Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire & Berkshire

Boundary walk at Hughenden

A pond on the chalk stream at Hughenden, Buckinghamshire, with a curved, sloping grass bank on the left, and several mature trees reflected in the water — A pond on the chalk stream at Hughenden, Buckinghamshire | © National Trust / Hugh Mothersole

This energetic 4-mile walk broadly follows the outer boundary of the Hughenden Estate. It allows you to explore beautiful woodland, open parkland, farmland and a rare chalk stream.

Near to

Hughenden

Start point

Visitor welcome kiosk, Hughenden, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP14 4LA. Grid ref: SU859955.

How to follow the walk

In places, this walk is waymarked with red National Trust arrows, but you may find it more reliable to follow the route on a hand-held device, or to print out a copy of these directions to use as you walk.

Address
Hughenden Manor, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP14 4LA
Directions via Google Maps
By train
The nearest station is High Wycombe (2 miles/3km away) on the Chiltern Line.
On foot
1.5 miles (2.4km) north of High Wycombe, off the A4128. Footpaths head into the estate from surrounding villages. Please see OS Explorer map 172.
By bus
Arriva 300 regular bus service between High Wycombe and Aylesbury, stopping at the estate entrance. Hughenden Manor and the walk start are then 0.5 miles (0.8km) uphill.
By road
1.5 miles (2.4km) north of High Wycombe off the A4128 towards Great Missenden. Exit 4 from M40, then A404 towards High Wycombe, then follow signs to Eden Shopping Centre, then A4128 towards Great Missenden.
Dogs
Dogs are welcome off the lead around the woodland but please put them on the lead when walking close to cattle and sheep. Please do not allow your dog to frighten other people or chase wildlife.
Car park
Car parking at Hughenden's main car park (grid ref: SU859957) is included in your admission to the manor and gardens. There is an alternative car park at Hughenden Church (not available during services).
Toilet
There are public toilets at the Stableyard.
Café
National Trust café at the Stableyard.
Picnic area
There are benches and other places to picnic in the picnic orchard. Please take your litter home with you.
Tea-room
Dizzy's Tea-room at Hughenden Manor.
Total stages: 10
Total stages: 10
Start point
Visitor welcome kiosk, Hughenden, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP14 4LA. Grid ref: SU859955.
Stage 1
From the visitor welcome kiosk, follow the path uphill towards the main car park. At the T-junction of paths by the Dew Pond, just before the car park, turn right then turn left up the road for 40 metres before turning right onto a path, with a small plantation of young trees on your left. Continue downhill into Woodcock Wood. 50 metres after entering Woodcock Wood turn left at a crossing. Soon you pass a sawpit on your right. Continue straight ahead through to the end of the woodland, ignoring any crossing paths.
Work in the woods
The various woods you walk through are typical of the Chilterns, dominated by beech. Look out for chalk pits and sawpits, evidence of industry here long before Disraeli bought the estate. He often walked through the woodland examining the trees, particularly in autumn. He also enjoyed watching the woodmen at work and talking to them, and sometimes took a small axe to help cut away ivy from the trees.
Stage 2
Go through a gate then continue in a leftward direction across the field towards a gate in the field boundary, with views of Hughenden Valley to the right. Go left through the gate and walk up the right-hand edge of a field. Cross a path and through another field, with a hedge now on your left. At the end of the field, turn right along the woodland boundary until you see a metal gate on your left.
Stage 3
Turn left through the gate to enter Flagmore Wood. After about 50 metres you pass chalk pits on either side of the path. Continue straight ahead, until you reach a junction. Take the right-hand fork and follow the path downhill, ignoring any joining or crossing paths. At the bottom of the hill, turn left on the bridleway until you reach a gate leading into a field.
Stage 4
Don't go through the gate but turn right uphill into Common Wood (signposted to Downley). When you reach the crossing boundary ditch, turn left keeping the ditch on your right. Go downhill to a crossing track. Cross the track and continue steeply uphill until you leave the wood between two fences. Take care here as the route meets a busy public road.
Stage 5
Cross the road (Coates Lane) into Littleworth Road and walk along the pavement on the left. Just after house number 78 (and opposite a brick and flint cottage) join a public footpath on the left. This footpath is quite narrow and can get overgrown in summer. Alternatively, continue another 40m and turn left into the drive opposite Narrow Lane. Cross a drive then continue along a narrow path towards Little Tinkers Wood. Enter the woods then immediately bear left downhill at a fork. After about 20 metres at the next fork continue straight ahead, then gently uphill until you reach a metal gate into a field. Go through this and to the Disraeli Monument.
Stage 6
Leave the monument field through the same gate you entered by, then turn right to go down to the bottom of the woods. Turn right through a gate into a field then continue with a fence on your right until you reach a road, Coates Lane. Take care crossing the road and turn left for 30m.
View from Disraeli Monument | © National Trust / Hugh Mothersole
Stage 7
Turn sharp right on to a track and go through a metal gate. Follow the track uphill until you reach a gate with Middle Lodge on it. Turn left here and go through a set of metal gates into Hughenden Park. Turn sharp right then follow the path downhill, with a metal fence on your right and parkland on your left. Continue beneath some large field maples until you reach a stream, with an ornamental lake created by a weir.
Stage 8
Turn left to walk along the left bank of Hughenden Stream until you reach the main drive that leads up to Hughenden Manor.
The chalk stream
This is a rare chalk stream – rare because the chalk rock that the stream flows on is permeable and water normally sinks down into it. The stream rises in the Hughenden Valley and flows into the River Wye in High Wycombe. Disraeli caught a 4.5lb trout in the stream here in 1861. In 1862 he had the ornamental lake created, where he installed two swans, Hero and Leander. There's more about the stream on the information board next to it.
Stage 9
Turn left to walk uphill, keeping to the left of the drive. Pass through the car park of St Michael and All Angels Church, then go into the churchyard.
Church of St Michael and All Angels
The oldest parts of the so-called 'Church in the Park' date back to the 12th century. It now has a Victorian Gothic appearance following its restoration and extension in the 1870s when Disraeli was living in the Manor. Of particular interest inside is the marble memorial to Disraeli that Queen Victoria had erected above the seat in the chancel where he used to sit. It is the only known memorial from a reigning monarch to a commoner subject.
Stage 10
Follow the tarmac path up to the left of the church. Leave the churchyard through a small gate and continue uphill. Alternatively, if you prefer to avoid the cemetery, walk uphill across the grass meadow, keeping the church hedge on your right. At the top of the park go through the metal gate next to a cattle grid, join the main drive and walk straight along it until you reach the Stableyard and Walled Garden entrances on your right. Refreshments and public toilets are available in the Stableyard. Turn right here then take the lane to the left of the Stableyard entrance and follow the signs to return to the visitor car park and welcome kiosk
End point
Hughenden, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP14 4LA. Grid ref: SU859955.
Trail map
Map of Boundary walk route at Hughenden, Bucks | © Crown copyright and database rights 2013 Ordnance Survey
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01494755565

hughenden@nationaltrust.org.uk

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Near to

Start point

Trail information

Difficulty*

Full trail

How to follow the walk

Getting here

Facilities

Accessibility

Terrain and elevation

Trail route

Total stages: 10

Total stages: 10

Start point

Stage 1

Point of interest

Stage 2

Stage 3

Stage 4

Stage 5

Point of interest

Stage 6

Stage 7

Point of interest

Stage 8

Point of interest

Stage 9

Point of interest

Stage 10

Point of interest

End point

Trail map

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