From Butler’s Cross follow Chalkshire Road, keeping the Russell Arms pub on the right. At a row of cottages take the path opposite, signposted ‘Aylesbury Ring’. Cross two stiles, continue ahead to a drive on a bend and keep ahead, passing Springs Cottage. Continue ahead into a field through a kissing gate, keep to the left and after a few paces is a stile on the left. Climb over and make the steep ascent up the slope to Ellesborough Church. Go through a kissing gate and up a long flight of steps and keep to the right of the church. Cross a stile, then cross the road to a bus stop, go right for several paces, then left through a kissing gate.

Follow the path straight up the slope to a kissing gate, heading to the right of Beacon Hill. Go through a gate and continue through some trees. Take the grassy path which veers right and passes to the right of the summit of the hill; once over the brow it becomes a chalk path. Go into the trees, then ascend a long steep flight of steps. Cross a meadow, go back into more trees and cross a track that leads to Chequers. Go through a kissing gate into a field and keep to the left edge. Leave the field by another gate and join the Ridgeway path. Chequers is now in full view to your left. Follow the path, and shortly after you enter trees turn left at the Ridgeway waymarker. Cross the field and a drive, via three gates, and continue across another field to a road.

Cross the road and follow the Ridgeway through woodland. On reaching a four-way junction, turn left and follow the path along the side of the hill. After a while a number of paths converge by the road. Turn left at the road, then right where it joins Missenden Road. Keep to the right pavement and pass a lodge house. As the road bends off left, follow the path straight ahead/right. Continue through woodland, and just before a gate onto Coombe Hill bear left, down a short slope, and follow the path, then a drive, to the road by Coombe Hill Farm.

Turn right, cross to a pavement, and after 150yds (135m) turn left to a wooden barrier to join a long path through a large field. After a hundred paces or so, look back over your right shoulder and up towards the hill, to Coombe Hill Memorial. Bear right at a track, following it to the road opposite Ellesborough Church. Enter the churchyard, keep to the right of the church and make for a gate. Pass some cottages on the left, go downhill to the pavement and walk along the road to return to Butler’s Cross.