18/07/20 - Chiltern Chain Walk - Stage 7 - Chesham

Distance - 12.1 Miles
Geocaches - 14
Walk Inspiration
Previous Stages - Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 5, Stage 6

More Chiltern loveliness on the Stage 7 of the Chain Walk. 

Stage 7 starts in Chesham.  Wikipedia says its known for its four B's - Boots, Beer, Brushes and Baptists.  I'll let you guess which 50% I take advantage of.  I know it more for Chess Valley Walk and being the terminus of a branch of Metropolitan Line.  I also know that a wonderful pint of Fullers ESB awaits at the Queen Head - if its survived Covid.

This part of the Chilterns offers superb walking but rather boring pictures.  The paths are broad, mud free and through a variety of terrain - wheat fields, ancient green lanes and mature woodland.

Broad Paths Agricultural Fields

Ancient Green Lanes

Mature Woodland

The river Chess is briefly kissed at Latimer - a pretty little village centred around a square.  No refreshments to be had there, that joy is available 8 miles into the walk at Lye Hill. I wait for ages for a pub and then two come at once.

Pretty Latimer Cottages

The Swan and the Crown - Ley Hill

Despite the Crown being open, I chose to walk on by. I have my sights set on the Black Cat in a little hamlet called Lye Green.  Two reasons - its in the Good Beer Guide 2020 and according to that bible, Timothy Taylor is in permanent residency.

But a hard decision needs to be made.  I am back in the Geocaching Chiltern 100 territory and there are another 32 to find.  They may be currently disabled, due to unnecessary pressure being put on the CO for maintenance when there are bigger problems in the world, but I have been granted permission to log my finds.   Heading to this pub means missing out on three. 

Never in doubt - despite the warning from Google Maps that its is temporarily closed, a half mile diversion was made.

The Black Cat, Lye Green

It would appear that google was only half correct.  Talking with a local dog walker, the pub has seemingly permanently gone.   Their website has the FA Cup semi finals listed on the "What's On?" page - so we can only assume it's an auto-feed.  Either way, it leaves me with a conundrum as to whether covid affected pubs can be ticked.

More worryingly, I am lunch-less, but rising mirage like at the next main road is a posh gastro pub.  After an 18 year rambling career I have my first mid walk pizza.

Rambler Friendly

Spirits are raised enough to check if Albion are consigned to another season in the Championship.  We need an unlikely Stoke victory against Brentford to keep destiny in our own hands in the last game of the season.  They pull it off and the rest of the walk is spent singing "Deliah".

The most scenic part of the day's walk comes on the Chiltern Link path along a dry chalk stream valley, leading me back into the town.

Finest part of the day's walk

The Queens Head is found and found to be opening in four days time - so the elusive ESB remains untasted post lockdown  Instead, I work out how Greene King's track and trace and one way systems work in the unworthy of recording Red Lion.  Stella Artois reassuringly better than GK IPA.

Chesham's Best