The Chequers - Route 2

(S/E) Coming out of the pub and turn left along the road and walk past the schools on your left. Where the road turns right, go slightly to the left along a small lane towards Rainbow Nursery. The allotments are on your right; the path then narrows and turns to the left. When you reach the field, turn right. Walk along the field margin to the recreation ground and past the sports pavilion on your right hand side. Keep walking straight on, between a fence and the football pitch. When you reach the trees near the road (B4009) turn left, following the treeline until you are about at the end of the football pitch, where there is a small path on the right leading through the trees to the road.

(1) Turn left and walk along the pavement to the road junction; turn right onto Station Road heading towards Pyrton Field Farm. Shortly after the large house on your left is the site of the old Watlington Railway Station. Continue straight ahead for just over a mile, about 1.8km, passing the junction with the Ridgeway long distance trail, and walk to the end of the tarmac road.

(2) Keep going straight, following a small path up the steep hill; there is a fence on your left, with a quiet, unspoilt small valley beyond. The path enters an area of hazel coppice, fork right through a kissing gate onto a footpath (Oxfordshire Way.) Follow the path across a grassy field towards a metal kissing gate in a hedgerow. (You should be able to see the MOD Microwave Tower at this point.) Turn right on footpath and follow quite a narrow path leading downhill in a sunken way. The path goes through mixed woodland. Keep going straight down the hill, past one path forking left and take the next path on the left, marked with a white arrow on a concrete post. This narrow path goes up a small incline and then through an area of scrub and woodland before opening out in a small grassy area. This area is known as the Chalk Pits and is managed by Watlington Parish Council. Go straight on over the open area and then walk round to the left to find a wooden kissing gate leading on to Hill Road.

(3) Go through the gate and turn right and walk down Hill Road into Watlington. Keep going straight, past the car park on your left. At the cross roads turn left and then go across the zebra crossing. Walk past the Town Hall and along the High Street. At the memorial, turn right on to Chapel Street. Walk along this road, following it round to the right past a long thatched cottage and you will then see the Chequers pub ahead of you. (S/E)

Watlington Station – Opened in 1872, this was the terminus of the single track Watlington and Princes Risborough Railway. There had been plans to extend the line to Wallingford, but this never happened and the line was closed to passengers in 1957 and to goods in 1961.

The Ridgeway Long Distance Trail – An 87 mile route from Ivinghoe Beacon in Hertfordshire to West Kennet Barrow in Wiltshire. Following a route used since prehistoric times, the trail passes through open downland, secluded valleys, woodland and hedgerows, linking many archaeological sites.

Sunken Way – This is typical of the many ancient sunken lanes and hollow ways in the Chilterns, eroded by many years of use, including moving livestock up and down the hills.