Princes Risborough to Great Missenden walk

Hilly. The Chilterns, and Bryant's Bottom

History

This is a list of previous times this walk has been done by the club (since Jan 2010). For more recent events (since April 2015), full details are shown.

Date Option Post # Weather
Sat, 17-Feb-24 Princes Risborough to Great Missenden 3 cloudy and dry
Wed, 17-May-23 Wednesday walk - Princes Risborough to Great Missenden
Wed, 02-Nov-22 Wednesday Walk Princes Risborough to Great Missenden - autumn colours in the Chilterns 22 overcast with some sunny spells breezy and very mild
Sun, 03-Jul-22 Sunday walk Princes Risborough to Great Missenden
Wed, 03-Nov-21 Wednesday Walk Princes Risborough to Great Missenden - Autumn colours in the Chiltern Hills 23 disappointingly grey and damp
Sat, 17-Oct-20 Saturday Walk Princes Risborough to Great Missenden - Chiltern Hills and Beech Woods 13 cloudy dry slightly chilly
Sat, 30-Nov-19 Princes Risborough to Great Missenden 16 dry sunny
Wed, 23-Oct-19 Wednesday walk Princes Risborough to Great Missenden - the Chilterns, a windmill, Monkton Wood and Bryant's Bottom 7
Sat, 01-Dec-18 Princes Risborough to Great Missenden 2 initially rainy and windy then bright and dry
Sat, 03-Mar-18 Saturday Walk Princess Risborough to Great Missenden 6
Sun, 22-Oct-17 Sunday Walk - Princes Risborough to Great Missenden 14 bright and breezy
Wed, 16-Nov-16 Wednesday Walk - the Chilterns, a Windmill, Monkton Wood and Bryant's Bottom 15 quite sunny in the morning but grey later
Sun, 22-Nov-15 Sunday Walk 2: A classic chilterns walk 18 dry chilly some sun
Wed, 20-May-15 Mid-week walk - Princes Risborough to Great Missenden 6
Sat, 21-Feb-15 Princes Risborough to Great Missenden 9
Sun, 15-Feb-15 Princes Risborough to Great Missenden 5
Fri, 26-Dec-14 ? Princes Risborough Circular, via Lacey Green and Bledlow
Sun, 24-Nov-13 Princes Risborough to Great Missenden 12
Sun, 13-Oct-13 Princes Risborough to Great Missenden 0
Sun, 28-Oct-12 Princes Risborough to Great Missenden
Sat, 21-Jan-12 Princes Risborough to Great Missenden
Sat, 05-Nov-11 Princes Risborough to Great Missenden
Sat, 18-Dec-10 Princes Risborough to Great Missenden
Sat, 07-Nov-09 Princes Risborough to Great Missenden
Sat, 21-Feb-09 Princes Risborough to Great Missenden
Sun, 09-Nov-08 Princes Risborough to Great Missenden
Sat, 08-Mar-08 Princes Risborough to Great Missenden
Tue, 01-Jan-08 Princes Risborough to Great Missenden
Sun, 06-May-07 Princes Risborough to Great Missenden
Sun, 26-Nov-06 Princes Risborough to Great Missenden
Dirk
Dirk
t=1.45

Length: 16km (10m)
Toughness: 6 / 10
Transport: Take the 9:37 from London Marylebone to Princes Risborough arriving at 10:21. Return trains from Great Missenden at xx:03. Buy a day return to Aylesbury since the two stations are on different lines which converge in Aylesbury.

A lovely walk through some beautiful valleys in the Chilterns with a cozy pub for lunch.

  • 16-Feb-24

    Unfortunately, the Gate Pub is fully booked until 17:00 on Sat, so it will be either picnic or the Polecat Inn 45mins later in the walk.

  • 17-Feb-24

    3 on this enjoyable walk cloudy and dry . We stayed together, exploring an alternative route to the pub, which turned out to be doing a wedding in the afternoon, so no lunch time food. We stopped for a drink and ate our sandwiches outside. Obviously some mud, but mostly short stretches. Tea, cake and wine in Matildas whilst waiting for the train home at 1602.

Wanderer

Length 16km (10 miles)

Toughness: 5 out of 10

This walk goes through sloping fields, beech woods and hamlets.

Trains: get the 10:13 Aylesbury train from Marylebone, arriving Princes Risborough at 11:00.
Trains return from Great Missenden at xx:04 and xx:34.until 16.34. after which there is a gap until 17.28. A return to Aylesbury covers both journeys.

Lunch: The Gate pub in Bryants Bottom, 01494 488 632 phoning advised.
A later option is the Polecat a little further on in Prestwood serving food all day, 01494 412514
Tea: The twit-friendly Cafe Twit, attached to Great Missenden's Roald Dahl museum, last orders 4:45.

Walk Directions, map and GPS are here:

L=1.45

  • 16-May-23

    It looks like there is a rail replacement service from Grt Missenden at xx.15 and xx.45 to Amersham. Then transfer to Metropolitan Line to Baker Street/Kings Cross/Aldgate. Anyone else noticed?

Book 1, Walk 45 - Princes Risborough to Great Missenden

Length: 15.7 km (9.8 miles)
Toughness: 6 out of 10 A steep ascent either side of the lunch pub, one of which can be avoided. Remainder of walk: 3 out of 10
London Marylebone: 10-13 hrs Chilterns service to Aylesbury
Arrive Princes Risborough: 10-59 hrs
Return

Great Missenden to Marylebone: 16-01, 16-31, 17-25, 18-04 and 18-31 hrs
Rail ticket as your journeys are on different branches of the Chiltern Railways network, the correct ticket today is to where the branch lines converge, viz: a day return to Aylesbury Any Route Permitted


This is one of my favourite autumn walks, and hopefully today the beech woods such as Monkton Wood will display fine autumn leaf colour.
The morning leg is a mixture of woodland and farmland, passing a windmill in Lacey Green. Lunch is best taken at Bryant's Bottom at the usually good Gate Inn. Just before the pub, you cross a road and take the steep path ahead through light woodland to Denner Farm, then a steep descent to the pub. This climb and descent can be avoided by walking along the road. If you do take the steep path and opt not to have lunch at the Gate pub you can stay on top (and avoid the post lunch climb), connecting with the main route just before Denner Hill house.
After Bryant's Bottom the walk continues up a steep grassy slope then along a private road passing some large properties and on down along field edges to Perks Lane. You climb up this road to head up a grassy slope to the Polecat Inn, your late lunch option. From this pub you head down to Peterley Wood. Take care when following the directions through this wood (on either the yellow or blue routes) as many a SWC walker has gone off piste here and become lost. Assuming you make it to the exit of this wood, you cross another large open field to enter woodland. Through this wood and down through another one takes you to the outskirts of Great Missenden. Once in the town you have a choice of pubs and cafes on the High Street for your post walk refreshments, all a short distance from the railway station.
Enjoy !
T=1.45
Walk Directions are here: L=1.45
  • 03-Nov-22

    Including late arrivals who joined us at the lunch pub, we mustered 22 today, an excellent mid-week turnout for this lovely walk in the Chilterns. The weather started overcast with some sunny spells breezy and very mild , with the forecasted rain arriving bang on time at 16-15 hrs. Following the recent rainy days I was expecting today's walk to be our first muddy walk of the season, but conditions under foot were mostly good with little mud all day.

    We enjoyed the morning leg through classic, gentle Chilterns countryside, offering some lovely views. But the leaf colour for the time of year was disappointing: some colour underfoot, but not much on the trees: not sure why.

    Nine of us dined at the Gate Inn at Bryants Bottom and we were not disappointed with our lunches; nice food, arriving promptly and served with a smile. Good beer, too ! Two of our sandwichers joined us for a drink in the pub, whilst the other picnickers didn't hang around but set off on the afternoon leg of the walk, not to be seen again by the rest of us. Home for "an early bath", perhaps. The lunchers left the pub in relays, and I was a back marker with one other. We made it to Great Missenden just as the rain began to fall: perfect timing !

    Some had tea in Great Miss, others headed home on early trains. I was one of three on the 16-31hrs.

    A grand day out.

  • 03-Nov-22

    Re leaf colour: cold nights (or in this case, lack of them) is a key factor, in my opinion.

    See

    https://nature-and-weather.walkingclub.org.uk/p/october-introduction-to-leaf-fall.html

  • 03-Nov-22

    At Marcus's request, an expanded version of the above comment, which I sent to him privately:

    Yes, autumn colour has gone backwards. The reason is simple. A very mild second half to October, in particular with very mild nights. My rule (which works fairly well) is that for autumn colour you have to look for cold nights (down to five or six degrees) and then count ten days after that. We had excellent conditions early in October. After a hot dry summer (which led to sugar build-up in the leaves), we then had some cold nights, and the result was super colour, with lots of anthocyanins (the chemical that produces the redder tints), and some really spectacular colours as a result. But the cold nights did not continue, and those leaves that had turned fell off, and the rest are then green, awaiting the next nudge.

    The key thing here is that autumn goes in phases. All along from August to November there is the “slow shed”, which is a few leaves falling off the trees, sometimes falling green. But then you get some cold nights, and that sets more tinting off. But often only some. So yellow flecks on a tree, or patches of tint. Those leaves fall and the rest are green - until the next phase of leaf turning.

    Of course eventually - typically in the second or third week of November - seasonality wins out, and all the remaining leaves turn. But if it remains very mild, you can just have a prolonged slow shed. In 2005, I think it was, 30% of leaves were green at the start of December.

    Incidentally, there is also an inside/outside effect. The first cold snaps turn the leaves on the exposed outer faces of the trees - individual trees in a a hedgerow, exposed faces of woods. Only in the last phase of leaf fall does it get down to path level - ie the inner leaves in the wood, which are more sheltered from the cold in the earlier phase. So to get the best Chiltern beechwood effect - and timing this is VERY VERY difficult - you need to catch it at this path level phase. Then you walk through the wood and all is golden. But this is only towards the very end of leaf fall.

Wanderer

The Chilterns, a windmill & Bryant's Bottom

Length: 15.7km (9.8 miles)

Toughness: 6 out of 10

Trains: Catch the 10am Birmingham Moor Street train from London Marylebone arriving Princes Risborough at 10.32.

Return trains from Great Missenden leave at xx:04 and xx:34.

As your journeys are on different branches of the Chiltern Railways network you will need to buy a return ticket to Aylesbury, where the two branch lines converge. Make sure your ticket is valid on both branches by purchasing a Day Return Any Route Permitted

This walk across the Chilterns – the walker’s heaven – is through sloping fields and beech woods and hamlets, past upmarket farms and upgraded cottages. The walk is not difficult but it does have two short, steep hills (with fine views) near the lunch stop which account for the toughness rating, although the walk directions offer an alternative route which avoids the first of the inclines.

Lunch: The suggested lunchtime stop on this walk is the Gate Inn (tel. 01494 488 632) at Bryant’s Bottom, 9.3km into the walk. 45 mins further into the walk you come to the more upmarket Polecat Inn (tel 01494 412514) in Prestwood,

Tea: The suggested tea stop is Matildas Bistro Cafe (tel. 01494 890 411), next to Costa on the High Street, at the junction with Station Approach, open Sunday until 4pm.

For walk directions, map and GPS click here

T=1.45

Book 1 Walk 45 - Princes Risborough to Great Missenden

Length: 15.1 km (9.4 miles)
Toughness: 6 out of 10 (a steepish hill either side of lunch - one of which can be avoided)
London Marylebone: 10-13 hrs Chiltern Railways service to Aylesbury
Arrive Princes Risborough: 10-59 hrs
Return: Great Missenden to Marylebone: 16-01, 16-31, 17-26, 18-01, 18-32 hrs and later
Rail ticket: buy a day return to Aylesbury (where the two Chiltern Rail branch lines converge). We are meant to buy the more expensive "Any Route Permitted " day return, as the cheaper day return might restrict you to using one branch of the railway.
This is my favourite autumnal outing in the Chilterns, when the beech woods are usually a blaze of colour.
From Princes Risborough railway station we head along a leg of the Upper Icknield Way before heading over fields then along a road to the village of Loosley Row, with its windmill. The walk continues along field edges and through horse paddocks to Monkton Wood, where hopefully its beech trees will be in full autumnal colour. On then towards the village of Bryant's Bottom for lunch at the Gate Inn. The steep hill through woodland before the descent to the Gate Inn can be avoided by taking the road at the base of the hill all the way to the pub - but the hill route is much nicer.
After lunch we have another climb up a grassy field before we drop down to a hamlet and head up a road before its up over another grassy field which comes out at the Polecat Inn, your late lunch option today. From here you need to take care when walking through Peterley Wood, as it is easy to wander off piste. On then to Angling Spring Wood to the outskirts of Great Missenden, where you have a choice of cafes and pubs for walk-end refreshments. A popular stop is The Cafe at the Roald Dahl Museum (previously known as Cafe Twit) which is Swizzfinglingly Flushbunkingly Gloriumptious - of course it is....... ..
The railway station is just up the road from the High Street.
T=1.45
Walk Directions are here: L=1.45
  • 03-Nov-21

    Ah, the wiles of weather forecasters! Bright and clear dawned the day, with low sunshine fretting the clear blue sky. 23 walkers (“nearly a record for the midweek walks” according to our walk poster) flung off their duvets and eagerly set off for their Chilterns treat.

    Alas, when 22 of us (one caught up with us at lunch) alighted at Princes Risborough, the sun had been replaced by grey cloud. By lunchtime it was joined by intermittent rain. So, disappointingly grey and damp .

    Nothing daunted (I was a bit daunted, actually) we set off into the beech woods. Certainly not yet at their autumn best, but showing respectable amounts of colour. The same might be said about the mud: some, but more to come.

    The walk poster had booked four for lunch at the Gate. We added a reservation for six more and walker number 23 turned up later and ate also. As it turned out, we were the only clientele. Booking first got the four a nice table by the fire, but the six got to order first. The pub is under new management and the food offering seems to be good. I decided on the “light” option of a veggie pasta, having had a hearty breakfast, and was served a portion big enough to feed a village (though they forgot the side salad…)

    Refugee sandwichistas came in to have drinks as we ate, alerting us to the rain outside. This nagged on through the afternoon, but in compensation the leaf colours were best on this stretch. I also got to try out my new waterproof jacket.

    Arriving in Great Missenden, nine went to the cafe on the corner (not the thingumy museum one, but a normal one) and one to the George, where he drank a pint alone. Most got the 16.21 train, but three of us (two in the cafe and the pub drinker) got the fairly busy 17.26. And so back to the comforting chaos of the big city. .

Book 1, Walk 45 - Princes Risborough to Great Missenden

Length: 15.7 km (9.8 miles)
Toughness: 6 out of 10 Two steep(ish) inclines, one steep descent, otherwise relatively flat and easy going. One of the inclines and the descent can be avoided.
London Marylebone: 09-43 hrs Chiltern Railway service to Stratford-upon-Avon
Arrive Princes Risborough: 10-27 hrs
Return
Great Missenden to Marylebone: 29 and 59 mins past the hour
Rail ticket Your outward and return journeys are on different branches of the Chiltern line, so you should buy a ticket from where the branches converge - that is, Aylesbury. Your best bet today is probably a Super Off Peak Day Return to Aylesbury from Marylebone. If buying alternative tickets, using whatever railcards you possess, do make sure your ticket(s) cover both branches of the Chiltern line, viz "any Route Permitted".
Please see - and comply with - our Covid Rules and Track and Trace - and practise Hands-Face-Space
This posting is in DAC's slot - per his request.
The Chiltern Hills are often at their best in mid to late autumn, and I'm hoping this posting is not too early for the leaf colour in Monkton Wood. Even if the wood's beech trees are not yet at their colourful best, there should be plenty to enjoy along the way as you walk through classic Chiltern's countryside, with a good mixture of woods, farmland and open countryside, with some hills to provide you with views today. But as noted earlier, all but one incline can be avoided by taking evasive action aka taking an alternative route if you so wish.
The suggested lunch stop on today's walk is the Gate Inn in Bryant's Bottom. I leave it to you to drop in as individuals for a drink or to take lunch there, having regard to the latest Covid restrictions and directives which take effect from today - which prohibit mixed households from meeting indoors, and applies to Londoners, now in a Tier 2 area, even though we are walking in a Tier 1 area. If you have the stamina to continue your morning leg beyond the Gate Inn, your lunch stop is the recently rebuilt Polecat Inn in Prestwood, some 45 minutes beyond the Gate Inn.
The afternoon continues with more woods. Shortly after you pass the Polecat Inn you come to Peterley Wood. Many a SWC walker has become lost in these woods, so please follow the directions carefully, either the blue route or the original yellow route through these woods. On then and down into Great Missenden, one time home of author Roald Dahl. Again, please have regard to the latest Covid directives and regulations which apply from today if you intend calling in at any of the tea stops mentioned in the Walk Directions.
Enjoy !
T=1.45
Walk Directions are here: L=1.45
  • 17-Oct-20

    13 today. A cloudy dry slightly chilly day. Not all that muddy. We too had a patch of sun at lunchtime. The group split into 5,6 and two 1's. Guess who was at the back. The woods were a sight, largely still green but some yellow creeping in. Despite fears to the contrary, there was ample outside seating at the Gate and some stopped off there for lunch or whatever. That’s where I caught up. A quick pint and I left them there to press on ahead – a rare giddy feeling for me.

    There was a little bit of drama soon after. A group of cows were blocking the gate into the field up the hill. I had to squeeze through them. They were OK about it, mooed a bit but that’s all. One had a cough. I might have gone up that hill a bit quicker than normal, though.

    I was expecting the others to catch me up but never saw them again. I did wonder if the cows ate them. Or perhaps, sensibly, they took a detour.

    I got the 15.59 back.

  • 17-Oct-20

    Ian, you were "bolder" than the rest of us when it came to the herd of cows immediately after the lunch pub, blocking the way ahead. Seeing that some young calves were with their mums, the rest of us thought it best to play safe and return to the pub and go back up the path we came down on, to then take the pleasant, woodland high path, to rejoin the main directions just before the property called Hughenden Chase. Fortunately no accidents or harm done today - but it could have been different.

    After your scare you made excellent progress on the afternoon leg of the walk, as I was on the train an hour later than you with four others who had stopped for tea in Great Miss. Presumably most of the others were on the 16-29.

    The Gate pub looked after us very well at lunchtime, it being just about warm enough for some of our diners to sit at outdoor tables. The food was good and sustained us for the rest of the walk.

    An enjoyable day out - and good to report the Chiltern's autumn leaf colour is coming on nicely.

Dirk
Dirk
t=1.45

Length: 16km (10m)
Toughness: 6 / 10
Transport: Take the 9:43 from London Marylebone, arriving in Princess Risborough at 10:27. Return trains from Great Missenden are at xx:29 and xx:59. Buy a day return to Princes Risborough.

A stroll through pleasant late-autumnal Chilterns countryside with a good mix of fields, woods, hills and mud. In the morning you pass a windmill which is unfortunately closed to the public most of the times. The lunch pub is the cosy The Gate Inn at Byrant's bottom.

  • 01-Dec-19

    15 on a dry sunny day. Another 2 were spotted walking independently. There was a little mud (well, there would be, wouldn't there) but mostly it was OK with only the occasional mini-quagmire to contend with. A colourful walk, despite a lot of leaves having fallen. Still as pretty as ever. The Gate was fine. Those that ate there seemed to be mainly having pheasant. We could see some on the slope opposite, calling for their friends.

    Great Missenden seems to have undergone a renaissance. There are now 3 pubs and 4 teashops on the way to the station. The pubs are the Cross Keys ,The George and what appears to be a new one, the White Lion opposite. In the interests of research, I tried the George. It specialises in real ales and ciders, has a friendly atmosphere, and has been given an olde worlde make over. After sampling the Hobgoblin and Titanic Porter (just halves you understand), that pub has my vote. I didn’t need to try the others. The George also has an 8.4% cider that I foreswore.

    As for tearooms, various members of the group were seen sprawled out in Costas and the Stamp (the other two being Matilda’s and the museum café).

  • Pillock
    01-Dec-19

    Banana brain here managed to take the train on the neighbouring platform, which departed within three minutes of the appointed time. Slight surprise that there seemed to be no other walkers was replaced by greater surprise when Gerrards Cross was announced as the terminus. I therefore followed the walk from Gerrards Cross to Cookham, offering gratitude all the way to be associated with a club that has coverage of the south east large enough to provide instantaneous fall-back options for members as brainless as me.

    The Jolly Woodman pub gave a warm welcome and prompt good value food. It deserves more support than it was enjoying.

    Whether you think that I should be counted as a sixteenth walker to Great Missenden depends on whether you reckon the tally should recognise those who intended to come and make the effort to get there, or just those who actually showed up.

  • 01-Dec-19

    I don't know. Pillock. Maybe we should give you the benefit of the doubt. Just this once. Don't let it happen again. 16

Book 1, Walk 45 - Princes Risborough to Great Missenden

Length: 15.7 km (9.8 miles)
Toughness: 6 out of 10 [a steep incline either side of the lunch pub (which can be by-passed) but otherwise relatively flat]

London Marylebone: 10-13 hrs Aylesbury service
Arrive Princes Risborough: 10-59 hrs

Return
Great Missenden to Marylebone: 15-59; 16-29; 16-42; 16-59; 17-26 and 18-01 hrs

Rail ticket: buy a day return to Aylesbury any route permitted (where the two Chiltern branch
lines converge).

The beech trees in Monkton Wood should be displaying some leaf colour by now to add to your enjoyment of this lovely Chilterns walk, a favourite autumnal walk of many a SWC walker.

The walk contains a nice variety of woods, farmland and open land with some features (not water) along the way, such as the windmill in Lacey Green. Lunch is best taken in Bryants Bottom at the Gate Inn, much improved since being taken over by the former proprietors of the Polecat Inn, Prestwood, just over a year ago. If four or more of you wish to dine, best 'phone ahead to make a booking: tel: 01494 488632. Your e.t.a is 13-30 hrs.
After lunch you have an incline up to Denner Hill then down to Perks Lane to walk up through a hamlet and upwards to the Polecat Inn - your alternative, late-lunch option - your e.t.a here would be 14-15 hrs.
After the Polecat Inn you have to negotiate Peterley Woods, where route following can be tricky if you do not take care when reading the Directions. Onwards then through more woods to the outskirts of Great Missenden. Some nice tea options in Great Missenden are listed in the Walk Directions.
T=1.45
Your walk directions are here L=1.45
  • 27-Oct-19

    7 an enjoyable day out, with a post lunch birthday drink in the polecat.

Dirk
Dirk
t=1.45

Length: 16km / 10m
Toughness: 6 / 10
Transport: Take the 9:43 from London Marylebone, arriving in Princes Risborough at 10:27. Return trains from Great Missenden are at xx:59 and xx:29. The walk introduction suggests to buy a day-return to Aylesbury.

A pretty walk in the Chilterns through some now post-autumnal woods passing a historic windmill in the morning.
  • Anonymous
    30-Nov-18

    hi guys anyone attending this walk? Hope to see some of you at MYB or PRR station otherwis eits solo for me. Chiltern trains more reliable for me. Weather only very light rain till late morning then dry.

    Monica

  • 02-Dec-18

    2 walkers on this walk in initially rainy and windy then bright and dry weather. At the cosy lunch pub "The Gate" one enjoyed a wonderful pheasant dish while the other moved on with her sandwiches. Lots of kites dancing in the air, or they where just looking for food.

Princess Risborough to Great Missenden T=1.45

A great Chilterns walk.

Length: 9.8 miles (15.7km ) Difficulty 5/10

Trains: Get the 1013 Aylesbury train from London Marylebone arrive Princess Risborough at 1102. Buy a return to Aylesbury. Return trains from Great Missenden are xx02 & xx32 up to 1802, then hourly 1902 etc. This reduced service is apparently to provide extra trains to Wembley.

Lunch: the friendly Gate Inn (tel. 01494 488 632) at Bryant’s Bottom, 5.7 miles (9.3km) into the walk. Food all day.

Tea: Cafe Twit or The Cross Keys. There is also at the junction of the High Street and Station Approach a Costa coffee shop. Next door to Costa is a recently opened cafe called Matildas




  • 01-Mar-18

    Note that there is a reduced train service after 1802 this Saturday.

  • Anonymous
    02-Mar-18

    What are the chances of the trains running on time in morning & evening?

    Anyone definitely going?

  • 04-Mar-18

    6 Enjoyable walk through the snow covered countryside. A log fire & friendly welcome at The Gate, but slow service given that it wasn't very busy. Tea at Matildas with the cake rated as excellent and again a friendly welcome, and only 4 minutes from the station. They are also licensed, but we all had tea.

Mr M Tiger
Princes Risborough to Great Missenden Book1 walk 45
15.7km 9.8 miles
Difficulty 5/10

Yay, autumn! A classic chilterns walk with sloping fields, beech woods, three steep bits (one avoidable), fine views and chances of autumn colour.
Trains: get the 10:13 Aylesbury train from Marylebone, arriving Princes Risborough at 11:00.
Trains return from Great Missenden at xx:59 and xx:29.
A return to Aylesbury covers both journeys.
Directions: Get your directions here.
Lunch is at the walker-friendly Gate in Bryants Bottom 01494 488 632 phoning advised.
A later option is the Polecat serving till 3pm 01494 862 253.
Tea: The twit-friendly Cafe Twit, attached to Great Missenden's Roald Dahl museum, last orders 4:45.
The cafe at the station, The Pantry on Platform 1, may be open but, when I peered out of my first class compartment on a recent Sunday, it wasn't.
There's also the Cross Keys pub.

Cross keys



T=1.45
  • Anonymous
    15-Oct-17

    Love the art work!

  • Anonymous
    16-Oct-17

    Sounds good.

  • Anonymous
    19-Oct-17

    Sunday weather forecast is much better than Saturday, this walk will be a big hit as it also offers autumn color but hopefully in sunshine instead

  • Anonymous
    21-Oct-17

    Weather definitely better Sunday.Shall be attending. See you at Marylebone. Monica.

  • 23-Oct-17

    14 on this excellent walk with the weather bright and breezy . Conditions underfoot good but with one or two muddy patches.

    A fine walk with some excellent views but not much autumn colour; most of the trees just looking a bit "singed". The Gate is a lovely, cosy pub but here the group split up with the sandwich eaters departing before the "sunday roasters" had been served.

    There's quite a tricky bit through Peterley Wood where the drifts of autumn leaves makes the route hard to find. We reached Great Missenden around 3.15 where all except me went to catch a 15. 29 mins train but I went for a drink in the excellent Cross Keys and met up with the others for the 13.59. (the two trains an hour don't start on Sundays until after 4pm! A classic autumn Sunday Chilterns outing.

    Pedantic point: this 9.8m walk is rated 5/10 but I found it much tougher than the 13.4m Penshurst circular rated the same and which I did last Sunday. I think our toughness ratings has gone a little awry since the Book 1 days or is this a sign of increasing age! Interesting to hear from anyone who also did both walks.

  • Anonymous
    23-Oct-17

    I agree with Pete B that the Great Miss walk is tougher: three or so demanding hills make for a lively workout. Those who dined in the characterful Gate had a long wait, but the fine quality of the food made up for that. One sub-group had tea/coffee and café in Café Twit. Distinctive and tasty cakes, though the plastic cutlery and recyclable (?) plates suggest a staff canteen adjusting as it undergoes a deep clean. One lady walking with her friend at the rear, had trouble with her back, and I hope she rallied. Great walk in fine company: thanks to the author and editors.

  • Anonymous
    23-Oct-17

    ...and cake in Café Twit...

  • 02-Nov-17

    Noting the comments below on the walk's toughness rating, I book checked the walk's directions again yesterday, on a lovely sunny day, with leaf colour in Monkton Wood coming on nicely, and I agree the current rating is a little shy. It should be between 6 and 7, so in all probability I will show it as a 6 in the update on the website.

Book 1, Walk 45 - Princes Risborough to Great Missenden

Length: 15.1 km (9.4 miles)
Toughness: 6 out of 10 (but see below)

London Marylebone: 10-13 hrs - Aylesbury train
Arrive Princes Risborough: 10-59 hrs

Return: Great Missenden to Marylebone: 15-59; 16-29; 16-59; 17-26; 18-01 & 18-32 hrs.

Rail ticket: as the two Chilterns stations are on different branch lines, the safest bet is to buy a day return to Aylesbury all routes permitted.

This is my favourite Chilterns walk, and the best time to do it is in late autumn (today !) when there should still be some leaf colour in Monkton Wood ( a beech wood).

Please do not be put off by the Toughness rating. There is a short, steep incline just before lunch (which can be avoided by some road walking) and, per usual, an incline immediately after lunch. Otherwise, the walk rates no more than 3 out of 10.

Leaving Princes Ris you walk along a short section of the Upper Icknield Way, then over open farm land to Monkton Wood and onwards to your lunch stop, the usually reliable Gate Inn in Bryant's Bottom. Your e.t.a is 13-30 hrs, and best 'phone ahead with numbers.

After lunch your afternoon leg ( one and a half hours) is equally nice - a mixture of open spaces, lovely views and woods. It's easy to get lost in the woods after you pass the Polecat Inn, so please follow the directions with care.

Entering Great Missenden via some final woods, you should head for the Cafe Twit, the suggested tea stop and part of the Roald Dahl museum. The cafe is "swizzfigglingly flushbunkingly gloriumptious " - so its got to be good, then, hasn't it ?.

T=1.45
Walk Directions: L=1.45

Next Week, Wednesday 23 November: Book 1, Walk 53-Wye Circular

  • 16-Nov-16

    15 on this walk, including one on an earlier train who we met up with at lunch. It proved to be an inspired pick by our walk poster because the colours in the Chilterns beechwoods were simply stunning - a riot of yellow and gold (see the SWC Facebook page): I have never seen them so good. For the connoisseur there were also golden larches and bright yellow field maple, and quite a lot of golden oaks. Definitely autumn's last gasp I would say.

    The weather was quite sunny in the morning but grey later . Nine of us had a cosy lunch by the fire in The Gate. For tea most sailed past the Cafe Twit (where three of us were the only customers) and went to the pub. Quite a few of us were on the 4.59 train.

Mr M Tiger
Mr M Tiger
Princes Risborough to Great Missenden Book 1 walk 45
15.7km 9.8 miles
Difficulty 5/10

Sloping fields, beech woods, two steep bits (one avoidable), fine views and maybe still some chances of late autumn colour. The Gate Inn is friendly and popular with walkers.
Trains: get the 09:40 Banbury train from Marylebone, arriving Princes Risborough at 10:25.
Trains return from Great Missenden at xx:01 and xx:31.
The stations are on different lines. A return to Aylesbury covers both journeys.
Lunch: is at the Gate in Bryants Bottom 01494 488 632
There is a later pub, the Polecat.
Tea: Any twits out there, this walk's for you. The tea stop is Cafe Twit, attached to Great Missenden's Roald Dahl museum, last orders 4:45. There's another cafe on the station platform that reputedly stays open late. And let's not forget the Cross Keys pub. (I don't know what's made the keys cross, perhaps they're just easily rattled). The other pub mentioned, the George, has closed.
Directions: Get your directions here - or in Book 1.
  • 21-Nov-15

    I've used a different route from Spleen to the pub and from the pub afterwards to continue the walk, reasonably obvious from the map as I think the pub is where the telephone symbol is.

  • Ian T
    23-Nov-15

    18 on this, plus another 6 walking independently. dry chilly some sun The dreaded m-word was in evidence during today. The monosyllabic slippy m-word, that is. Particularly in the early fields. And touches of ice too. But nothing we couldn’t cope with. Hurricane Barney had seen off most of the the autumn colour. The occasional russet sprig here some gold leaves there and that was it. There were enthusiastic mumblings about the quality of the holly berries but I didn’t notice. The Gate seemed fine. Some sat inside with the roaring fire, I sat outside with the hardnuts. I can’t comment on the food but the beer was OK. After a switchback of an afternoon, we were back in Great Missenden for 3.30. Cafe Twit for most, Cross Keys for me.

    A good day and, I think it’s safe to say, an enjoyable one.

Princes Risborough to Great Missenden

The Chilterns and Bryants Bottom

Book 1 Walk 45

Length: 16 Km or 10 miles
Toughness: 5 out of 10
Getting there: Catch the 10:18am from London Marylebone to Princes Risborough

Meeting point: Princes Risborough Station at 10:56 am

Tickets: Buy a Cheap Day Return to Aylesbury
Brief Description:
This walk across the Chilterns – the walker’s heaven – is through sloping fields and beech woods and hamlets, past upmarket farms and upgraded cottages. The walk is not difficult but it does have two short, steep hills (with fine views) near the lunch stop which account for the toughness rating , although the walk directions do offer an alternative route which avoids the first of the inclines. Small sections of the route can be muddy in wet weather, particularly the leg through Monkton Wood before the lunch stop.

You may find full details here


Suggested Lunch and Tea stops
The suggested lunchtime stop is the Gate Inn (tel. 01494 488 632) at Bryant’s Bottom, 9.3km into the walk, with an aviary in its garden. This walker-friendly and family-friendly pub serves reasonably priced food – main meals, pub favourites and light meals - until 2.30 pm, Monday to Sunday. The pub has a large outdoor dining area for summertime use, at the far-end of which is a refurbished children’s playground for the youngsters
The suggested tea place is the Café Twit part of the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre, open until 5 pm (last orders 4.45 pm), Tuesday to Sunday,

There remain two pubs in Great Missenden’s High Street which are still pubs and not wine bars or restaurants, which you pass on your way to the railway station and which are usually open during the afternoon for those who prefer a stronger drink at walk-end. In order as you pass them, they are: The George Inn (tel 01494 868 455) and The Cross Keys (tel 01494 865 373)

Explorer Maps 172 and 181
Return train times from Great Missenden:
16:49
17:02
17:19
17:46
18:18
Trains return to Marylebone via Harrow on the Hill and the journey time is about 45 minutes.

It looks like Strike Action on the Railways may occur occur on the late May Bank Holiday, but do keep an eye open to see if train travel to any of our walks will be disrupted
  • JohnE
    21-May-15

    Wed 20 May 2015 - Bk1/45 Princes Risborough to Great Missenden. 6 walkers (2 others, walking separately, started at the same time and soon outpaced the 6). Delightful walk on a very pleasant day. Before lunch we went somewhat astray in Monkton Wood, failing to stay close enough to the righthand edge of the wood. A light lunch at The Gate for 4 of us. Tea and excellent cakes at Café Twit. Nature/Agricultural note: many Red Kites, a few Buzzards, plenty of bird song, and a field full of unusual-looking sheep.

  • 22-May-15

    6