(S/E) Come out of the pub car park, turn left, walk down the lane and continue along the side of the common for nearly half a mile until the road bears round to the left.
(1) Walk straight ahead here along a path lined with trees and continue along this path for about 300m where you join a track coming in from the left. Continue straight along this track/road for another 300m where the road bears round to the left towards Lodge Farm.
(2) At this point take the sign posted bridleway to the right; follow this for about a third of a mile and take the restricted byway to the left marked Chiltern Way (Warmscombe Lane). There are good views to the right overlooking Bix Bottom.
(3) Continue in a gradual descent along this byway path until just before the B480 road to Stonor is reached, where you take a footpath to the right. Continue with this path up a hill then down to Bix Bottom where you turn right and walk along the lane past Valley Farm until the ruins of St. James church is reached.
(4) Take a path to the left here, (sign posted Crocker End 1 Chiltern Way Extension), and ascend through fields and woodland to reach pastureland. Continue straight ahead until the hamlet of Crocker End is reached. Go through the gate and continue straight ahead and walk on the green in front of cottages on the right, (sign posted Chiltern Way Extension Russell’s Water 11/2) then on the road past a post box until a sign posted path is reached on the right (Chiltern Way).
(5) Take this path, go through the gate, and straight ahead across the field to another gate. Go through this gate to a road and continue straight ahead on this. At a junction of paths and the entrance to Soundess House take the track which forks to the left (sign posted Russell’s Water 11/2). Continue straight ahead along this track past Soundess Farm alongside woods and across fields downhill, with fine views across the valley, to a junction of paths and bridleways at the bottom.
(6) Here there are bridleways to the left, sharp right and straight ahead. Do not take any of these but take the Chiltern Way path to the right and go through a gate. This ascends steeply across the field up to another gate where you can look back and admire the fine views. Go through the gate then through a short piece of woodland, across a field, through more woodland and across another field to join a bridleway. Turn left onto this bridleway which leads up to the road which links Upper Maidensgrove with Maidensgrove.
(1) Turn left onto this road and walk back to the Five Horseshoes pub.(S/E)
