As a relatively new dog owner I have been amazed at how much of the local area I simply had not seen until I HAD to go out walking on a regular basis. I’ve lived in Beaconsfield for fourteen years, and would have said I knew it pretty well, but with my canine companion I have discovered so many fabulous places that I simply had not visited. I thought I would let you know about my favourite local walks … all of which offer around a 40 minute to an hour’s walk, always a circular route and within a few miles of Beaconsfield. The photos are all iPhone photos.
Ledborough Lane, Beaconsfield
Key Info
Postcode for parking HP9 2DG. This is on the side of the road (Ledborough Lane) just before Amersham Road
Walk length: 3.5 km, about 45 minutes easy pace
Anyone who has driven along Ledborough Lane will have seen that there are often cars parked on the left as you approach the Amersham Road. This is one of several ways of getting into Ledborough Woods (you can also get in along Sandelswood Lane or off Assheton Road/Bearswood End or down Finch Lane. The walk is very popular with dog walkers as it offers a mixture of fields/ woodlands and is so close to the town centre. After the initial path across a field, somewhat uphill, you pass through a hedge into the farmer’s fields. Here you have a few choices – you can go either way around the field or if you prefer can go just into the woods at the edges. You can extend the walk in various ways but the simplest route is just to circle the fields.
Wooburn Green
Key Info
Post code for car park: HP100TT. This is a big car park just beside the tennis courts in Wooburn Park.
Walk length: 3 km (approx 45 minutes, easy pace)
This is probably my favourite local walk because it has everything – wide open fields, plenty of other friendly dog owners, woodland, farmer’s fields and best of all a stream for paddling in (the dog, not me). It’s a great place to go on a hot summer’s day to ensure the dogs stay cool with a dip in the stream and there are plenty of poop bins all the way round! During the seasons you see the crops grow from nothing to beautiful tall fields of wheat or barley, and in late Spring/ summer there are usually some wildflowers or poppies growing. I usually park in the (free) car park by the tennis courts then head right up to the top right corner where you can cross into the field and then into the woods. A loop (or two) of the woods and then back down into the main field green where I head around the outside finishing up with the bit near the stream and back down to the tennis courts. There is a children’s play ground (fenced off) if you have little ones too.
Our dog walking group miraculously managed to get seven dogs to behave for long enough to take this photo at Wooburn when the wild flowers and poppies were looking particularly lovely.
Walkwood, Beaconsfield
Key Info:
Post code for parking: HP9 1PD will take you to Burkes Crescent where it joins on to Grove Road, but you can start this walk anywhere along the route.
Distance 3.3 km, about 45 minutes all on the flat. Two thirds of it is a road walk, one third through the woods.
The parking postcode is near the start of the woods so you could always just do a walk through the woods and back again if you didn’t want to do the street part. The route map above starts from my house but you can see from the map that the part through the woods is between no.s 1 and 2. So two thirds of the route shown above is a road walk through residential Beaconsfield New Town, and the middle section is though the woods – obviously you could just double up on the woods if you prefer a bit more time away from the road. During school hours there may be a number of parents and children walking to school as the Grove Road end is near the back entrances to both Butlers Court primary school and Beaconsfield High secondary school. The gates will be locked most of the day apart from around school drop off but be aware as you approach the alley near Grove Road that the school is there.
I often do this walk as Cassie’s second walk of the day or if I want to walk from the house without getting in the car. In the Spring there are bluebells and in the summer it is lovely and shady so good for staying cool. It’s really convenient to have the woods right in the middle of town and there is also a large open green area at the Grove Road end if your dog is into chasing a tennis ball. If you are walking home through town in the summer then Knight Frank very kindly put a doggy water bowl outside their premises at the bottom of Gregories Road.
Cliveden, Taplow, Maidenhead SL18NS
Key Info
Walk Length:
Post code for parking: SL60HJ. This is the post code for the Woodlands Car park. You can also park at the main house and walk towards the woodlands.
Dogs are allowed on the lead in the most of the more formal areas of the gardens, and off the lead in the woods. Cliveden House is a day out in itself and is National Trust so you either need to be a member or pay the entrance fee. At either car park you can get a map which will show you suggested walking routes either around the more formal gardens or through the woodlands. There is a wide river …. quite deep so to be avoided if your dog swims and there has been a lot of rain as it does look as if it has quite a strong current. In the Spring the bluebells in the woods are beautiful and there are also daffodils on the lawns up near the house.
Shardeloes, Amersham Cricket Club
Key Info
Postcode for parking: HP7 0RN. You can park beside the cricket clubhouse (Amersham Cricket Club)
Walk length: 8 km, about an hour and a half walk
This is one of my favourite slightly longer walks and it takes you from Amersham cricket club, past Shardeloes house and over to Little Missenden before looping back to the start. Along the way there are open fields, farmer’s fields, a village pub (in Little Missenden), a stream and fields with horses and sheep. Be aware that in the Autumn there may also be many young pheasants so if your dog is one that is likely to pick up a scent, it might be advisable to avoid this period.
Cookham
Key Info
Walk Length:
Postcode for parking: SL69SA If you are a National Trust member this car park is free, if not then there is a pay and display.
This is a riverside walk in such a pretty part of Buckinghamshire and takes you along the river to The Bounty, a quirky, dog friendly pub with a cosy interior and plenty of trestle tables outside overlooking the river. I regard this walk as a relatively “safe” one ….. my dog has never gone astray, chased too much wildlife or got lost on this walk (famous last words!) She of course loves the pub and the dog sausages on the menu. The river itself usually has plenty going on with rowers, sailors and various different activities most of the time. It is somewhat deep from the riverbank at the start but after a short while it becomes much more shallow and there is a small “beach” where it easy for them to paddle.
And finally, some photos of my dog doing what she loves best, getting good and muddy! Aaargh, she does love a good roll in the mud.
… but she also has the most incredibly water/ mud repellent coat which scrubs up pretty well. What a pretty girl. If you are a dog lover and on Instagram, do follow her here: Cassie Golden Girl
