Wendover, The Ridgeway & Chequers

Date: 19th January 2014
Route: Wendover to Chequers along the Ridgeway, returning on the Aylesbury Ring Path
Distance: 9.3 miles

Going walking at the moment feels like a battle against the elements - most of the "old favourite" paths seem to either be alongside rivers or through valleys, so are either flooded or distinctly soggy underfoot.

Today's choice was another hillside walk, within 10 miles of last week's Tring walk and including another section of the Ridgeway National Path. Our route was taken from the Rough Guide to Walks in London & Southeast England and began and ended in the medieval market town of Wendover, although following a slightly different route to the Wendover walk from the Time Out Book of Country Walks.

This is a good walk in the Chilterns, easy to follow, with most of the more difficult climbing at the start, however today wasn't really the best day to do it - despite the blue skies and sunshine, there were some very muddy sections, especially through the fields and wooded sections. Every stile seemed to be accessed through a sucking muddy puddle!

The other great strength of the walk used to be the lunch stop at The Bernard Arms in Great Kimble (which, due to its proximity to Chequers, boasted press clippings about a visit from Boris Yeltsin!), but unfortunately, like many country pubs, it is now boarded up - if you fancy doing this walk, take sandwiches!

From Wendover it is only a few minutes walk to the Ridgeway and the climb up to Bacombe Hill and Coombe Hill, the highest viewpoint in the Chilterns, home to a Boer War Monument and far-reaching views. The path continues over the hillside and down into woodland, before passing over the drive to Chequers, the PM's country retreat, which you skirt from a distance, accompanied by CCTV cameras and dire warnings about trespassing. You can tell that you're in the Chilterns and close to Chequers on the drive to Wendover, as you pass multiple signs addressed to David Cameron and with the general theme of "No to HS2"!

Once past Chequers you pass through the small villages of both Great Kimble and Little Kimble, then effectively follow a straight path back through the Vale of Aylesbury, past Cymbeline's Mount, Ellesborough Church and multiple sheep.

In summary, this is a decent walk in better weather and with a few supplies (unless the pub reopens!).