Preame one

Verified Slow Way

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I walked this route on a very rainy Sunday morning after a period of persistent rain, so as a route the route was very muddy and slippery in places.
I started in Prestwood. The first part of the route is on pavement next to a main road before turning off into a side street and then eventually picking up a footpath that leads across a field and down into the pretty Angling Spring Wood. The surface through the wood is uneven with many rocks and stops sticking out so you have to watch your footing. At the end of Angling Spring Wood, the footpath leads across a field and after you walk through the gate, you walk a short distance before turning left onto a made track/road. You follow this until you end up at the end of Great Missenden station and then turn right onto Martinsend Lane. You walk past a parade of shops before turning right again into the lovely High Street. (There are few places to stop to get a drink or bite to eat in Great Missenden). The walk along the High Street passes the Roald Dahl museum before turning left into Church Street & Church Lane up to the beautiful Saint Peter and St Paul church (they have some lovely afternoon cream teas and concerts during the summer. The fantastic local bellringers can also be heard practicing on a Saturday morning). The route then takes you back some steps and across a field at the side of Warren water. This is a lovely spot. You cross the bridge, follow the path until you reach the road which you cross and then pick up a footpath which takes you around the edge of the Misbourne School. This was my least favourite part of the walk as there is not much to see and it was very slippery and muddy. Further along the route, as a previous reviewer has said, duckboards have been put down. After you cross Nags Head Road, the footpath climbs up a fairly steep hill which was tricky in muddy conditions but would be fine in better weather. The route then joins New Road and leads onto Hare Lane, which is all pavement alongside the road. You then walk on the pavement on Windsor Lane before picking up a footpath signposted on the right hand side before you the junction with Deep Mill Lane. This was one of the best parts of the route for me across open countryside with lovely views. You then reach Little Missenden and walk along the quiet road (no pavement) for a short distance until you pick up a footpath on your right. This footpath takes you across open countryside again and passed the beautiful Shardeloes lake. There are horses kept in two of the fields. You will then walk passed Amersham Cricket Club.
The route then takes you on a footpath across a field until you met the busy A413. This is a fast busy road and care must obviously be taken when crossing this. (There is an alternative route which leads into Amersham that does not require the need to cross the A413. I will submit this as an amendment to the Slow Ways team)
Once you cross the A413, you have to step over a metal barrier (waist height) and then go down some steep steps and carry along the footpath that runs parallel to the very pretty Amersham High Street. The footpath leads you to Whielden Street where you will turn left and walk up to the junction with the High Street, crossing the road and walking passed the picturesque St Marys church and the stunning Memorial Gardens. The Memorial Gardens host great summer band concerts and the St Mary's bellringers are always worth listening to on a Sunday morning from 10am.
You follow the path over a small bridge , passed the cemetery and up a steep hill towards Parsonage Wood. Take a minute to turn around at the top and look at the stunning views of Amersham Old Town. You then walk up through Parsonage Wood and follow the route until it lead you to the junction with Station Road. You cross the road here and Amersham Station is just around the corner.
This is a lovely walk but I would strongly advise enjoying it at its best when the weather is better and the ground dryer.

This is a very pleasant walk, not too challenging. The route is very easy to follow and most of the paths clear and well defined. There are some small sections with steeper hills but nothing particularly difficult. Unfortunately the day we completed the walk it was very wet for some of the walk and the paths can get extremely muddy in places. There were a few duckboards laid out in places but for some of it we had to go through large puddles and thick mud. I imagine in the summer though it is very pleasant and the views more than make up for the muddiness!! There is one part that is less than ideal, where you have to cross a very very business main a-road, where cars were travelling very fast, I would not be keen to cross this with young children.

Walked this exact route a couple of months ago. Has some lovely scenery, but the stretch along from little missenden past Shardeloes is a little spoiled by the noise from the main A road, but the lake wildlife does make up for it. Walk goes through farm fields with animals, crops, as well as some quiet country roads. Crossing the main A road is a bit hairy, but the only way to avoid this is a much extended route, which if like me you have to then walk back, makes for a very long day.

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