Maidensgrove - Ewelme - Russell's Water - Maidensgrove

David Pearson

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Maidensgrove - Park Corner - Ewelme - Swyncombe - Cookley Green - Russell's Water - Maidensgrove

Of all the lovely walks in the Chilterns, this has to be my favourite. There are lots of open spaces with wide vistas over the Chilterns and down into Oxfordshire, mixed with shady woodland tracks. Russell's Water, one of the pretty villages, is ideal for a short rest where you can sit on a bench and watch the ducks on the village pond. Ewelme is a jewel of a place, well worth spending some time exploring the church, the almshouses and the oldest continuously functioning school building in the country, founded in 1437. There are a couple of other interesting old churches in Swyncombe and Pishill, so do allow time for sightseeing when planning your walk.

Nature abounds. On our first walk we saw new-born lambs, a grass snake crossing our path, a fox asleep, curled up in an old hollow tree, red kites and buzzards overhead and wildflowers galore.

For lunch there is an excellent pub in Ewelme, or you can buy food and drinks in the village shop. If you choose to start the walk in Ewelme you can take lunch in another excellent pub in Pishill. The walk is mostly along good footpaths and over grassy fields, with a few short stretches along quiet country roads. Just a few spots may get muddy after wet weather. There are two steep uphill climbs (and two down) but most ascent is on long, gentle slopes.

England - Central England - Oxfordshire - Chilterns

Features

Birds, Butterflies, Church, Flowers, Food Shop, Great Views, Hills or Fells, Pub, Public Transport, Tea Shop, Wildlife, Woodland

29/06/2013 - Chris French

I've put a few photos of this walk on my web site now : June 2013. http://www.frogslegs.org/walks/2013_Ewelme/photos.html

05/06/2013 - Chris French

My GPS measured the route as 15.8 miles. Allowing for a few detours into churches this still seems quite a bit more than the 13.4 described. I can pass on the GPX file to show where I went, if it helps.

05/06/2013 - Chris French

As others have said, a great but fairly tiring (not tiresome!) walk. Lunch at the Ewelme pub was perfectly timed (although I had to wait 5 minutes until a swarm of bees calmed down, 100 yards before the pub). The woodlands were full of bluebells - this is June - and the open stretches gave far-reaching views. It had seemed suitable terrain for a proper try out of my new walking boots - and it was. Perhaps with hindsight though I shouldn't have done a 20 mile cycle ride the day before :-{

23/04/2011 - Mike Stevenson

A great walk, well described with good directions, saw about a dozen or so Red Kites mostly near Ewelme. The Shepherds Hut pub in Ewelme is well worth a visit for a fine pint and a bite to eat. Did this walk on 22/04 (Good Friday), the weather was glorious, about 25C and often in full sun. The reason why I am saying this is because it was so hot that we did not manage to finish the walk as described. After point 43 we continued on the Shakespeare Way until it meets the Chiltern Way, about 750m further on, turn left up a steep but thankfully short slope. At the top turn left through a kissing gate and follow the path to the road. Turn right and after a 60m or so come to the 5 Horseshoes pub. A good and much needed pint, really fine views and popular with people eating. After a suitable recovery period, leave the pub and turn right, follow the road and very shortly you will be back at the common. This alternative route cuts about 1.5 miles off the total.

22/01/2011 - Pete Steele

Another wonderful walk. You will need a full day for this one but well worth it. Views are magnificent and directions very precise. Well worth a visit to the area.

31/08/2010 - Andrew Long

A monster of a walk but a good one too with precise instructions. You will need a full day especially if stopping for a pub lunch!