HP14 3QA
Distance: 10.6 km (6.6 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 231m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): The Chiltern Way, The Ridgeway, Aston Rowant Discovery Trail
Other routes touched (cycle): Chilterns Cycleway
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several in Stokenchurch at the start and finish, plus the Sir Charles Napier pub (2.4 km in)
Map: - OS Explorer Map (171) Chiltern Hills West, Henley-on-Thames and Wallingford
Links: Stokenchurch, The Ridgeway, Aston Wood & Juniper Bank (Woodland Trust)

For this walk we retuned to Stokenchurch where we visited a week earlier for our Stokenchurch and Radnage walk. Parking at the same place opposite the Kings Hotel we retraced our steps along the Chiltern Way for 300m. Rather than continue along the Chiltern Way the route follows Park Lane for another 400m then takes a footpath heading north where Park Lane curves to the right. Keep following this path in a northerly direction until you reach the Sir Charles Napier pub on Sprigs Holly Lane. There’s a few path junctions to navigate on this section so keep a close eye on your map to make sure that you reach the pub.

Take a left onto Sprigs Holly Lane, walking in a north-westerly direction as it becomes Chinnor Hill (road). After 900m from the pub take a footpath into the woods when the road curves to the right. Descend steeply through the woods for 800m to reach the Ridgeway. Take a left onto the Ridgeway and follow it for 2 km to the junction with the Aston Rowant Discovery Trail. Take a left onto the trail, leaving the Ridgeway and ascend through Juniper Bank and Grove Wood to the A40.

Follow the A40 for 300m then take a left onto Kingston Hill (road). The A40 can be very busy but there’s a safe path on the left hand side. Follow Kingston Hill for 200m then take a right onto a road leading to a farm. The farm road becomes private property after the gatehouse so you’ll need to take the footpath on the left to divert around the field. Take the first right onto another path that crosses the front of the farm. From the farm continue along the path for 1.2 km to re-enter Stokenchurch at Chalk Farm Road.

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Richard gower17 December 2022Trek, Chilterns, National Trust, Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, EnglandComment

Chiltern Walks: Stokenchurch and Radnage

Start & Finish: Free on-street parking around or near The Common, Stokenchurch, HP14 3QA
Distance: 9 km (5.6 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 182m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): The Chiltern Way
Other routes touched (cycle): Chilterns Cycleway
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several in Stokenchurch at the start and finish, plus the Mash Inn, just off the route (3.7 km) in Radnage.
Map: - OS Explorer Map (171) Chiltern Hills West, Henley-on-Thames and Wallingford
Links: Stokenchurch, Radnage

For this walk we parked in Stokenchurch town centre near where the Chiltern Way crosses the A40. From here, the route follows the A40 towards High Wycombe for 450 metres before taking a left onto George Road. At the intersection of George Road and the oddly named Bartholemew Tipping Way take a right onto a footpath heading in a south-easterly direction running parallel to the A40. Continue along the footpath as it follows the perimeter of Stokenchurch Pre-School then crosses a field and onto a farm track heading in a north-easterly direction.

At 2.5 km into the walk the footpath ends at a driveway to a large house. Take a left onto the driveway and follow it into the woods where you’ll descend to Grange Farm Road. Take a right onto the road and follow it in an easterly direction. Continue onto Bennet End Road, right onto Town End Road and left onto Bottom Road. Approximately 180m along Bottom Road take a footpath on the left and ascend steeply into the woods until you reach the junction with the Chiltern Way. Take a left onto the Chiltern Way and follow it for 4 km back to Stokenchurch.

Although there’s no pubs directly on the route after Stokenchurch, the Mash Inn is just off the route at 3.7 km in Radnage. To get there take a left up Horseshoe Road when Grange Farm Road meets Bennet End Road.

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Richard gower11 December 2022Trek, Chilterns, Buckinghamshire, England, National TrustComment

Watlington Trail 10k

When: November 27th 2022
Where: Registration at The Spire and Spoke, 21 Hill Road, Watlington OX49 5AD. Start and finish at the junction of The Ridgeway and Hill Road.
Course: Single clockwise loop along The Ridgeway towards the M40, then a hilly return via Shirburn Wood and Watlington Hill.
Other routes touched (walk): The Ridgeway, Oxfordshire Way
Finish time: 1h 10mins

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Richard gower27 November 2022Run, 10k, Buckinghamshire, Chilterns, EnglandComment

Chiltern Walks: Piddington and West Wycombe

Start & Finish: The Dashwood Roadhouse, Old Oxford Road, Piddington, Bucks, HP14 3BH
Distance: 8 km (5 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 243m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): None
Other routes touched (cycle): Chilterns Cycleway
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Dashwood Roadhouse at the start and end
Map:
- OS Explorer Map (171) Chiltern Hills West, Henley-on-Thames and Wallingford
- OS Explorer Map (172) Chiltern Hills East
Links: Piddington, West Wycombe, West Wycombe Caves, Dashwood Mausoleum, National Trust - West Wycombe Park, Village and Hill

For this walk we parked outside the Dashwood Roadhouse, formerly the Dashwood Arms. The pub is on the Old Oxford Road which runs parallel to the A40. There’s plenty of free parking spaces outside of the pub. From the pub cross over the road and follow the private road into Ham Farm. Turn right after the first set of farm buildings and take the footpath that climbs the hill in a north-easterly direction. Continue on this path crossing over Bottom Road, Chinnor Road and Slough Lane.

After Slough Lane climb the steep hill to Hearton Wood and take a right onto the main track that follows the ridge in a south-easterly direction. At the car-park leave the track to visit the Dashwood Mausoleum and St. Lawrence Church. If you have more time you can visit the Hellfire Caves under the hill. The entrance to this is on Church Road.

Descend the hill to the junction of Chorley Road and Oxford Road (A40), Take a right onto the Oxford Road and follow the pavement for 200m, then cross over to the south side to Towerridge Lane. Follow Towerridge Lane up the hill for 900 metres, curving to the right, until it stops at some private houses. When the lane becomes a foopath follow it in a south-westerly direction for 300 metres then take a footpath on the right into the woods. Follow this path in a westerly direction through Upper Dorrells Wood, cross over bullocks Farm Lane and onto a north-westerly footpath.

When you reach the village of Piddington take Queen Street to Princes Street, then follow that until you reach the Old Oxford Road and the Dashwood Arms.

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Richard gower26 November 2022Trek, Chilterns, Buckinghamshire, England, National TrustComment

Chiltern Walks: Piddington and Bottom Wood

Start & Finish: The Dashwood Roadhouse, Old Oxford Road, Piddington, Bucks, HP14 3BH
Distance: 7.9 km (4.9 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 105m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): None
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Dashwood Roadhouse at the start and end
Map:
- OS Explorer Map (171) Chiltern Hills West, Henley-on-Thames and Wallingford
- OS Explorer Map (172) Chiltern Hills East
Links: Piddington

For this walk we parked outside the Dashwood Roadhouse, formerly the Dashwood Arms. The pub is on the Old Oxford Road which runs parallel to the A40. There’s plenty of free parking spaces outside of the pub. From the pub cross over the road and follow the path that runs in a north-westerly direction along a farm track. After ~500m from the A40 you’ll meet a split in the path where you’ll continue along the farm track to the right. Continue following this track for 2km through Bottom Wood until you reach a field.

Instead of crossing into the field take a right and following the path in a north-westerly direction until you reach the end of Radnage Common Road. At this path junction take the path that’s straight ahead not the first left into the field. Continue for another 300m then take a left. Continue for another 350m, cross over Water End Road and continue until you’re back at the A40.

Carefully cross over the A40 and continue in a south-westerly direction through the wood for 400m. Take a left hand turn to follow a path through a field that takes you to Copse Drive in Horleys Green. At the end of Copse Drive take a right onto Bigmore Lane, than a left at onto Jones Way. When you reach the footpath at the entrance to the senior living estate take a right and follow the path south for 500m. Take a left to follow a path in an easterly direction for 2.2 km back to the Dashwood Roadhouse where you started.

This route is a variation on the Bottom Wood Walk with Peter Towersey published in the Chiltern Society magazine.

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Richard gower19 November 2022Trek, Chilterns, Buckinghamshire, EnglandComment

Freith Hilly 10k

When: October 16th 2022
Where: Frieth Church of England Combined School, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 6PR
Course: Single loop from Freith through Fingest, Skirmett and Hatchet Wood
Other routes touched (walk): Chiltern Way
Finish time: 57:52