Event led by Khris
Attendance: 4
Distance: 11.81 miles (19.06 km)
Time: start 11:00, end 16:32, lunch 35 minutes
Terrain: woodland, footpaths, bridleways, farm tracks and road.
Elevation: Total ascent 1555 ft
Weather: Partly cloudy with sunny intervals, 20-22°C
Number of sewage work: 0
Number of churches: 3
Number of golf courses: 1

This was “The Chiltern’s Circular Challenge” walk with from the historical market town of Wendover via Great Hampden and Chequers Estate.

On leaving Wendover the views opened up with the chalk scar on the landscape going towards Aylesbury. This is the HS2 project. There are large heaps of soil removed from the tunnels which they have said will be placed over the tunnels for nature to return in future years.

We started a long steady ascent to the village of Dunsmore before descending to join South Bucks Way via Scrub Wood to Little Hampden. We continued from Goodmen Hill to Hengrove Wood to reach our lunch stop at the Great Hampden Estate.

Originally named Hamdena. The main feature is the magnificent property which was built and owned by the Hobart-Hampden family. The most famous was John Hampden who thought against the Ship Money Tax which was levied on the inhabitants of coastal areas of England. However, King Charles I extended it to inland counties without Parliamentary approval. This was one of the grievances of the English property class in the lead-up to the English Civil War. The isolation of the property made it attractive location for some scenes in the 1970 film, Cromwell. In more modern times Hampden House was used extensively by the Hammer film studios as the perfect gothic backdrop for many of their films. Diana Dors was one of the actresses who was on location at the property, during her heyday.

We left this lovely spot towards Whiteleaf Nature Reserve via the Hangings. On arriving the tree canopy opens up and provides views of Princes Risborough over to Bledlow Ridge and Oxfordshire.

Descending this hill is always a task due to the chalk wall and loose stones. At the bottom we pass the  famous local pub “The Plough” in Lower Cadsden. One of our previous PM’s David Cameron was a regular and brought the Chinese Premier for a traditional pub lunch - Fish and Chips complimented with a pint. This made global news and the citizens from China have it on ‘must visit in UK.’ We opted to continue.

We continued along into Grangelands and the Rifle range into the Cradle. On the Ridgeway trail. Here we entered a field with cows with calves grazing the land. They were quite chilled and the matriarch was watching the walkers. Here we joined the footpath that passes alongside and through the grounds of Chequer's Estate and papparazzi corner.

Here we stated another long slow ascent on the Ridgeway to Coombe Hill (second highest point in Buckinghamshire) The views from the monument of the Vale of Aylesbury (Rothschild-shire) are superb. Looking back to Wendover – Halton House looks magnificent perched on a hill within Wendover Woods. The house was originally a Rothschild residence. Presently, it is a mess hall for the RAF based in Halton. Was used the movie "Eyes wide shut" with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.

The walk was all down hill from here through Bacombe Hill and quarry back to wonderful Wendover.