When: March 16th 2025
Where: Danesfield, Buckinghamshire
Organiser: Onerace Events
Distance: 10 km
Elevation: +/- 188m
Course: Single hilly loop around Pullingshill Wood, Rogues Plantation and Rotten Row with a short out-and back section at the start and end from Danesfield School.
Other routes touched: Shakespeares’s Way, Chiltern Way
Finish time: 1 hour, 8 minutes, 58 seconds
View to the Chess from the Latimer Estate
The Chiltern Heritage Trail is a 83 km (52 mile) circular long-distance footpath in Buckinghamshire. Created as a Millennium project, this trail links the towns and parishes within the district, offering stunning scenery, charming villages, and points of historical interest. Along the way it passes through Chesham, Latimer, Chorleywood, the Chalfonts, Amersham, Penn, the Missendens and Chartridge. We completed the trail in a series of shorter circular walks.
Recommended start points:
- Chesham Underground Station (51°42'19"N 0°36'40"W)
- Chalfont St Giles High Street (51°37'56"N 0°34'13"W)
- Chalfont St Peter High Street (51°36'26"N 0°33'24"W)
- Seer Green Railway Station (51°36'35"N 0°36'28"W)
- Old Amersham High Street (51°39'59"N 0°36'60"W)
- Great Missenden Railway Station (51°42'13"N 0°42'33"W)
Distance: 82.9 km (51.9 miles)
Elevation change: +/-933m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Maps:
- Chiltern Hills North Map | Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 181
- Chiltern Hills East Map | High Wycombe, Maidenshead & Rickmansworth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 172
Links: Chiltern Heritage Trail (LDWA), See individual section posts linked below for other links.
If you’re not up for an 83 km walk in one go, you can take in the Chiltern Heritage Trail in 17 circular walks of between 7.5 and 13 km each. We chose this option, completing all 17 sections over a few years from 2020 to 2025. The advantage of this option is exploring more of the villages and side paths close to the route
Each number refers to a circular walk below. Base map: Esri Topo via RideWithGPS
Route 1: Ashley Green and Whelpley Hill
Distance: 10.5 km (6.5 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 113m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: Chesham Vale to Orchard Leigh: 6.5 km
Route 2: Orchard Leigh and Botley
Distance: 6.9 km (4.3 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 58m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: Orchard Leigh to Tyler’s Hill: 3.4 km
Route 3: Chesham & Tylers Hill
Distance: 9.3 km (5.8 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 84m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: Tylers Hill to Lower Bois: 4.49 km
Route 4: Chesham & Bois and Wychfield Spring
Distance: 7.8 km (4.8 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 166m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: River Chess at Lower Bois to Blackwell Hall Lane: 4.4 km
Route 5: Latimer and Codmore Wood
Distance: 7.7 km (4.8 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 120m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: Blackwell Hall Lane to Stoney Lane: 3.2 km
Route 6: Little Chalfont and Latimer
Distance: 7.5 km (4.7 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 91m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: Latimer to Carpenters Wood: 3.3 km
Route 7: Phillipshill Wood and Hanging Wood
Distance: 9.1 km (5.7 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 101m
Chilterns Heritage Trail Section Covered: Carpenters Wood to Newland Gorse: 3.5 km
Route 8: Chalfont St Giles and Newlands Park
Distance: 8.6 km (5.3 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 75m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: Newland Gorse to Chalfont Common: 4.6 km
Route 9: Chalfont St Peter, Seer Green and Chalfont St Giles
Distance: 13.1 km (8.1 miles)
Elevation change: + / - 124 m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: Chalfont St Giles to Hodgemoor Wood: 10.3 km
Route 10: Amersham and Coleshill
Distance: 11.5 km (7.1 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 118m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: Bottrells Lane to Amersham: 5.2 km
Route 11: Amersham, Winchmore Hill and Penn
Distance: 12.5 km (7.8 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 119m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: Coleshill to Toby’s Lane: 8.1 km
Route 12: Little Kingshill and Little Missenden
Distance: 9.9 km (6.1 miles)
Elevation change: + / - 104m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: Beamond End Lane to Little Kingshill Recreation Park: 6.2 km
Route 13: Great Missenden and Little Kingshill
Distance: 9.2 km (5.7 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 114m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: Little Kingshill Recreation Ground to Buryfield Car Park: 4.4 km
Route 14: Great Missenden and Ballinger
Distance: 9.8 km (6 miles)
Elevation Change: +/- 113m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: Buryfield Car Park to Ballinger Common: 3 km
Route 15: Lee Common and Ballinger
Distance: 7.5 km (4.6 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 65m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: Ballinger Common to Chartridge: 5.2 km
Route 16: Chartridge, Asheridge and Buckland Common
Distance: 9.5 km (5.9 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 97m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: Hightree Wood to Buckland Common: 5.1 km
Route 17: Cholesbury and Asheridge
Distance: 11 km (6.8 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 103m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: Blue Ball Braziers Lane to Ramscote Lane: 7.8 km
If you have completed the Chiltern Heritage Trail walking routes there’s also 3 cycling routes in the area. Each route is a circuit so can be started at any point, however Amersham New Town is an obvious base. Amersham has a direct rail and Underground connection to London and good parking options.
The 3 routes are:
Milton Route, named after John Milton who was an English Poet and Civil Servant.
Distance: 42km / 26 miles. Elevation Change: +/- 391m
Hampden Route, named after John Hampden, who was an early parliamentarian.
Distance: 41km / 25.5 miles. Elevation Change: +/- 352m
Harding Route, named after Thomas Harding who was burnt at the stake in 1532 for possessing a Bible when this was still forbidden.
Distance: 40 km / 24.8 miles. Elevation Change: +/- 385m
Click here for more information on the Chiltern Heritage Trail cycle routes.
When: March 9th 2025
Where: Hardwick Village, Buckinghamshire
Organiser: Bearbrook Running Club
Distance: 9.5 km
Elevation: +/- 100m
Course: Undulating, muddy single lap route through farmland near Hardwick village. 4 crossings of the stream, 2 ditch crossings and 2 stiles.
Other routes touched: None
Finish time: 1 hour, 2 minutes, 17 seconds
In the woods near Tylers Hill
Start & Finish: The Crown Pub, Blackwell Hall Lane, Ley Hill, Chesham, HP5 1UY
Distance: 6.9 km (4.3 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 58m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: Orchard Leigh to Tyler’s Hill: 3.4 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Chiltern Heritage Trail
Other routes touched (cycle): Chiltern Heritage Trail Harding Route
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Crown at the start and finish, Hen & Chickens (1.7 km in)
Map: Chiltern Hills North Map | Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 181
Links: Botley, Ley Hill
This is part of a series of short circular walks in the Chilterns. It’s a part of a series of 17 walks that, between them, cover the 83 km of the Chiltern Heritage Trail. Created as a Millennium project, this trail links the towns and parishes within the district, offering stunning scenery, charming villages, and points of historical interest. 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 opposite the Crown Pub in Ley Hill. From the pub walk north along Blackwell Hall Lane for 100m, then find the footpath to the right-hand side of the Ley Hill Methodist Church. Follow this path in a westerly direction for ~1km to Tylers Hill Road. Cross the road and continue on the path diagonally through the field to the south-western corner. In the next field take a sharp right to follow the field-edge path to Bottom Lane. Follow Tyler’s Hill Road to Botley Road and take a right at the Hen & Chickens junction.
Shortly up Botley Road take a left into a farm entrance and follow the footpath north to Lye Green Road. Take a right onto Lye Green Road then a right onto the first footpath. Follow this path as it curves up in a north-easterly direction, crossing over Rushmere Lane and into another field. Approximately 0.5 km after Rushmere Lane you’ll reach a path junction where you’ll take a right onto a farm heading in a south-easterly direction. Follow this path for ~1 km, reconnecting with the Chiltern Heritage Trail half-way. Take a right onto Chesham Road then a left on a path at the road bend, keeping on the Heritage Trail. Follow the Chiltern Heritage Trail all the way back to the Crown pub at Ley Hill.
Chiltern Heritage Trail next section clockwise: Chesham & Tylers Hill
Chiltern Heritage Trail next section anti-clockwise: Ashley Green and Whelpley Hill
Footpath north of Ashley Green
Start & Finish: King Charles pub, Chesham Road, Chesham, HP5 3PF
Distance: 10.5 km (6.5 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 113m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: Chesham Vale to Orchard Leigh: 6.5 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Chiltern Heritage Trail
Other routes touched (cycle): Chiltern Heritage Trail Harding Route
Pubs / Cafes on route: The King Charles at start and end, The Golden Eagle, just off route at 4 km in
Map: Chiltern Hills North Map | Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 181
Links: Ashley Green, Whelpley Hill
This is part of a series of short circular walks in the Chilterns. It’s a part of a series of 17 walks that, between them, cover the 83 km of the Chiltern Heritage Trail. Created as a Millennium project, this trail links the towns and parishes within the district, offering stunning scenery, charming villages, and points of historical interest. 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 the King Charles pub on the A416 and walked in a northerly direction up the small unnamed road that’s on the southern end of the pub car park. Take a left into the private road (with public right of way) leading to Pressmore Farm. Follow the footpath through the farm to Vale Road. Cross over the road to continue to follow the path in a north-westerly direction. You’re now on the Chiltern Heritage Trail. Continue for ~600m then, before the Chiltern Heritage Trail takes a left up the hill, take the footpath on the right to climb the hill on the northern side, then take a right to follow the path back to Vale Road.
Take a left onto Vale Road, then take the first lane on the right opposite the Black Horse Inn. Continue on the Chiltern Heritage Trail as it snakes through farmland to Hog Lane in Ashley Green. Take a right onto Hog Lane, cross over the A416 and pick up the Heritage Trail again heading in an easterly direction. Approximately half a mile from Ashely Green there’s a fork in the path where you need to take the right hand path heading south-east.
When you reach Whelpley Hill cross through the small estate and onto Whelpley Hill Road. Take a right onto a footpath heading in a south-westerly direction, leading to Grove Lane. After 1km you’ll reach a path junction where you’ll leave the Heritage Trail and take the path that leads in a north-westerly direction to Grove Lane. Cross over Grove Lane and take the path to Two Dells Lane. Take a left then the first footpath on the right to cross through fields back to the A416 and the King Charles pub.
Chiltern Heritage Trail next section clockwise: Orchard Leigh and Botley
Chiltern Heritage Trail next section anti-clockwise: Cholesbury and Asheridge
The Vale
Start & Finish: The Blue Ball, Braziers End, Asheridge, Chesham, HP5 2UX
Distance: 11 km (6.8 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 103m
Chilterns Heritage Trail Section Covered: Blue Ball Braziers Lane to Ramscote Lane: 7.8 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Chiltern Heritage Trail
Other routes touched (cycle): Chiltern Heritage Trail Harding Route
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Blue Ball at start and end, The Full Moon (4.1 km in)
Map: Chiltern Hills North Map | Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 181
Links: Asheridge, Cholesbury, Hawridge, Bellingdon
This is part of a series of short circular walks in the Chilterns. It’s a part of a series of 19 walks that, between them, cover the 83 km of the Chiltern Heritage Trail. Created as a Millennium project, this trail links the towns and parishes within the district, offering stunning scenery, charming villages, and points of historical interest. 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 the Blue Ball pub on Braziers End Road. From here walk along Braziers End in a north-westerly direction, crossing over Oak Lane, until reaching a path junction just south of Cholesbury Lane. Take a right to continue along the Heritage Trail into Cholesbury village via Cholesbury Lane. Take a right onto Ray’s Hill (road) before the Full Moon Pub and keep an eye out for the old windmill on your left.
Before Ray’s Hill (road) curves to the left, take the left-hand footpath to keep on the Heritage Trail heading in a south-easterly direction. Continue for 3.5 km through The Vale until you a junction of Ramscote Lane. Leave the Heritage Trail here to take a right, ascending up the hill. Take the first path on the right to path through Ramscoat Wood in a northerly direction until reaching Ramscote Lane again. Take a left onto Ramscoat Lane and follow it to a path that runs between The Old Brickworks and Bloomfield Copse. Take a left onto this path to Chesham Road. Take a right onto Chesham Road then take the path on the left between 2 houses. Follow the paths in a south-westerly direction to return to the start at the Blue Ball.
Chiltern Heritage Trail next section clockwise: Ashley Green and Whelpley Hill
Chiltern Heritage Trail next section anti-clockwise: Chartridge, Asheridge and Buckland Common
Ascending from Chartridge to Asheridge
Start & Finish: Chartridge Village Hall, Chartridge, Chesham, HP5 2TN
Distance: 9.5 km (5.9 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 97m
Chilterns Heritage Trail Section Covered: Hightree Wood to Buckland Common: 5.1 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Chiltern Heritage Trail, Chiltern Way
Other routes touched (cycle): Chiltern Heritage Trail Harding and Hampden Routes
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Blue Ball (1.4 km in)
Map: Chiltern Hills North Map | Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 181
Links: Chartridge, Asheridge, Buckland Common
This is part of a series of short circular walks in the Chilterns. It’s a part of a series of 17 walks that, between them, cover the 83 km of the Chiltern Heritage Trail. Created as a Millennium project, this trail links the towns and parishes within the district, offering stunning scenery, charming villages, and points of historical interest. 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 outside Chartridge Village Hall and walked along The Bungalow (road) in a south-easterly direction. Take the path on the left before the Chartridge Mission Church and follow the Heritage Trail in a north-easterly direction until you reach Braziers End (road). Take a left to follow Braziers End (road) until it starts to curve to the right at Ashotts Lane. Leave the road at follow the footpath heading to the north-west. Keep on the Heritage Trail, crossing over Oak Lane until you get to a path junction in a corner of a field south of Cholesbury Lane.
At the path junction leave the Heritage Trail by taking the left hand path heading in a westerly direction. Take a right onto Oak Lane then take the first footpath on the left to follow the Chiltern Way in a south-westerly direction. Approximately 1 km from Oak Lane you’ll reach a path junction at the south-western edge of some woodland. Take a left to follow the inner edge of the woodland. The path will take a sharp turn to the left to meet another path along a field edge. Take a right to follow the path heading south to Arrewig Lane. Take a right onto Arrewig Lane, following it south to Chartridge Lane. Take a left onto Chartridge Lane then the first footpath on the right to cut across fields and rejoin the Heritage Trail. Stay on the Heritage Trail to return to Chartridge Village Hall.
Chiltern Heritage Trail next section clockwise: Cholesbury and Asheridge
Chiltern Heritage Trail next section anti-clockwise: Lee Common and Ballinger
The start of the South Bucks Way at the Coombe Hill Monument
The South Bucks Way is a 37 km (23-mile) trail that promises a delightful escape for walkers and hikers. This scenic route, often overshadowed by its more famous counterparts, offers a tranquil journey through charming villages, lush countryside, and the gentle murmur of the River Misbourne. This post is part of a series of circular walks featuring the South Bucks Way. The full trail stretches from Coombe Hill near Wendover to the Grand Union Canal at Denham. Our walks take in short sections of the South Bucks Way and loop back to the start on other paths. The South Bucks Way is well sign-posted however you’ll need a map or GPX route to keep on track for the return sections of the loops. The guidance below will help but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide.
Start: Coombe Hill Monument via Coombe Hill Car Park, Coombe Hill, Lodge Hill, Aylesbury, HP17 0UR
Finish: Grans Union Canal via Denham Country Park, Denham Court Drive, Denham, Uxbridge UB9 5PG
Distance: 37 km (23 miles)
Elevation change: + 251m / - 461m. Net -210m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Pubs / Cafes on route: See individual section posts linked below.
Maps:
- Chiltern Hills North Map | Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 181
- Chiltern Hills East Map | High Wycombe, Maidenshead & Rickmansworth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 172
Links: South Bucks Way (LDWA), See individual section posts linked below for other links.
If you’re not up for an 37km walk in one go, you can take in the South Bucks Way in 10 circular walks of between 6 and 13 km each. We chose this option, completing all 10 sections over a few years from 2020 to 2024. The advantage of this option is exploring more of the villages and side paths close to the route
Each number refers to a circular walk below. Base map: Esri Topo via RideWithGPS
Part 1: Coombe Hill and Little Hampden
Distance: 8.6 km (5.3 miles).
Elevation change: +/- 139m
South Bucks Way Section Covered: Coombe Hill to Little Hampden: 3.71 km
Part 2: Little Hampden and Great Missenden
Distance: 11.2 km (7.0 miles).
Elevation change: +/- 200m
South Bucks Way Section Covered: Little Hampden to Great Missenden: 5.19 km
Part 3: Great Missenden and Little Kingshill
Distance: 9.2 km (5.7 miles).
Elevation change: +/- 114m
South Bucks Way Section Covered: Great Missenden to Little Kingshill: 3.3 km
Part 4: Little Kingshill and Little Missenden
Distance: 9.9 km (6.1 miles).
Elevation change: +/- 104m
South Bucks Way Section Covered: Little Kingshill to Little Missenden: 3.47 km
Part 5: Little Missenden and Shardeloes
Distance: 8.1 km (5.0 miles).
Elevation change: +/- 74m
South Bucks Way Section Covered: Little Missenden to Shardeloes: 2.84 km
Part 6: Amersham, Winchmore Hill and Penn
Distance: 12.5 km (7.8 miles).
Elevation change: +/- 119m
South Bucks Way Section Covered: Shardeloes to Amersham Market Square: 1.2 km
Part 7: Amersham and Coleshill
Distance: 11.5 km (7.1 miles).
Elevation change: +/- 118m
South Bucks Way Section Covered: Amersham Market Square to Rushcroft Wood: 4.0 km
Part 8: Chalfont St. Peter, Seer Green and Chalfont St. Giles
Distance: 13.1 km (8.1 miles).
Elevation change: +/- 124 m
South Bucks Way Section Covered: Rushcroft Wood to Chalfont St. Peter: 4.3 km
Part 9: Gerrards Cross to Denham
Distance: 10.4 km (6.4 miles).
Elevation change: +81 / -116. Net -35m
South Bucks Way Section Covered: Chalfont St Peter to Denham Station: 7.6 km
Part 10: Denham Village and The Grand Union Canal
Distance: 6.2 km (3.9 miles).
Elevation change: +/- 29m
South Bucks Way Section Covered: Denham Station to the Grand Union Canal: 2.3 km
Between Chartridge and Ballinger Bottom
Start & Finish: The Cock and Rabbit Inn, The Lee, Great Missenden, HP16 9LZ
Distance: 7.5 km (4.6 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 65m
Chilterns Heritage Trail Section Covered: Ballinger Common to Chartridge: 5.2 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Chiltern Heritage Trail, The Chiltern Link
Other routes touched (cycle): None
Pubs / Cafes on route: The Cock and Rabbit Inn at start and finish
Map: Chiltern Hills North Map | Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 181
Links: xx
This is part of a series of short circular walks in the Chilterns. It’s a part of a series of 17 walks that, between them, cover the 83 km of the Chiltern Heritage Trail. Created as a Millennium project, this trail links the towns and parishes within the district, offering stunning scenery, charming villages, and points of historical interest. 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 near the Cock and Rabbit Inn and followed Lee Clump Road in a north-easterly direction. After 700m take a right onto Oxford Street and follow it all the way to Ballinger Road. Take a left onto Ballinger Road then take the first footpath on the right to follow the Heritage Trail in an easterly direction to the village of Chartridge. Take a right on to Cogdells Lane and follow it for 400m to a path junction. Here you have a choice of continuing down into the valley or taking a right to follow the top of the valley. Either route re-connects at the Chiltern Link Path at Ballinger Bottom.
Take a left onto Ballinger Road and follow it in a southerly direction to Ballinger Common. Take a right onto Blackthorne Lane where you’ll be back on the Hertiage Trail, following it all the way back to the start at the Cock and Rabbit.
Chiltern Heritage Trail next section clockwise: Chartridge, Asheridge and Buckland Common
Chiltern Heritage Trail next section anti-clockwise: Great Missenden and Ballinger
Start & Finish: On-street parking around junction of Bois Lane, Green Lane, Woodside Avenue, HP6 5LN
Distance: 7.8 km (4.8 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 166m
Chiltern Heritage Trail Section Covered: River Chess at Lower Bois to Blackwell Hall Lane: 4.4 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Chiltern Heritage Trail, Chess Valley Walk
Other routes touched (cycle): Chiltern Heritage Trail Hampden Route
Pubs / Cafes on route: None. Small convenience store on Bois Lane near start and end
Map: Chiltern Hills North Map | Aylesbury, Berkhamsted & Chesham | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 181
Links: Chesham Bois, River Chess
This is part of a series of short circular walks in the Chilterns. It’s a part of a series of 17 walks that, between them, cover the 83 km of the Chiltern Heritage Trail. Created as a Millennium project, this trail links the towns and parishes within the district, offering stunning scenery, charming villages, and points of historical interest. 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 on Bois Lane and walked along it in an north-easterly direction. Take a right onto Holloway Lane, next right onto St Leonards Road then right onto the footpath that descends through Blackwell Shrubs to pass under the rail line. Continue to Latimer Road and cross over to follow Blackwell Hall Lane, crossing over the River Chess. At Blackwell Farm Cottages continue along Blackwell Hall Lane, leaving the Chiltern Heritage Trail.
When Blackwell Hall Lane takes a sharp right you can either continue along it or take the footpath on the left to take a short-cut across the fields. Either way you’ll end up on Burns Lane, leading to Green Lane. Follow Green Lane in a westerly direction for ~1.7 km then take a left onto Pump Lane heading south.
When you reach Latimer Road again, cross over and take a right onto the Chess Valley Walk. Take the first footpath on the left to cross the River Chess and pick up the Chiltern Heritage Trail again, heading south. Take a right onto Bois Moor road, then a left to cross under the rail line. Continue in a south-westerly direction ascending through Bois Wood to North Road. Take a left onto the road to follow it to Bois Lane then take a left to return to the start.
Chiltern Heritage Trail next section clockwise: Latimer and Codmore Wood
Chiltern Heritage Trail next section anti-clockwise: Chesham & Tylers Hill
Highland Cows at Lodge Farm
Start & Finish: Junction of Chalfont Lane and Shire Lane, Chorleywood, Rickmansworth, WD3 5NT
Distance: 8.4 km (5.2 miles)
Elevation change: +/- 87m
Chilterns Heritage Trail Section Covered: Carpenters Wood to Newland Gorse: 3.5 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): Chiltern Heritage Trail
Other routes touched (cycle): Chiltern Heritage Trail Milton Route
Pubs / Cafes on route: None
Map: Chiltern Hills East Map | High Wycombe, Maidenhead & Rickmansworth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 172
Links: Chorleywood, Phillipshill Wood, Hanging Wood
This is part of a series of short circular walks in the Chilterns. It’s a part of a series of 17 walks that, between them, cover the 83 km of the Chiltern Heritage Trail. Created as a Millennium project, this trail links the towns and parishes within the district, offering stunning scenery, charming villages, and points of historical interest. 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 the side of the road near the junction of Chalfont Lane and Shire Lane. Start by walking in a southerly direction down Shire Lane until you get to a T junction in the path after 1.5 km. Take a right then follow the Heritage Trail as it curves up to the north-west. Don’t take the left hand path following the Heritage Trail, instead continue north to a path junction where you can take a left to follow the path through the woods to Nightingale Lane.
Take a right onto Nightingale Lane, then right into Roughwood Lane. Be careful on the short walk along Roughwood Lane as it’s a fast road without a pavement. There’s a wide verge to walk along though. Follow Roughwood Lane to the junction with Burtons Lane, then cross over to follow Lodge Lane to the entrance of Lodge Farm Estate. Take a right into the estate, following the path to the railway line. After the tunnel under the rail line, take a right to follow the path through Old Hanging Wood to reconnect with the Chiltern Heritage Trail. Take a right to cross back under the railway line and follow the Heritage Trail back to the start.
Chiltern Heritage Trail next section clockwise: Chalfont St Giles and Newlands Park
Chiltern Heritage Trail next section anti-clockwise: Little Chalfont and Latimer
Reflections in the Wey
Start & Finish: Newark Lane Car Park, Ripley, Woking, GU23 7ES
Distance: 9.7 km (6 miles)
Elevation Change: +/- 39m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Wey Navigation Footpath, The Fox Way
Other Routes Touched (cycle): Surrey Cycleway
Cafe / pubs on route: The New Inn, Send (3.1 km in) and The Seven Stars (9.3 km in)
Map: Guildford & Farnham Map | Godalming & Farnborough | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 145
Links: Wey Navigation, River Wey, River Wey and Godalming Navigations (National Trust), Send
This is the fifth of a series of short circular walks along the River Wey and the Wey Navigation canal in Surrey. 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.
This section starts at Newark Lane Car Park where there’s enough (free) parking for around 10 cars. It was very rutted with large water-filled holes when we were there so be careful if you have a car with low clearance. This route is a narrow circular taking in more of the Wey Navigation than other sections. The actual River Wey and the Broadmead Cut, another channel, split off on the northern bank at ~750m into the route and rejoin at 3.5 km in.
At 3.1 km into the route you’ll cross over Send Road to the south eastern side of the navigation. Here’s a good place to stop for a rest at The New Inn, the only pub on the route until you reach The Seven Stars near the end point. After the new Inn continue south along the navigation to a bridge at 4.7 km. Here you’ll leave The Fox Way as it crosses the bridge heading west. Instead, hop over the style and follow a path across marshland to another bridge. It was extremely wet and boggy when we were there so be sure to wear waterproof boots if it has recently rained. Cross over the bridge and follow the northern bank of The Wey to St Mary The Virgin Church.
From the church follow Church Lane as it curves to the north, cross over Potter Lane and continue north up Send Hill. Shortly after the junction with Winds Ridge road take a footpath on the left to follow it onto Farm Lane. Take a right onto Sandy Lane, cross over Send Road and follow Tannery Lane onto Peppercourt Lane until the junction with Newark Lane. Take a left onto Newark Lane to follow it back to the car park.
Previous section (north): Walking the River Wey Part 5: Canons and Cornmills
Next section (south): Walking the River Wey Part 7: Worpleston to Guildford (blog post coming in Spring 2025)
Crossing under the M25 near Denham
Start & Finish: Gerrards Cross Station, SL9 8PP, United Kingdom
Distance: 10.4 km (6.4 miles)
Elevation change: +81 / -116. Net -35m
South Bucks Way section covered: Chalfont St Peter to Denham Station: 7.6 km
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other routes touched (walk): South Bucks Way, Chiltern Heritage Trail
Other routes touched (cycle): Chiltern Heritage Trail Milton Route
Pubs / Cafes on route: Several in Gerrards Cross, Chalfont St Peter and Denham village centres.
Map: Chiltern Hills East Map | High Wycombe, Maidenshead & Rickmansworth | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 172
Links: South Bucks Way (LDWA), Gerrards Cross, Chalfont St Peter, Northmoor Hill Nature Reserve, Denham
The South Bucks Way is a 37 km (23-mile) trail that promises a delightful escape for walkers and hikers. This scenic route, often overshadowed by its more famous counterparts, offers a tranquil journey through charming villages, lush countryside, and the gentle murmur of the River Misbourne. This post is part of a series of circular walks featuring the South Bucks Way. The full trail stretches from Coombe Hill near Wendover to the Grand Union Canal at Denham. Our walks take in short sections of the South Bucks Way and loop back to the start on other paths. The South Bucks Way is well sign-posted however you’ll need a map or GPX route to keep on track for the return sections of the loops. The guidance below will help but don’t use it as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide.
For this section there weren’t any great options for circular walks so we did a point-to-point from Gerrards Cross to Denham stations and got the train back instead. From Gerrards Cross Station follow the footpath that runs to the north parallel to the railway line to Bull Lane. Take a right onto Bull Lane to the junction with Maltmans Lane and pick up the footpath heading north. Continue north on the footpath then onto Austenwood Close then a left onto Austenwood Lane and a right onto Gold Hill East. Follow Gold Hill East as it curves round to the north-east and descents down Market Place to the centre of Chalfont St. Peter. At the mini-roundabout take a right onto High Street and you’ll now be back on the South Bucks Way.
Follow the South-Bucks Way as it takes a left up Chiltern Hill through a very nice estate then a right into fields, through a Scout Campsite and Gerrards Cross Golf Club. When exiting the golf club take a right onto Denham Lane then a left on to a footpath that heads north and runs parallel to the M25. Cross under the M25 through a foot-tunnel and follow the path as it snakes around the boundary of the HS2 site through to Tilehouse Lane. Take a right onto Tilehurst Lane and follow it in a southerly direction past Denham Aerodrome and take a left onto Denham Green Lane. Follow Denham Green Lane in a south-easterly direction to the A412 North Orbital Road. Cross over the A412 and follow Link Way, cross over Moorfield Road and down Savoy Lane. Take a right onto a footpath called The Phygtle which leads you to Denham Station. There’s regular trains on the Chiltern Main Line back to the start at Gerrards Cross Station.
Previous section (north): Chalfont St Peter, Seer Green and Chalfont St Giles
Next section (south): Denham Village and The Grand Union Canal
Between Felden and Bovingdon shortly after sunrise
Start: Chaulden Adventure Playground, 106 Long Chaulden, Hemel Hempstead, HP1 2HX
Finish: The Village Green, Chalfont Saint Giles, HP8 4QF
Distance: 22.7 km (14.1 Miles)
Elevation change: +250m / -303m. Net -53m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Chiltern Way, Red Walk, Hertfordshire Way, Chiltern Heritage Trail, South Bucks Way
Other Routes Touched (cycle): Grand Union Canal Towpath, Chiltern Heritage Trail Milton Route,
Pubs / Cafes on route: Bell Inn Bovingdon (5.9 km in), Green Dragon or Bricklayer’s Flaunden (8.9 km in), Cock In Sarratt (13 km in). Red Lion Chenies (15.1 km in), Cafe at Van Hage Garden Centre (15.5 km in), Merlins Cave (at the finish)
Maps:
- St Albans & Hatfield Map | Hemel Hempstead & Welwyn Garden City | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 182
Links: Chiltern Way (Chiltern Society), Hemel Hempstead, Boxmoor, Bovingdon, Flaunden, Sarratt, Chenies, Chorleywood, Chalfont St Giles
This is the sixth of a series of point to point walks on the Chiltern Way. The full trail is a 134 mile (215 km) long distance path around the Chiltern Hills Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). My friend Brian and I have been doing a section a year on or around the Winter Solstice since 2019. At the current rate we plan to be finished in December 2027. The Chiltern Way is well sign-posted however you should take a map or GPX route to keep on track and be prepared for all weathers. This post isn’t intended as a fully accurate turn-by-turn guide.
Brian and I tend to see a lot of each other over the summer months then there’s a gap of a few months when I get distracted by longer holidays and peak busyness at work. The Winter Solstice hike is always a good opportunity to catch up on what we’ve missed in each others’ lives. This year’s Solstice hike was at the midway point between our 50th birthdays. As well as our normal check-in we spent the drive to the start to compare notes on which parts of our bodies were slowing down or wearing out. Fortunately there was nothing too dramatic this year apart from a few aches and twinges.
Picking up from Part 5 at Shrub Hill we headed south through the outskirts of Hemel Hempstead. Our first stop was the obligatory sunrise selfie, albeit not in the most scenic part of this year’s walk.
After 1.6 km we crossed over the Grand Union Canal, last seen at Cow Roast at the start of section 2. After the canal the route ascends up to Boxmoor, also following a section of the Hertfordshire Way until Flaunden. I had marked pub stops on the map at both Flaunden and Sarratt in the optimistic hope that one of them might be open for morning coffee. As per all other Soltrice Walks we were way too early. The first rest and food stop came right at lunchtime at the cafe in the Van Hage Garden Centre off the A404.
For the afternoon section we were in very familiar territory, close to our homes and on very familiar paths. After the A404 the route joins the Chiltern Heritage Trail, heading sound through Chorleywood, along Old Shire Lane and before curving round towards the west to Chalfont St Giles. The Merlin’s Cave pub, with an excellent fish and chips, was our end point for this section.
Previous section: Walking The Chiltern Way Part 5: Peter’s Green to Shrub Hill Common
Next section: Walking The Chiltern Way Part 7: Chalfont St. Giles to Marlow Bottom. Blog post coming in December 2025
parkrun Completion names are unofficial titles for having completed all of the parkrun events in a county. “LonDone” is one of the most popular and there’s frequent discussions on others in the various parkun social media groups. Below are the ones that I’ve noted over the years. For most I’ve forgotten or don’t know the original source so please comment below to claim credit. Also comment below if you have any other county completion names to fill the gaps. I’ll donate £1 to parkrun Forever for and name added to the main list.
County names in bold link to a completion page showing the parkrun events for that county. I do one of these pages once I’ve completed at least 3 events in that county. If you would like to speed up the process, Buy Me a Coffee and I’ll create a new page for your chosen county and dedicate it to you.
Shows both Historic and Ceremonial Counties. Ceremonial counties with a distinct name to the Historic County are indicated with a *. Where a county has been sub-divided (e.g. Sussex into East and West), I’ve shown the combined name.
Bedfordshire: Made the Beds
Berkshire: Complete Berk
Bristol*: Brist-all
Buckinghamshire: Buck'ed Up
Cambridgeshire: Camb-which
Cheshire: The Cheshire Set
Cornwall: CornwAll
Cumberland:
Cumbria*: Done-bria
Derbyshire:
Devon:
Dorset: The Dor Set
Durham:
Essex: PIED. Parkruns in Essex Done
Gloucestershire: Glos’d Over
Greater London*: LonDone
Greater Manchester*: Greater Ran-Chester
Hampshire: Champshire
Herefordshire:
Hertfordshire: King/Queen of Herts
Huntingdonshire:
Kent: Total Kent, Gar-Done of England
Lancashire: Rankashire
Leicestershire: Flaw-Leics
Lincolnshire: No Missing Lincs
Merseyside*: Mersey-Beat
Norfolk: That’s All Folks (for both Norfolk and Suffolk)
Northamptonshire: Northamp-done-shire
Northumberland: North-done-berland
Nottinghamshire: Get Nott’ed, Notting-done
Rutland: Rutland-ed
Shropshire:
Somerset: The Somer-Set
Staffordshire: Fully Staffed
Suffolk: PISD: Parkruns in Suffolk Done. That’s All Folks (for both Norfolk and Suffolk)
Surrey: SurreyALList
Sussex: Sussexful
Tyne and Wear*: Full Tyne
Warwickshire:
West Midlands*: West Didlands
Westmorland:
Wiltshire: Complete Bustard
Worcestershire:
Yorkshire: Yorkshire Pud-done
All-inside-the- M25: LonDone+ or Orbit-All
East Anglia: East Ranglia
Antrim
Armagh
Down
Fermanagh
Londonderry
Tyrone
All of Northern Ireland: Northern Entireland
Aberdeenshire
Angus
Argyll
Ayrshire
Banffshire
Berwickshire
Bute
Caithness
Clackmannanshire
Dumfriesshire
Dunbartonshire
East Lothian
FifeInverness-shire
Kincardineshire
Kinross-shire
Kirkcudbrightshire
Lanarkshire
Midlothian
Moray
Nairnshire
Orkney
Peeblesshire
Perthshire
Renfrewshire
Ross and Cromarty
Roxburghshire
Selkirkshire
Stirlingshire
Sutherland
West Lothian
Wigtownshire
Zetland (Shetland)
All of Scotland: Allba
Monmouthshire
Glamorganshire
Carmarthenshire
Pembrokeshire
Cardiganshire
Brecknockshire
Radnorshire
Montgomeryshire
Denbighshire
Flintshire
Merionethshire
Caernarfonshire
Anglesey
Gwent: Gwent there and done it
South Glamorgan
Mid Glamorgan
West Glamorgan
Dyfed
Powys
Gwynedd
Clwyd
All of Wales: Plugged the Leek
parkruns are free, weekly, community 5k events all around the world. I started in December 2012 and have been obsessive about it ever since. See my parkrun Collection page for details.
Featured and popular parkrun posts:
The ruins of Newark Priory
Start & Finish: Ripley High Street, Ripley, Woking, GU23 6AN
Distance: 8.6 km (5.3 miles)
Elevation Change: +/- 50m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Wey Navigation Footpath, The Fox Way
Other Routes Touched (cycle): Surrey Cycleway
Cafe / pubs on route: Several in Ripley High Street at the start and end. We like Nest Home and Cafe. Also, The Anchor (5.7 km in)
Map: Guildford & Farnham Map | Godalming & Farnborough | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 145
Links: Wey Navigation, River Wey, River Wey and Godalming Navigations (National Trust), Pyrford, Ripley, Newark Priory
This is the fourth of a series of short circular walks along the River Wey and the Wey Navigation canal in Surrey. 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.
As with the Weybridge Locks and Levels Walk, this was an already established route rather than one that I created myself. The PDF is a great guide to the walk so I won’t repeat any of it here. The only thing to note is that the route does miss a short section of the Wey Navigation near Pyrford Lakes in order to include Ripley and Ockham Mill. If you prefer a shorter walk that misses Ripley and Ockham Mill but covers the full length of the Wey then the Newark Lane Car Park is a good alternative place to start and end the walk.
Previous section (north): Walking the River Wey Part 4: Byfleet and Wisley
Next section (south): Walking the River Wey Part 6: Newark Lane and Send (Blog post coming soon)
“LonDone” is the name for completing the full set of 65 parkrun events in Greater London. There’s 2 other terms: “LonDone +” and “LonDone ++” that have been widely debated in the various parkrun social media forums.
LonDone + is generally seen as being all parkrun events within the M25. There are currently 15 parkrun events that are within the M25 but outside of Greater London or a total of 80 events within the M25.
Up to now I’ve ignored LonDone ++ as a lot of the definitions have felt a bit arbitrary. However, one definition that I like is that it includes events that are outside of the M25 but have a Voronoi area that crosses inside the M25. This includes a further 9 parkrun events making a total of 88 events that have part of their Voronoi area within the M25. Note that different parkrun apps have slightly different calculations for their Voronoi apps. For this page I’ve used the Voronoi map from the Running Challenges Chrome Extension.
LonDone+ and/or LonDone++ are also referred to as “Orbit-All”
See the main LonDone page for details of all parkrun events within Greater London.
Aldenham (Hertfordshire, East of England)
Cassiobury (Hertfordshire, East of England)
Egham Orbit (Surrey, South East England)
Leavesden Country (Hertfordshire, East of England)
Rickmansworth (Hertfordshire, East of England)
Roding Valley (Essex, East of England)
South Oxhey (Hertfordshire, East of England)
Note that the Egham Orbit course crosses under the motorway with a short section outside of the M25. I've included it in LonDone+ as the start, finish and majority of the course are within the M25.
Oaklands College (Hertfordshire, East of England)
St Albans (Hertfordshire, East of England)
Notes on recent changes
Thurrock’s Voronoi area extended across the M25 before the start of Ingrebourne Hill.
Jersey Farm’s Voronoi area extended across the M25 before the start of Oaklands College.
The images below show the Voronoi area for each of the LonDon ++ parkrun events in blue with the M25 as a red line.
parkruns are free, weekly, community 5k events all around the world. I started in December 2012 and have been obsessive about it ever since. See my parkrun Collection page for details.
Featured and popular parkrun posts:
Murray's Bridge on the Wey Navigation
Start & Finish: High Road Parking, 10 High Road, Byfleet, West Byfleet, KT14 7QG
Distance: 8.1 km (5 miles)
Elevation Change: +/- 33m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Wey Navigation Footpath
Other Routes Touched (cycle): Woking Planet Network: Venus Route
Cafe / pub on route: Several in Byfleet Village Centre. The Anchor (2.7 km in)
Maps:
- Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell Map | Thames Path | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 160
- Guildford & Farnham Map | Godalming & Farnborough | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 145
Links: Wey Navigation, River Wey, River Wey and Godalming Navigations (National Trust), Byfleet, Pyrford, Wisley
This is the fourth of a series of short circular walks along the River Wey and the Wey Navigation canal in Surrey. 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.
This walk starts at Byfleet village centre where there’s free parking at the western end of High Road. Walk in a westerly direction along the A245 Parvis Road, cross over the canal on the road bridge. Descend on the northern side of Parvis Road to cross back over to the eastern side of the canal on the Old Parvis Road bridge.
Continue south along the Wey Navigation for just over 2 km to reach the Anchor pub at Pyrford Lock. Points of interest along the way are Murray’s Footbridge and Dodd’s Footbridge, both with information signs detailing their history.
At The Anchor pub leave the canal and take a footpath heading in an easterly direction across Wisley Golf Course toward Wisley village centre. Take a left onto an unnamed lane by the Old Village Shops then a right onto a footpath. Follow this path in an easterly direction for 1.2 km, through woods and over the M25 to a path junction. Take a left and follow the path to join the eastern bank of the River Wey. Cross over the Wey on a wooden footbridge then take a right onto the driveway that connects Byfleet Manor with Mill Lane. Cross over Mill Lane and continue along the western side of the River Wey until the A245 Parvis Road. Take a left onto Parvis Road, then a left onto High Road and follow it all the way back to the start.
Previous section (north): Walking the River Wey Part 3: New Haw and Byfleet
Next section (south): Walking the River Wey Part 5: Canons and Cornmills
New Haw Lock
Start & Finish: Byfleet Road Parking, Byfleet Road, Addlestone, KT15 3JQ
Distance: 7.3 km (4.5 miles)
Elevation Change: +/- 28m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Wey Navigation Footpath, Locks and Levels
Other Routes Touched (cycle): None
Cafe / pub on route: The White Hart near New Haw Lock at the start and end. Several in Byfleet village centre.
Map: Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell Map | Thames Path | Ordnance Survey | OS Explorer Map 160
Links: Wey Navigation, River Wey, River Wey and Godalming Navigations (National Trust), New Haw, Byfleet, Brooklands
This is the third of a series of short circular walks along the River Wey and the Wey Navigation canal in Surrey. 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.
This walk starts at the New Haw Lock where there’s a free car park off Byfleet Road. From here pick up the Wey Navigation Towpath, heading south. After 1 km you’ll reach Woodham Junction, where the M25, Basingstoke Canal and the London to Woking railway line all cross or connect to the canal. The M25 flyover is crosses over the canal diagonally and has some impressive artistic graffiti that’s worth checking out. After the M25 there’s a small footbridge across to the Basingstoke Canal, a nice reminder of when I cycled it a few weeks before.
After Woodham Junction continue south along the Wey Navigation for another 1 km to the Old Parvis Road Bridge. Cross over to the western side of the canal then find the steps up to the new Pavis Road bridge to cross back over to the eastern side of the canal. This is where we leave the Wey Navigation for this section.
Here you have 2 options to cross through Byfleet. The shortest, simplest route is to continue east along Parvis Road then take a left to follow the A318 Sopwith Drive and find the footpath on the eastern side of the A318 that heads in an easterly direction to the River Wey. Alternatively, as we did, follow a slightly longer, but less busy route through Byfleet village centre via High Road. This re-joins Parvis Road where you can cross over and follow Green Lane and Weymede to meet the footpath that connects to the River Wey. Note that some of the gates to the footpath at the northern end of Weymede can be locked as it’s a private estate. We found one that was unlocked, but it you find all gates locked you may need to take a longer route to join the path from the A318 Sopwith Road.
Once on the River Wey path follow it in a northerly direction, keeping the river on your right and Brooklands on your left. Brooklands is the former aerodrome and racing circuit that has since been converted into several different uses including a community park and the home to Mercedes World. After the northern end of Brooklands, the River Wey and the footpath pass under the large brick railway bridge that carries the London to Woking line, previously seen at Woodham Junction. After the railway bridge take a left at the path junction to follow the Locks and Levels path back to new Haw Lock.
Previous section (north): Walking the River Wey Part 2: Weybridge Locks and Levels
Next section (south): Walking the River Wey Part 4: Byfleet and Wisley
The Old Wey Bridge
Start & Finish: Churchfield Car Park, Churchfield Road, Weybridge, KT13 8DB
Distance: 8.4 km (5.2 miles)
Elevation Change: +/- 34m
GPX File: get via Buy Me a Coffee
Other Routes Touched (walk): Wey Navigation Footpath, Locks and Levels, Thames Path
Other Routes Touched (cycle): NCN 4
London Coal Duty Posts: 91, 92, 93
Cafe / pub on route: Several in Weybridge Town Centre, The Old Crown and The Minnow (2.2 km in), D'Oyly's (2.7 km in)
Map: OS Explorer Map (160) Windsor, Weybridge & Bracknell
Links: Weybridge, Wey Navigation, River Wey, River Wey and Godalming Navigations (National Trust), D'Oyly Carte Island, Desborough Island, Desborough Cut,
This is the first of a series of short circular walks along the River Wey and the Wey Navigation canal in Surrey. 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.
This walk starts at the Churchfields Car Park in Weybridge town centre. Walk along Church Street in a south-westerly direction then take a right onto Bridge Street. Soon you’ll cross the old Wey Bridge which the town took its name from. The bridge crosses over both the River Wey and the Wey Navigation. Once over the bridge take a right to step down to the Wey Navigation footpath to follow it in a northerly direction towards the confluence with the River Thames. You’ll pass a lot of large, expensive houses on the route. At 1.6 km into the walk you’ll reach Thames Lock, the final lock on the Wey Navigation. Cross over to the right hand side of the lock and follow the path that crosses over the River Wey onto Church Walk. Take a left onto Church Walk, cross over Jessamy Road and follow the path to Thames Street. Take a left onto Thames Street, heading north and pass the Old Crown and The Minnow pubs. Take a left into the small car park next to the Rowing Club to join the path by the River Thames.
Follow the path by the Thames in a north-easterly direction. Soon you'll pass the small ferry where you’ll pick up the Thames Path National Trail. Next you’ll pass D’Oyly Carte Island where there a good, and often busy, cafe. Just after D’Oyly Carte Island, you’ll reach the Desborough Cut, an artificial channel, completed in the 1930s, that bypasses a meandering stretch of the Thames near Shepperton. The Thames Path National Trail follows the Cut, but for this walk we crossed over the Walton Lane bridge to follow the path along the northern side of Desborough Island to stay close to the original course of The Thames.
At the eastern end of Desborough Island cross over the bridge and walk down the steps to rejoin the Thames Path. After 100m, cross over Walton Lane to pick up Broad Water Walk, a path that follows the southern edge of the Engine River and Broad Water lake. Follow this path in a westerly direction until you reach Grenside Road. Take a left to follow Grenside Road south, onto Thames Street, then High Street where you’re back at the start of the walk at Weybridge town centre.
Next section (south): Walking the River Wey Part 2: Weybridge Locks and Levels
