Take the alleyway to the right of the station. Bear right at the waymark, down to the Baptist Church. Cross the road, bear slightly left and follow the path to the left through Meades Water Gardens to a roundabout. Take the first exit, Moor Road, and pass beneath the railway. Continue straight on along the path by the river. Swing right at the next footbridge and rejoin the road. Pass 'Gym and Swim', go straight ahead, then cross a small concrete bridge into a playing field.
Skirt the left boundary of the field, then follow the gap in the hedge, left, and rejoin the river. Cross a wooden footbridge and continue on the path, criss-crossing between branches of the river. Cross the river again by a weir. The path is running parallel to Latimer Road and soon joins it. Continue along the road, passing Weirhouse Mill. Go past Milk Hall Barns and ignore the footpath left, but as the road swings right, veer off left through a kissing-gate, signed ‘Blackwell Hall’.
Keep to the right-hand (bottom) edge of the field, and continue straight ahead through fields to a paddock with horses. Exit by a wooden gate. Go straight ahead past Blackwell Farm, turn left and, as the lane sweeps left, continue straight ahead on a track. Go through a blue metal gate and past farm outbuildings, with views right. Continue over farmland through three fields, to reach a gate into woods. Follow the path leading right, uphill, with a barbed wire fence immediately to your right. The narrow, steep path eventually swings slightly left, where it broadens out. At the woodland edge emerge at a large field.
Skirt the field, keeping the trees on your right, eventually entering a smaller field with a farmhouse visible on the far side. Follow it round, keeping right, and go through a kissing gate. Walk for a few paces towards a white gate, then duck left through a hole in the hedge out onto the road, beside the entrance to Parkfield Latimer. Turn right and follow the road (Church Lane) downhill, passing the Old Rectory on your left. Continue downhill to the church.
Just beyond the church is the entrance to Latimer Place; take the tarmac drive running downhill to a weir. Enjoy superb views across the valley and back up the hill to Latimer Place. When the drive forks left and right, go straight on through the kissing gate and cross the pasture to the road via a kissing gate.
Cross over to a kissing gate and follow the wide path half right up the sloping field towards woodland. Bear right to pass through a kissing gate, and about 75yds (69m) beyond it, veer left and climb steeply between the trees. Cross a wide track and head for a house. Keep to the right of it and join a drive leading to a road. Follow Chenies Avenue, cross Elizabeth Avenue and head down to a junction. Turn left and walk to Chalfont and Latimer Station to catch the train back to Chesham.
If you’re not familiar with Buckinghamshire, it’s something of a surprise to arrive at a small country town and find signs for London Underground. Chesham lies at the very end of a branch of the Metropolitan Line, which opened in 1889. Together with nearby Amersham, it’s one of London Underground’s... furthest outposts. Work began on extending what was then known as the St John’s Wood Line beyond central London during the latter years of the 19th century. By the mid-1880s the railway had become known as the Metropolitan, running 17.5 miles (28km) from Baker Street. The plan was to continue the line all the way to Aylesbury, but financial problems restricted its extension to Chesham. Civic support Most of the land for the new sections of railway was acquired from the Duke of Bedford and Lord Chesham, but the land for the final 0.5 miles (800m) of the Chesham branch was presented to the railway by local residents of the town, who were keen that a station should built in the town centre rather than on the outskirts, as was originally planned. In May 1889 the people of Chesham were invited to inspect the branch and afterwards entertained to a banquet. Seven weeks later, the line from Rickmansworth to Chesham was opened. For the next three years, until the main line from Chalfont and Latimer Station to Amersham and Aylesbury was opened in 1892, Chesham was the Metropolitan’s most northerly terminus. Today, commuters still board the train and travel 25 miles (40km) to Aldgate in the City of London via places like Finchley Road, Northwood Hills, Wembley Park and Pinner – the very heart of Metroland. In 'Summoned by Bells' (1960) John Betjeman wrote, 'Metroland/Beckoned us out to lanes in beechy Bucks', and before that, in 'The Metropolitan Railway', he enthused: 'Early Electric! With what radiant hope Men formed this many-branched electrolier.' River power Chesham lies on the sparkling River Chess, a chalk stream with its clear water coming from the groundwater held in the Chiltern Hills. From the 10th century onwards water mills on the Chess Valley were the driving force of the local economy, with a total of eight located between Chesham and Chorleywood. Four mills are listed for Chesham in the Domesday Book, but only Weirhouse Mill stands today, and the flow of the Chess through many parts of Chesham would now be hard pressed to power a game of Pooh Sticks.
Buckinghamshire is a land of glorious beech trees, wide views and imposing country houses, such as Stowe and Waddesdon Manor, set amid sumptuous gardens and dignified parkland. The Vale of Aylesbury is a vast playground for leisure seekers, and rising above it are the Chiltern Hills, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty where you can also find the woodland rides of Burnham Beeches.
Take the alleyway to the right of the station. Bear right at the waymark, down to the Baptist Church. Cross the road, bear slightly left and follow the path to the left through Meades Water Gardens to a roundabout. Take the first exit, Moor Road, and pass beneath the railway. Continue straight on along the path by the river. Swing right at the next footbridge and rejoin the road. Pass 'Gym and Swim', go straight ahead, then cross a small concrete bridge into a playing field.
1 of 6
Skirt the left boundary of the field, then follow the gap in the hedge, left, and rejoin the river. Cross a wooden footbridge and continue on the path, criss-crossing between branches of the river. Cross the river again by a weir. The path is running parallel to Latimer Road and soon joins it. Continue along the road, passing Weirhouse Mill. Go past Milk Hall Barns and ignore the footpath left, but as the road swings right, veer off left through a kissing-gate, signed ‘Blackwell Hall’.
2 of 6
Keep to the right-hand (bottom) edge of the field, and continue straight ahead through fields to a paddock with horses. Exit by a wooden gate. Go straight ahead past Blackwell Farm, turn left and, as the lane sweeps left, continue straight ahead on a track. Go through a blue metal gate and past farm outbuildings, with views right. Continue over farmland through three fields, to reach a gate into woods. Follow the path leading right, uphill, with a barbed wire fence immediately to your right. The narrow, steep path eventually swings slightly left, where it broadens out. At the woodland edge emerge at a large field.
3 of 6
Skirt the field, keeping the trees on your right, eventually entering a smaller field with a farmhouse visible on the far side. Follow it round, keeping right, and go through a kissing gate. Walk for a few paces towards a white gate, then duck left through a hole in the hedge out onto the road, beside the entrance to Parkfield Latimer. Turn right and follow the road (Church Lane) downhill, passing the Old Rectory on your left. Continue downhill to the church.
4 of 6
Just beyond the church is the entrance to Latimer Place; take the tarmac drive running downhill to a weir. Enjoy superb views across the valley and back up the hill to Latimer Place. When the drive forks left and right, go straight on through the kissing gate and cross the pasture to the road via a kissing gate.
5 of 6
Cross over to a kissing gate and follow the wide path half right up the sloping field towards woodland. Bear right to pass through a kissing gate, and about 75yds (69m) beyond it, veer left and climb steeply between the trees. Cross a wide track and head for a house. Keep to the right of it and join a drive leading to a road. Follow Chenies Avenue, cross Elizabeth Avenue and head down to a junction. Turn left and walk to Chalfont and Latimer Station to catch the train back to Chesham.
If you’re not familiar with Buckinghamshire, it’s something of a surprise to arrive at a small country town and find signs for London Underground. Chesham lies at the very end of a branch of the Metropolitan Line, which opened in 1889. Together with nearby Amersham, it’s one of London Underground’s... furthest outposts. Work began on extending what was then known as the St John’s Wood Line beyond central London during the latter years of the 19th century. By the mid-1880s the railway had become known as the Metropolitan, running 17.5 miles (28km) from Baker Street. The plan was to continue the line all the way to Aylesbury, but financial problems restricted its extension to Chesham. Civic support Most of the land for the new sections of railway was acquired from the Duke of Bedford and Lord Chesham, but the land for the final 0.5 miles (800m) of the Chesham branch was presented to the railway by local residents of the town, who were keen that a station should built in the town centre rather than on the outskirts, as was originally planned. In May 1889 the people of Chesham were invited to inspect the branch and afterwards entertained to a banquet. Seven weeks later, the line from Rickmansworth to Chesham was opened. For the next three years, until the main line from Chalfont and Latimer Station to Amersham and Aylesbury was opened in 1892, Chesham was the Metropolitan’s most northerly terminus. Today, commuters still board the train and travel 25 miles (40km) to Aldgate in the City of London via places like Finchley Road, Northwood Hills, Wembley Park and Pinner – the very heart of Metroland. In 'Summoned by Bells' (1960) John Betjeman wrote, 'Metroland/Beckoned us out to lanes in beechy Bucks', and before that, in 'The Metropolitan Railway', he enthused: 'Early Electric! With what radiant hope Men formed this many-branched electrolier.' River power Chesham lies on the sparkling River Chess, a chalk stream with its clear water coming from the groundwater held in the Chiltern Hills. From the 10th century onwards water mills on the Chess Valley were the driving force of the local economy, with a total of eight located between Chesham and Chorleywood. Four mills are listed for Chesham in the Domesday Book, but only Weirhouse Mill stands today, and the flow of the Chess through many parts of Chesham would now be hard pressed to power a game of Pooh Sticks.
Buckinghamshire is a land of glorious beech trees, wide views and imposing country houses, such as Stowe and Waddesdon Manor, set amid sumptuous gardens and dignified parkland. The Vale of Aylesbury is a vast playground for leisure seekers, and rising above it are the Chiltern Hills, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty where you can also find the woodland rides of Burnham Beeches.
