With Amersham at the Chiltern doorsteps, it is easier than you think to spend the day in the rolling countryside, endless green fields and woodlands. You can spend the day in the Chiltern Hills, AONB, and discover pretty little English villages without going far from the city. Londoners looking for a day in nature, the Amersham circular walk is what you need!
I love being able to go hiking without going too far or wasting money on expensive train tickets to get to the trailhead. With the TFL network going up to zone 9, the countryside is within reach for Londoners. Jump on the Metropolitan line and discover what the Chilterns have to offer with this Amersham Circular Walk.
Logistic for the Amersham Circular Walk
- Distance: 11.5 miles (18.5 km)
- Ascent: 597 feet (182 m)
- Walking Estimate: 4 hours and 45 minutes
- Difficulty: Intermediate
- How to get there: Metropolitan line to Amersham or Chilterns Railway train from Marylebone. Amersham is in fare zone 9 so you don’t need to buy train tickets and can use your Oyster or contactless card to travel.
- What to bring: Comfortable clothing and footwear, gaiters if it has been raining the days before, rain gear (I forgot mine and it started raining halfway through so I thought I’ll put a reminder) if you are going on a rainy day, headcover, sunglasses and sunscreen if you are going on a sunny day, backpack with at least 2L of water, lunch, snack, identification and money for the restaurant at the end
- Additional Information: There are no public toilets on this walk
Highlights of the Amersham Circular Walk
- Amersham
- Coleshill
- Winchmore Hill
- Penn Wood
- Little Missenden
The Amersham Circular Walk
Nature lovers but also experienced walkers, this walk is for you. This is not a self-guided beginner walk and you would need some experience to keep the pace and complete the walk in one piece or without needing a week to recover. Let’s get started.
Amersham
Our walk starts in the market town of Amersham, Buckinghamshire, located in the Chiltern Hills, AONB. Part of the London commuter belt, Amersham is divided into two parts: an old town centre with traditional British timber-framed houses and old buildings and a modern town centre to respond to the increasing demand of city workers wanting to live on the outskirt. The old part is located in the River Milbourne valley, whilst the new part, called Amersham on the Hill, is further north on a plateau between the River Milbourne and the River Chess.
Getting out of Amersham
When you get out of Amersham station, take Station Road on your left. You are walking through the residential part of Amersham with lovely cottages and houses. As you arrive at the end of Station Road, you are in the new part of Amersham, and sadly not the prettiest. Walk alongside the big Tesco car park on your right and cross London Road at the roundabout.
Walk down London Road and at the next roundabout and take Gore Hill on your left. As the name indicates it, Gore Hill is on a hill! As you are walking up Gore Hill, switch to the footpath at the crossroad with Pigotts Orchard to avoid walking on the side of a busy road. The footpath is narrow and bordered with bushes and you sometimes have to bend a bit as it is not well maintained.
It is only a short walk until you finally see a light at the end of the path and step into the countryside fields.
The Chiltern Heritage Trail
From there you are following the Chiltern Heritage Trail until Little Missenden. The Chiltern Heritage Trail is a 52 miles (83 km) route in the Chilterns established by the Chilterns District Council. However, the route fell into neglect over the years but was brought back to life by the Chiltern Society, a charity involves in maintaining and improving nature reserves and heritage sites. The trail is divided into 8 sections and it is fairly easy to walk each of them.
Follow the trail across fields, meadows and forested areas until you reach Coleshill. You can walk through the village. There is a church, All Saints, and the village hall a little bit further.
Penn Woods
Leave Coleshill village and you are back on the fields. Follow the Chiltern Heritage Trail, and you soon arrive at Winchmore Hill. Not to be confused with Winchmore Hill in Enfield, a prestigious suburban area near London, this Winchmore Hill is a village in Buckinghamshire. If you are doing this hike in early September, deviate from the route and make a stop at the village green for the annual village show. It consists of a produce show, a dog show and a variety of games.
After leaving Winchmore Hill, walk in the direction of Penn Street and Penn Woods. As it started raining we stopped in Penn Woods for lunch. I would advise you to do the same as there isn’t a designated place for lunch on this hike. A log is always a good option.
Little Missenden
Walk across Penn Woods and on the other side is Amersham Road. Cross the road and you have a small part of the hike to do on the tarmac as you walk up Beamond End Road. Just before you get to the end, turn right onto Toby’s Lane. Follow this path all the way to Little Missenden.
Little Missenden is a village on the River Misbourne, Buckinghamshire. Not to be confused with its bigger brother, Great Missenden, a hidden gem in the Chiltern Hills. Great Missenden is the home of novelist Roah Dalh and a museum opened in the village in June 2005 to commemorate his work.
River Misbourne
It is time to close the loop on the Amersham circular walk. You leave the Chiltern Heritage Trail at Little Missenden village and make a turn to join the River Misbourne. You walk alongside the river, with horses and sheep roaming free on the fields. Please note that the path can get really muddy so make sure you bring a pair of gaiters with you.
You soon arrive at Shardeloes Lake which is the end of the countryside walk. From that point onwards, you are back in civilisation.
Back to Amersham
Walk back to Amersham, but this time to the old town centre. You walk past St Mary’s Church, dated circa 1140 AD. After the church, you might be tempted to take Rectory Hill to join Amersham’s new town centre where the train station and the restaurant are located. However, Rectory Hill does not have a sidewalk, and you might find yourself in a precarious situation trying to walk up a busy road.
Be reassured there is a footpath, but it is a bit tricky to find (well it took us two attempts before finding it). When you are at St Mary’s Church, enter the church garden and follow the path on the left-hand side of the church until you reach the cemetery. Then, turn left and at the first crossroad and right onto the path going uphill. Walk up the hill and enter Parsonage Wood. Walk across the forested area and on the other side you are back on Rectory Hill (but with a sidewalk this time). Cross the rail tracks and take Chesham Road until it merges with Hill Avenue. Turn onto Hill Avenue.
You would find the Beech House Restaurant. In a modern environment, enjoy an eclectic menu offering traditional British dishes, as well as wood-fired pizza and salads. It is a muddy hiker accommodating pub with a friendly staff making sure you get the “hottest” table to dry while you are eating.
Bon Appetit!
Amersham Circular Walk Map
Want to do this walk? Download the map by clicking on the button below. To upload the map on your phone and follow the route via your navigation app, check my step by step guide here.
Final Thoughts on the Amersham Circular Walk
From a circular walk around Amersham to one around Wendover or Marlow, why not try these different walks in the Chiltern Hills:
And you, what is your favourite Chiltern walk? Let me know in the comments below.
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