Thank you for posting this walk.

Great Missenden was home to Roald Dahl for 36 years until his death in 1990. He wrote all of his children’s books and many of his adult short stories in the Writing Hut he had built in his garden. Many of Roald Dahl’s stories are based in, or inspired by, the surrounding area.

The Roald Dahl museum has produced two leaflets to help you to explore the local area and point out key sights that relate to Roald Dahl’s books and life.

(1) The Village Trail leaflet will lead you to Danny’s dad’s petrol pumps (from Danny, the Champion of the World), the house that was the inspiration for Sophie’s orphanage in The BFG, Matilda’s library and Roald Dahl’s grave.

(2) The Countryside Trail leaflet explores some of the Chiltern countryside that Roald Dahl loved. Visit Angling Spring Wood, said to be the inspiration for Fantastic Mr Fox.

You can find these leaflets in the link below. Enjoy the walk.

https://www.roalddahlmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Roald-Dahl-Museum-village-trail.pdf

https://www.roalddahlmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Roald-Dahl-countryside-trail.pdf

13 gathered at the station and one followed half an hour later so14 in all. Two of the 13 peeled off quickly to do a Chesham circular and I hear that's what the latecomer did too. So 11 of us enjoyed a nice morning of woodland walking with one heavy shower . Eight visited the Cock and Rabbit where the home cooking and friendly service impressed. The other three had moved on when we continued, one later heading towards Wendover with a plan to inspect HS2 developments. The rest of us got a brief glimpse of the line at Frith Hill while successfully negotiating the diversion past the works. Drinks in the very good George Ale House for five; three of us got the 1630 leaving two to sample more real ale there.

I have booked a table for 4 for lunch at1/130 at the pub in Lee. They have a restricted menu but will be open. So there will be spaces at this table for others who want to eat there. Perhaps we can discuss it when we meet at the station in Chesham.

Kate

Someone asked me yesterday “is this walk muddy?” and I said I couldn’t remember. I can tell you now, though. Yes it is. I think I’ll remember next time I’m asked. Slippy too and, as my socks can attest, a bit wet. But at least I learnt how to waddle like a duck.

3 all-weather walkers today. None of your lightweights. The weather was, well, a bit wet then more wet then a bit wet again

We slithered our way to the Cock and Rabbit which has undergone a renaissance. A pleasant stay with welcoming staff (who were particularly taken with my plastic bootees) The two who ate seemed to like what they got. A limited menu but there was hot meals and, get this, one room has become a cafe selling home made cakes. We all partook of the cakes. Mmm.

I have to confess, readers, we followed roads on the way back. We were just going to cut off the tippy top of the Lee loop until we saw the state of the path we were going to rejoin.

We got to Great Missenden in time for one to visit rellies, one to dash for the 15:03 and one to just miss it, buying a ticket.

Very glad to have had company to walk on a damp day. The rain after lunch was unpleasant so it was good that we all agreed to take a shortcut by staying on the road. The morning part of the walk had some extended muddy bits, some of which we managed to sidestep.

5 met outside Chesham underground. By mid morning 2 of us were ahead of the remaining group - never to reunite - and having looked forward to lunch at The Cock & Rabbit, The Lee we arrived just after midday and were disappointed to learn that they were only serving a basic snack menu, sausage rolls and one or two other items. (New management have only recently taken over - so possibly still getting up to speed.)

With rain starting to set in we decided to press on to The Bell, Chartridge, arriving before 13:30. Alas The Bell is now closed and up for sale. (My last memory being a leisurely evening meal there in February 2020 mid way through a Chesham circular evening walk.) Can only hope that it does eventually re-open as a pub. My walking companion who was picnicking very kindly split his sandwiches with me.

We arrived back in Chesham at about 14:45, (me) thoroughly soaked - my 20+ year old basic pack away rain jacket - only prevents light rain penetration. A good walk particularly the section from The Lee to Chartridge.

Trains delayed to Chesham. A few of us are at Baker Street waiting for information.

I arrived earlier and was told there was no trains. A complicated route was suggested but just went home.

11 walkers, including a small dog. mild and dry with occasional chilly wind . We were about 30 minutes late arriving at Chesham due to train delays but otherwise a pleasant day out.

If doing the Chesham to Amersham option, there would seem to be a potential to do a further short cut that eliminates the descent to Great Missenden, and would get you to Little Missenden a bit quicker. That is to say, the Great Missenden ending of the Chesham walk and the start of Great Missenden to Amersham are pretty close to each other at South Heath

Several trains to Chesham have been cancelled. A number of walkers are going to start the walk from Amersham which has a more reliable train service.

Despite some confusion with cancelled tube trains, 11 arrived at Chesham. Some on an earlier train, most on one that arrived at about the time of the cancelled train and two by bus from Amersham. Two of the 11 were just plain late.

I think most opted for the circular, though I heard of one heading for Amersham.

The Cock and Rabbit is a pale shadow of its former bustling self. Hardly any beer (just a barrel on the bar), no cider and only a smattering of customers.

I was persuaded to join two others returning via a quicker route. Strike us off if you dare. Quite a lot of this route turned out to be the morning in reverse.

Weather was mixed sun and cloud

Yes, I guess some confusion was to be expected on a day of rail strikes following a day of tube strikes -- but kudos to the 21 who managed either a Chesham circular or a Chesham 2 Amersham (or vise versa) walk! A number of people looking (and not finding) the posted train due to cancellation (or any other service to Chesham) found themselves by various means on a train heading towards Amersham at which point we decided to start there and walk backwards to Chesham...At some point a Chesham train did pop-up on the boards we saw in passing but too late to organize all off the Amersham train...but one did encourage a number onto the Amersham train....Hence, once in Amersham, 10 opted for the walk in reverse while a few took a bus to Chesham to meet people doing the circular walk. The linear walk worked well, we had a very pleasant lunch in Little Miss where we met the sole linear walker from Amersham and did the South Heath cut across which shortened the distance to 12 milesish and is a very pleasant route -- so worth keeping as an option in either direction. In Chesham, we had drinks in the George & Dragon as the Drawing Room was preparing for an evening music function where 2 of the circular walkers met up with us. Most catching a more reliable 6pm train home...A good day out in warm mixed sun and cloud weather.

Whilst lunching at the Red Lion in Little Missenden and waiting to see if any of the Amersham starters would reach there before I departed (they did) I overheard one of the locals say that the Cock and Rabbit had been sold which may account for the depleted stocks of beer and cider. Hopefully the new owners will continue to run it as a pub.

Glad to here that news of the Drawing Room's closure was premature ...

Bill S: that rumour came from me ‘sigh’. When checking details for an intended Sunday walk, I inadvertently landed on a post by a different Drawing Room that was closing and moving location.

I did not count but reckon 20+ in glorious winter sun after dismal Saturday of rain and mud. Three opted for an unplanned longer walk and were vanished into thin air until one showed up at the station to catch 6pm train. The rest of us followed the advertised route. Unsurprisingly, some mud enroute after persistent rain the day before. The early arrivals at the pub swiftly got their lunch, but the fortune turned for a late comer who was told the pub had run out of food….. Most had a drink or two at the pub before setting off for the afternoon with several sub-groups leaving the pub at different times. Back in Chesham, some went straight to the station, about 10-12 went to Drawing room for tea. The place is well set up for the Covid era, a large covered patio fitted with heaters and blankets. We were welcome by the owner who offered us hot stones to warm our hands – what a lovely and ingenious idea! He showed us the recording of music bands performing on the stage at the end of the patio, told us how he selected musicians and few other amusing tales about Covid, perhaps another posting for this walk in the summer when gigs are on. The last group left Drawing room just after 5pm but 5:30pm train was cancelled due to driver shortage. Another 30 mins wait at the station was not all lost – we got to know the history of the station with displays in the waiting room. The station was first opened in 1889.... On the train, more chatting about food, Masterchef, potential future restaurant outings to work up an appetite for the evening. A nice day out in good company.

The longer walkers continued on the main walk route to the normal lunch pub, the Italian one, where two of us had a most delicious meal and the third one watched. We had various routes in mind for the afternoon, but eventually just looped back to the short walk route, crossing some enchanting Chilterns valleys in the process. Towards the end of the route it got dark, but there was a lovely half moon.

We obviously just missed you all at the Drawing Room. We got there at about 5.30pm, having dispatched our companion to get the train. The staff said they were closed, but then the owner appeared and admitted us (we sat inside, I confess). We had hot rocks, wine/tea and cake and had a long chat about this and that, while the resident moggie examined our laps and found them wanting. We too had a bit of a wait for a train, emerging from the tea room to realise we had just missed one, but found the cosy heated waiting room, with its historical photos. I think we got the 6.58pm train.

Lovely to see the sunshine!

Help pls Mr Tiger! instructions and different coloured lines on the map are bit difficult to understand.. wanting to do the shorter option so can you or someone patiently explain pls thanks?

Anonymous, The green route would normally be the one to follow but today, near the end, you have to switch to the blue route to avoid HS2. I'm not particularly familiar with this walk (I didn't write it) and I didn't consider the shorter option, but it looks very much like the little red line near Ballinger Bottom is the shortcut that would make the walk shorter. Remember that this map is only helpful from point [4] in the text. You are advised to follow the Option C text until point [4]. And no, I can't point to point [4] on the map!

If you aren't confident, Sean has posted a shorter walk.

Okay thank you Mr Tiger👍 may take a punt and hope that they may be others choosing the shorter route

How to find Point 4 : follow the green line on the map leaving CHESHAM until it reaches the first red line ( which returns to Chesham in a long loop). This is point 4. When I say follow, I don’t mean literally, as we begin the walk in GM. At point 4, we follow the green line (literally) to lunch at The Lee and then home to GM.

Early on, Ronald Dahl’s grave can be visited as we pass through GM Parish churchyard. Its to the left of the church, a large flat gravestone, usually with lots of tributes from admirers of his work.

thanks JMC, you are the walk poster obvs

Today we had 11 and one dog. Numbers possibly boosted by Saturday’s stay-at-home weather. Today was largely sunny minor showers later More on that later. I didn’t see much of the others on the walk but my extensive network of spies updated me at the station. And poor Cinders (that’s the dog) had to retire early with a cut paw and took her human off with her. I’m sure we all wish her well.

I wasn’t slow or anything but someone had to check out the shortcut didn’t they? (I can tell you it works). As a result, I myself, am unable to report on the stretch between [5 ]and [9 ], including the lunch pub. However one of the others tells me that “Three of us lunched at the (rather empty) pub, just beating another walk group of about nine to ordering. A couple of others had drinks. One did not have drinks because he was refused permission to eat sandwiches at the pub table”. There was also mention of an overgrown stile. (I remember it well, I’ve still got the scratches).

The revised walk directions work well - not bad considering how jumbled up option c still is. And the rain was nothing. The first short smattering came when I was under the underpass. The second longer smattering was no trouble. But then I was in the George at the time, savouring a pint of porter.

When the others arrived, four went to the Roald Dahl Cafe. Two to a pub in GM. The Cafe crowd got the 4.01 train.

Of course, I was long gone by then, on the 3.31, taking my spies with me.

My network of spies has also informed me that five of the others did an unofficial short cut down the road from the pub. cutting off the post prandial loop, so they could catch up with the other others who did not visit the pub.

I'm just checking that there will be others on this walk tonight ? I wouldn't normally mind but seeing as its an evening walk I would be wary of walking alone ....

Intend going. There will probably be at least 2.

Sorry - changed my mind and not coming after all. Been invited out for dinner and it’s too cloudy and cold. Enjoy !

Just 2 night owls on this interesting winter evening outing. We started out under starry starry skies which gave way to a moderate (but fast moving) shower just before the dinner pub.....where we indulged in their Shrove Tuesday Pancake Dinner....The skies cleared again on the final stretch back to Chesham....several owls were heardalong the way....Always very atmospheric to explore the countryside in the dark....

There was no moon - you walked by starlight alone?

Only 2 brave souls turned up today. Walk was pleasant. Pub food okay 😉

2

With Saturday's coming high temperature in mind, does anyone know if this route is heavily wooded? Thank you.

Any locals out there?

We are on the train passing through Northwood at 10:21

3 of us started off from Great Missenden on what was a hot and sunny day. One of our number wanted to head onto Chesham, splitting off at Herberts Hole whereupon we were joined by 3 others who had set off from Chesham - thus 4 for the scheduled walk. A delightful lunch at The Cock & Rabbit PH, The Lee with Twiglet in attendance, followed on by tea at The Stamp, Gt. Missenden.

*pub cat

Thanks to DAC for scheduling this fine walk and for keeping an avuncular eye on the rest of us to ensure we didn't stray off-track.

Is anybody thinking of doing the longer option Chesham to Great Missenden on this walk 15k

Yes I maybe up for that

Bridie

Train ticket from Great Missenden to London Marylebone will be £10.10.

Great walk..txs for posting

15 turned out on a pleasant sunny day.

Short walk it may be but blimey those hills! Who ever reckoned it was a 3?

Talk of doing the main walk to Great Missenden evaporated during the morning. I think most did the Lowndes Park end which was probably the better choice. The traditional finish involves a rather tedious kilometre along a suburban street.

Griping and whingeing aside, it was a pretty walk with stunning views and a friendly lunch pub that seemed to please.

There were two casualties of a seasonal nature, both suffering blackberry juice staining down their fronts. Sadly there is no known cure. Next time eat them with your mouth shut.

At the end, two walkers went to the Drawing Room. Others dissolved back into the shadows from whence they came .

After a beautiful walk we enjoyed a delicious afternoon tea at the Drawing Room,

in great company.

Many thanks to Mike for another fabulous walk.

Dear Mr M Tiger

This posting reminds me of the last time that I walked this route. We supped our tea at that favourite cafe of mine

http://the-drawingroom.co.uk

which stands out as the best tea room on all of our walks. You might disagree with me but please note YOU ARE WRONG and seeing as this is an anonymous posting there is no redress.

Our short walk to the station after tea curiously led to two vehicles slowing down to have an oggle at the two of us who were at the front - and this led to a discussion around prostitution and one of our group suggesting that she was up for swinging if we were - not very gallant of us other three but we all demurred, if I get another chance I will agree next time. And then poetry occurred as a piece by Max Miller was quoted that goes 'I was walking along this narrow mountain pass - so narrow that nobody else could pass you, when I saw a beautiful blonde walking towards me'. and I will have to leave the rest as it is too rude to put on here. Google will finish it off for you if you are curious

Oh Lor! Readers are assured there are no mountain passes on this walk, narrow or otherwise.

As there were four of us taking tea in the Drawing Room on that occasion I could hazard a guess as to the identity of anonymous. Luckily for them I am inclined to agree that the Drawing Room is a fine establishment, and definitely one of a kind. The Cock and Rabbit is another singular establishment, though for a different reason. But perhaps for not much longer as I saw the other day that it was for sale. Assuming that it survives as a pub I doubt the new owners will continue its retro Italian theme ...

Hey Bill

Now that is curious. I was also one of rhe walkers on that group of 4 and I felt the Anon piece of writing below might have been you. A bluff maybe? or one of the other two?

Not me guv!

4 walkers met at Chesham Station and a late starter joined us at the Bell Inn.

Rain during the morning and sunshine after lunch.

Beautiful vistas and charming walking companions made the day most enjoyable.

Thank you to Mr Tiger for posting this walk.

5 rain then sunshine after lunch

Love the tree.

Merry Christmas to you too.

Thank you to Mike for a great walk, with stunning scenery and most entertaining company.

8 walkers walking, including one early starter who we caught up with at lunchtime. Six of us at ate the surprisingly quiet Bell at Chartridge, joined later by one of our sandwich eaters. One split from us at that point to do the alternative Great Missenden ending where they were going to meet up with a friend. Six of us left the pub together to complete the circular walk, two of who shot off on reaching Chesham to catch the tube, leaving four of us sample tea, hot chocolate and cake in the delightful Drawing Room (always worth a visit) before catching a later tube. One bailed out after two stops grateful for a short journey for once, the walk being on home territory. The other three were last seen sat on a departing met line train heading in a southerly direction.

Enough of numbers, 'twas a mild sunny day clouding over after lunch . There was some mud of the slippery variety, but nothing to write home about. Red kites abounded, along with the odd buzzard, but the alleged sighting of an osprey was sadly a figment of the fevered imagination of one of our number who shall remain nameless. We did, however, pass by some fine looking goats.

A fine day out in good company.

Intend going.

14 on a dry still and overcast day. 4 with packed lunches opted to set off early from The Lee, leaving the remainder of us to enjoy a leisurely lunch at the Cock and Rabbit.

anyone is coming to this walk?

Oh dear, I'm such a dingbat, I came yesterday but somehow I managed to walk off with wrong hiking group ! When I realised my mistake I ran back to the station, but everyone from SWC had gone, and then I discovered that I'd left my smart phone at home so didn't have the instructions for the walk in order to follow you. Luckily all was not lost, I found a pleasant circular 9 miler to Little Missenden and back, and did that instead. I trust that you enjoyed your day and apologise if anyone was worried about me, and have learnt my lesson to always heed the first rule of Saturday Walkers Club !

8 cloudy but dry. Bell Inn was busy but squeezed us in. Six had an excellent tea in the delightfully quirky ambiance of The Drawing Room.

Intend going.

3 night owls congregated outside the Chesham station for some nocturnal navigation under a three quarters moon with some nice surrounding stars . Our journey brought us across undulating terrain and through some woods in atmospheric low lighting...Mostly the route finding went smoothly aided by the fact that one in the party was very familiar with the route and the ambient light provided by the moon....Having kept a good pace, we arrived in Great Missenden at 9:15pm and enjoyed a tasty dinner at the Cross Keys before catching the last train back to London just before 23:00. Definitely a different and fun night out!

anyone plan to go to this walk?

Intend going.

5 on this walk, in decent sunshine for most of the day .

In the pantheon of SWC walks, this ranks in my view at the dull end of the spectrum, with little variety in the scenery and nothing much interesting to see. It does have the virtue that it's easy to reach, Chesham being at the end of the Metropolitan Line. Even that advantage failed it on Saturday, with disruption on the Metropolitan, District and Circle lines, some pre-advertised, some not, leading me to arrive too late at Baker Street for the appointed train, and, I learned later, that train not to appear.

So I took a later combination of trains and walked alone. Just outside The Cock and Rabbit Inn in The Lee there is a worm hole that is the entrance to a time warp, taking one back a number of decades to an era where life was simpler. In that distant corner of space and time I found another SWC regular, who had chosen to devote the afternoon to retracing the morning's route.

He reported that he and three others eventually got to Chesham, only for the group to dissolve before it left the station, with a couple slow to move off the platform, him going back to find out what was delaying them and hearing that they were looking for a lost travel pass and would likely go no further, and then discovering that the fourth individual had given up waiting and moved on ahead, never to be seen again. It's therefore likely that three individuals did this walk, or variations of it, separately, and two returned to London without starting. There may have been others who got not further than Baker Street.

Cafe Twit in Great Missenden had chocolate cake, which was agreeable, and many excited small children, less so. I think I might recommend the quieter branch of Costa Coffee, further along the High Street on the corner of the road to the station.

5 on this walk; cloudy and mild . Nice winter outing and not too muddy except for the last field before the pub which has an unavoidable tractor created mud-filled track bisecting the route. At least there was not so much cattle churn as I remember from a previous winter outing. After our sandwiches I and another picnicker decided to press on at the lunch pub as the weather looked to be closing in and to be frank neither the Bell (which was almost empty) nor the village of Chartridge are places, in my view, you really want to linger. We two got back to Chesham around 2.15pm and my companion went to catch the tube whilst I lingered in a cafe for coffee and a perusal of the Sunday papers.

I hope the 3 pub-lunchers were served quickly and got back to Chesham before any rain set in.

Additional point: the Chesham circular walk has no gpx route so I may add this if the walks deviser is ok with this?

9 on this walk with blue skies and a warm sun . Delightful Chilterns scenery passing an Ostrich farm in the morning and then lunch in the gardens of the Cock and Rabbit.

The Twit Cafe at the end of the walk provided great value refreshments to most of the group before they headed of to the station, some visiting the Banardos charity shop en route.

One walker was able to perform the Amersham "Touch in Manoeuvre" which involved a dash off the train at that station, followed by an out then in barrier circuit and a leap back onto the train.(I understand this stops a user's oyster card acquiring a maximum charge for the day)

Other walkers on the train were suitably impressed