02/03/19 - London Countryway Stage 12 - Marlow to High Wycombe

Distance - 12.8 Miles
Start - Marlow
Finish - High Wycombe
Geocaches - 1
Pubs - The Swan, West Wycombe
Previous Stages - Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 5, Stage 6, Stage 7, Stage 8, Stage 9, Stage 10, Stage 11


The London Countryway just keeps on delivering.   Today marks the start of the Chilterns stretch of the walk, with the guide promising 30 miles of great walking through the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.   If the rest is like today, I will be a happy man.   Woodland, paths that I have almost totally to myself and plenty gentle ups and downs.

I have the ground to myself but the skies are owned by the Red Kites.   The population is booming and they are a near constant companion.

Red Kites A-Plenty

Marlow is left behind by climbing out of the Thames Valley.  At this point, the views are behind but I'm soon dropping down to Blueys Farm.   This place rather excited the guide writer, Keith Chesterton, who somehow managed to do pre-Internet based stalking to determine who owned it and why it was uninhabited.  I'm content to marvel at the approach and enjoy the period cottages that look much older than they actually are.   Keith knows they were built in the 1960s.

Valley of the Bluey

This one is for sale - 1.1m of your Buckinghamshire pounds

Plenty of woodland to traverse to the sound of shotguns.   I seem to get increasingly close to the firing and hope that I'm not mistaken for whatever it is that they are blasting.   I remain unscathed as I cross the M40 and get views of West Wycombe house.   The only disappointment is the time.  45 minutes till opening.

Stately Home in the Distance.   Dread to think of this one's value

The reason I need to hit West Wycombe at midday is the Swan.   Most of my pub ticking inspiration comes from the CAMRA Good Beer Guide but they also have another publication which should not be ignored.   Britain's Best Real Heritage Pubs has a single entry for Buckinghamshire.   After confirmation with the lovely library ladies that sing the pubs praises, I decide it's worth a 30 minute wait in the sunshine.

The Swan, West Wycombe

One of those chairs will do to wait at

The pub has been owned by the same family since the 1910 and the decor is unchanged since the war - I'm just not sure which war.   Initially, I am confused by the long bar with no pumps.   The beers are served from gravity fed barrels, so at least I don't have to worry about whether they have been pulled through.

Inside of a heritage pub - my Rebellion IPA nestled on the pumpless bar.  Rucksack in the blue chair

A real delight to find this and long may it continue unchanged.

The rest of West Wycombe is equally delightful, a couple more pubs, the hell fire caves and the mausoleum on the hill.  All previously visited. 

Church Lane - through the portal for a climb to the mausoleum

And there it is

More of the same to High Wycombe.  A climb to Downley Common, a skirt through the grounds of Hugenden Manor and entry into High Wycombe town.

More Valleys

Hughenden Manor

No time to explore High Wycombe - not that shopping centres hold much appeal - the 850 back to Marlow runs every 30 minutes and I am 3 minutes before its due to leave.

Bang on time.

Another double digit miles in the Chilterns awaits next month.