Celebrating Bucks! A - Z of Walks - A

A – Z of Walks in Bucks 

What do you love about our county? For me, it is all about the beautiful countryside.

 

So this week, the Bucks Freedom Press starts an A-Z series of walks. I hope this first walk will tempt you out to go and see the glorious bluebells while they are at their best.

 

The weather forecast is good for the rest of the week, sunset isn’t until around 9 pm – so get out there and enjoy the outdoors!  Send me your photos and share your favourite beauty spot.

            A is for AMERSHAM

               

The walk starts from the Old Town car park, which is situated on the north side of The Broadway next to the B & M Motors garage in Old Amersham.

OS map ref SU960972

Chiltern Society Footpath Map No. 6

http://www.chilternsociety.org.uk/shop-maps.php
 

Length of full walk: 6.7 miles  

Time required: 3.5 hrs at a leisurely pace

Shorter version: 5.7 miles
 

The Crown Inn at Little Missenden

 

 

Can be muddy in places so boots recommended.
 

Toilets: in Old Town car park
 

Refreshments: Plenty of cafes and pubs in Amersham
 

The Crown at Little Missenden
 

Why not take a picnic?

Try my recipe for Leek and Potato Soup with a Coconut Twist ! (see separate post) 

Amersham Walk Route

A.  Starting from the bottom left hand corner of the car park, turn left and  follow the River Walk along the Misbourne. Cross the bridge and pass the cemetery on the right. Leave the river and follow the walled path to a road with Badminton Court on your left and the allotments on your right. Cross at the traffic lights and then School Lane opposite, taking the footpath to the left.  Go between the houses and turn right to pass the Youth Centre, then enter Barn Meadow Recreation Ground.                                                            



River Misbourne



River Walk

A nice picnic spot at the Recreation
Ground

B.  Make for the far corner where you will find a path following the river again for the short distance to Mill Lane. Turn left and then right into the High Street. After about 1/4 mile when you have exited the town by the white gates, take the footpath to the left which leads up to the bypass. Turn right and take great care when crossing this fast, busy road to the footpath between the bollards on the other side.

C. Turn right along the driveway to the wrought iron entrance gates to Shardeloes House. Go through and enter the driveway then take the South Bucks Way
which goes behind the Amersham Cricket Club pavilion and across the grass to a gate.

   

Enter a tree-lined pathway which leads to a kissing gate, with beautiful views of Shardeloes Lake opening up to your right.

Go forward and look out for waterfowl as you follow the lakeside.

We saw Coots and Swans nesting, a Cormorant, Canada Geese and a gaggle of goslings!

Shardeloes Manor

D.  When you leave the lake you will see Shardeloes Manor on the hillside to your left. Go through another gate and then across the fields until you come to a crossing path.

 E.  This is Mop End Lane and if you wish to do the shorter walk turn left and follow the lane uphill to Mop End Farm, where you can rejoin the longer walk instructions by turning left along the road for a short distance and picking up the directions at ( H )

If you are continuing with the longer walk, carry on straight ahead keeping the River Misbourne in view on your right. Cross over a farm track and follow the fenced path all the way to the road at Little Missenden.

Mother and Foal at Kennel Farm

F.  If you wish to see the beautiful gardens and pond at the grade II listed  Mill House take a short detour to the right.
Here we saw a Green Woodpecker in the trees, and a Yellow Wagtail flitting over the pond.




Mill House Pond

 



Mill House Garden

   

   

Retrace your steps and continue up the road to The Crown. Shortly past the pub you will find a bridleway (and the Chiltern Heritage Trail) on the left. This is Toby’s Lane and it climbs steadily for over a mile up to Mop End. It is a lovely green lane with spectacular views at several vantage points looking across the Misbourne Valley.

Ignore a right fork when you reach the wood and carry on until you reach a crossing path. This stretch can get very muddy in wet weather.

Toby's Lane

View across the Misbourne Valley

G.  At the crossing path turn left and go through a kissing gate, cross to another one and then follow the left hand hedge out to a lane at Mop End. ( H ) This is where the short cut rejoins the main route.

Cross straight over and follow the stony track along the edge of the woodland. This is particularly beautiful in May when there is a carpet of bluebells and their scent fills the air. We saw a deer grazing in the woods here.

                                                                                                                                                                             

 

At the edge of the wood you are now near the electricity sub station so stick strictly to the path and veer left to pass next to the pylon and follow the well defined path, soon entering woodland again. Continue downhill and listen out for the birdsong in this wild area.

On leaving the wood follow the path forward along the valley bottom. Carry on for approx. 1 mile, ignoring any branching tracks.


Keep a lookout for wildlife; we were lucky enough to see hares boxing on the skyline to the right! More beautiful views of the Misbourne Valley open out ahead as you cross the parkland.

I.  Just before reaching the driveway to Lower Park House, turn half right to follow a diagonal path across the field towards a tall sycamore tree on the horizon. Listen out for the sound of skylarks!

At the far end of the field, cross the track and carry on straight ahead and follow a path leading to a gap in the hedge. Cross the stile to the bypass. Taking great care again, cross the road to a stile just to the right on the other side.

Descend the steps to follow the path through woodland. Go straight ahead along a fenced path bordering allotments on the left. Look out for comfrey which has spread out from the allotments and lines the path. It is used as a fertiliser and has many medicinal purposes.  Cross the lane and continue ahead through a kissing gate. Carry along the path, eventually passing the Platt cemetery. Look out for a permissive path on the left, through a gap in the wall, which goes through the grounds of Kings Church and joins the High Street by the Kings Arms Hotel.

Turn right and walk back to your starting point.