The hilly, lush and ‘bucolic’ trail that is officially one of the best scenic walks near London

We love London. That won’t come as a surprise – Time Out has been chronicling the best of the city for decades – but even we can admit that sometimes you need some time away. Life in London is nonstop, so every so often it’s essential to escape into nature, and the city parks just won’t do it.

We recently published a list of the very best walking routes which are within daytripping distance of the capital, including all the beaches, forests and moors a city-dweller could dream of.

If you fancy a riverside stroll we recommend the Goring Gap and Thames Path, but if you’re more of a seaside kind of walker then the Kentish Coast is calling your name. If neither of those appeals and you’d rather explore a couple quaint English villages, then we present to you Chess Valley in the Chilterns.

Instead of the Big Smoke’s skyscrapers or honking taxis, you will pass through little villages with cobbled streets and homely cafés. The sort of place that an Enid Blyton character might live, or where a classic Agatha Christie mystery could take place.

You’ll start your countryside adventure at Chorleywood station and walk 10 miles (or as far as you feel like) along a ‘bucolic’ pathway which takes you through ‘rolling meadows, woods carpeted in dainty yellow celandines’ and, of course, the dainty villages of Latimer and Chenies. We recommend stopping for a pint at a pub in one of these towns to split up the trip. 

There’s loads to keep a look-out for on this route on top of the idyllic countryside scenery. At Latimer you’ll pass the site of an old Roman farm villa, and as you venture onwards you’ll also catch a glimpse of Chenies Manor (pictured below), a 13th century house that was once visited by Elizabeth I.

There’s also some great opportunities for spotting wildlife, with ‘kingfishers, water voles, brown trout, orchids and dragonflies’ all darting in and out of the water along the way.

The walk ends at Chesham station, where you can hop straight back to the Big Smoke after your day in the valley.

How to get to Chess Valley from London

The Chess Valley is easily accessible from London – all you need to do is hop on the Metropolitan line and ride it to Chorleywood. You can also get a direct train to Chorleywood from London Marylebone. The end of the walk, Chesham is also on the maroon line, so getting back is equally as simple.

Here are the top scenic walks near London, according to Time Out.

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