Chalfont St Giles and Old Amersham

08/02/2008 by pete.

A beautiful day for a walk today - clear blue skies and so warm that I took my coat off after half an hour and never needed it again. It felt more like Spring than early February! I started at Chalfont St Giles and walked a circular route of about 12 miles.

From Chalfont St Giles I followed the route of the South Bucks Way for a few miles, heading northwest along the valley of the river Misbourne towards Old Amersham (initially retracing part of my last walk). I saw some Periwinkle growing by a lane (not sure if it was greater or lesser periwinkle), and later saw a Red Kite fly up from the ground as I crossed a paddock. I left the route of the South Bucks Way and crossed a field and then a footbridge over the small river (I saw two buzzards about here), before turning left and following the edge of the river into Old Amersham.

I was now on part of the Chiltern Heritage Trail, and I continued on its route as I turned left along a main road then right at a roundabout. I turned left along a footpath on the edge of Old Amersham, with a large field sloping uphill to my right. When I reached the start of a cemetery, I decided to take a small detour - I turned right and followed a footpath uphill to reach the Martyr’s Memorial, set up to commemorate seven Protestant martyrs burned at the stake for their beliefs in 1521 (in two cases the children of the victim were made to light the fire).

I returned the way I came and continued past the cemetery, turning left over a brick bridge and walking through the churchyard, going left of the impressive church in Amersham old town. I now rejoined the South Bucks Way and headed back in the direction I’d come, back down the Misbourne valley. But before reaching the point where I’d turned off the SBW before, I turned right and headed diagonally across a couple of fields, going steadily uphill. I passed through a corner of a wood, and continued through four more recently ploughed fields, on a clear and pleasant path with nice views to either side.

I passed through a farm and stable complex either side of a lane, and continued on a bridleway - this was a good track, heading fairly gently uphill. I passed another farm, and then left the track as it turned left and crossed a small field to a lane. On the other side, I had a very pleasant stroll through a wood - with all the birdsong and the blue skies it really felt like Spring had come early. I crossed a field of rough grass, and continued on a path between overgrown hedges to reach a road junction on the edge of Seer Green.

I turned left, and then took a path going right. I passed another stables and then followed a hedgerow through an empty pasture. Over a stile, I followed a driveway to a road on the edge of the village of Jordans. I turned right and followed the road through the village. I took another slight detour to walk through the grounds of the Old Quaker Meeting House, which is still being renovated after a serious fire - the area around the graves of William Penn and his family were cordoned off because of the building works.

I turned left along a lane, soon passing the youth hostel on my right. It was a narrow lane with no verges, but fortunately not much traffic. I turned left along a farm drive, and then followed a path through a sequence of horse paddocks. I then turned right, along  a fenced path beside a farm track. I saw a Jay fly off here. I then stopped and ate my lunch as I sat on a chopped up tree trunk here. I soon took a path going right, between two overgrown hedges, turning left at the end to reach a road.

Across the road I continued on another good path enclosed between hedges or fences. This ran on for about a mile or so, again with nice views. I crossed a track or lane and went up and down a dip, continuing beside sports pitches and then down a tarmac path as I re-entered Chalfont St Giles. At the end of the path, I turned right, passing Milton’s Cottage (also closed for repairs!) as I amde my way back to the car park.

This was a very pleasant walk on a gorgeous day. It took me just under four hours to walk the approximate 12 miles, and I was home very early at about 2.50pm.

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