Running The River Misbourne
Part of the Chiltern Rivers Series
River start: Near the Black Horse Pub, Aylesbury Road, North of Great Missenden town centre.
River end: Confluence with the River Colne at Denham Country Park, Buckinghamshire
River length: 27 km (17 miles)
Running route start / end: Black Horse pub to Denham Lock
Running route length: 28.6 km (17.7 miles)
Running route elevation change: +102m / - 107m. Net -5m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): South Bucks Way, Chiltern Way, London Loop, Grand Union Canal Towpath
Other routes touched (cycle): Hampden Route, Milton Route, NCN routes 6, 61,
Map: OS Explorer Map (172) Chiltern Hills East, OS Explorer Map (181) Chiltern Hills North
My latest in the Chilterns Rivers Project and a final (and only) long-run before the Gower Ultra. It's only really suitable for walking or running as the paths are not cycle friendly. The A413 is the closest cycle alternative but it's not very interesting.
There's not a single sign-posted route for this one so here's how it's done.
With your back to the Black Horse pub, run south along Aylesbury Road / High Street, through Great Missenden centre until the junction with the A413. An alternative is to take the South Bucks Way behind the pub, running parallel to the road and following the river more closely.
Turn right onto the A413, following it for just under a mile until Highmore Cottages, the lane leading into Little Missenden. ** WARNING - this is a busy road with no pavement so be extra careful ** There's no footpath alternative without a major diversion.
After approx 2 miles, Highmore Cottages will turn left crossing under the A413. Before this turn, take a right turn onto the South Bucks Way,
Follow the South Bucks Way for just over a mile, through the Shardloes Estate to Amersham Cricket Club. Follow footpath signs to Amersham High Street.
Follow Amersham High Street, turning left into St Mary's church opposite Whielden Street. Turn right at the Misbourne, following footpaths leading behind Tesco to Station Road.
Turn right at Station Road, cross the roundabout and follow the A355 for about 100 metres until you see the footpath leading south-east across the fields.
Continue on the footpaths (signed Chiltern Heritage Trail) running parallel with the river until Chalfont St Giles.
At Chalfont St Giles, cross the main village road, taking the footpath along the right/west side of the church. After the path crosses the river, do not continue on the Chiltern Way, instead, take a sharp right following a path that continues to follow the Misbourne until Chalfont St Peter.
At Chalfont St Peter take the A413 underpass opposite the Greyhound pub. Immediately exiting the underpass, turn right and follow the path parallel to the A413.
Just after passing Woodside Hill, take the footpath that crosses Gerrard's Cross Golf Club. Watch out for golf balls as the path crosses the fairway three times.
After the golf course, the path goes into a wood (often muddy underfoot) and follows a small lake.
At the T-junction it's not possible to follow the river. Turn left and follow the path up the hill, then diagonally crossing a field until a gate by a care home. Turn right along the drive until Denham Lane.
Follow Denham Lane / (becoming Slade Oak Lane) downhill, past Denham Golf Club station bearing left onto Old Rectory Lane. Continue until the junction with the A412.
Cross the A412 and turn right, following the footpath and take the first left onto Village Road.
Follow Village Road through Denham Village until you reach the South Bucks Way on the left.
Take the South Bucks Way crossing Buckinghamshire Golf Course and past the Colne Visitors Centre.
After the Colne Valley Regional Park Car Parks, cross a field and along the Colne until a footbridge.
The path meets the Grand Union Canal just after the footbridge. The confluence of the Misbourne and the Colne is just on the right of the towpath as you look right towards Uxbridge.
Red = River Misbourne, Blue = the route described above. The route stays tight to the river except for a small section west of Gerrards Cross crossing the M25
Elevation for running route