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This Week's Walks - Archive

Please see the Saturday Walker's Club This Week's Walks page.

This is an archive of walks done by the Saturday Walker's Club. You should only need to use this page if the SWC website is down.

Sunday 7 February 2016

Sunday Walk 1 – A view of Chequers from the Ridgeway

Book 1 Walk 52 – Princes Risborough to Wendover, omitting Great Kimble
Length: 13.4 km (8.3 miles). Toughness: 5/10

10:43 Banbury train from Marylebone, arriving Princes Risborough at 11:25. Buy a day return to Aylesbury, which is valid to both Princes Risborough and Wendover.

Trains back from Wendover to Marylebone are at 28 & 58 minutes past the hour.

The original lunch pub on this classic Chilterns walk closed several years ago, which means that there is no point in descending into Great Kimble. Instead, stay on the Ridgeway (as described in paragraph 21 of the online directions), saving 1½ km. If you want a pub lunch you will have to choose between an early one at The Plough in Lower Cadsden, or completing the whole walk and going for one of the pubs in Wendover: the Shoulder of Mutton next to the station and the Red Lion in the High Street both serve food all day.

NB. I vaguely remember that the muddiest part of this walk is through the woods from Dunsmore to the Monument. If you've got a map you can avoid this section by turning left at the top of the woods after you've passed Chequers, staying on the waymarked Ridgeway/South Bucks Way. This takes you directly to the Monument and is about 1½ km shorter.

Bring Book 1 or print the directions from the Walk 52 page.
T=1.52

8 comments:

Walker said...

Wasn't it the Plough where Cameron treated Chinese president Xi to a pint a couple of months back? From what I hear, it has become something of a tourist attraction for Chinese people since then.

Walker said...

http://www.itv.com/news/2015-10-22/time-for-a-swift-pint-david-cameron-takes-chinas-president-xi-to-his-local-pub/

Sean said...

Indeed it is, Walker. And also the pub where Dave'n'Sam carelessly left one of their sprogs behind after a family lunch a few years ago. With this fame and the consequent throng of Chinese tourists taking selfies you'll do well to get through to the bar here, let alone enjoy a relaxing Sunday lunch. Perhaps if someone with a smattering of Mandarin calls ahead from the station you might have more luck...

The closure of the Bernard Arms and the attention being given to the Plough does make this walk problematical, if only for people wanting a pub lunch en route. But I think it's worth posting the original walks while the Time Out books are still selling and people tell us they want the opportunity to do them in company as their creator intended.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps people could book ahead if they are definitely intending to have lunch
jfk

Anonymous said...

I'm quite keen for Plough lunch - and happy to book if anyone else confirms interest...

Jane from Kew said...

Hi Judes. yes i am interested to do that.Jane
dowe need to exchange contact details jfk

Jane from Kew said...

Dear Judes .did you manage to book or should we do it tomorrow on train?

Best,

jane

Anonymous said...

Five Saturday walkers on this Sunday walk.
Slightly slippery chalk descent to the Plough. I had managed to book a table and two others had eaten there before myself. Not quite sure why David Cameron chose that pub to entertain the Chinese Head of State. I found the food to be ok but certainly not more than that.no visiting tables of Chinese tourists were spotted by myself either. a pleasant walk .
jfk