The Rising Sun - Route 3

(S/E) From the pub, walk out to the entrance of the car park and turn right and walk along the road until you reach a T junction, turn left and walk up the hill towards Highmoor Village.

(1) At the junction with the main road (B481), by the Highmoor Memorial Hall, cross over the main road, turn left and walk along the pavement in a northerly direction. After about 250m and immediately after a derelict pub, turn right along a broad track. Follow this track past Cherry Hill House and then turn right on to a bridleway. Continue along the bridleway until you reach an intersection with a footpath.

(2) Turn left and follow the footpath downhill to a gate. Go through the gate and bear left on to a tarmac farm road and at the cross roads turn right, following the sign to Bromsden Farm. Opposite Bromsden Farm is a statue of a knight on a winged horse. Continue on in the same direction with the farm on your left and ignoring the footpath sign to the right.

(3) Turn left on to a path heading south that passes the side of the farm buildings. Pass through a gate in the middle of some iron railings and cross through an orchard. In the left corner you will see a gate by a tennis court. Go through this gate and immediately on the right, through another gate then follow the path downhill through the woods until you reach a broad track. Turn left following the yellow arrow and after 50 metres, turn right following another yellow arrow. Walk up the broad track and at the top, follow the yellow arrow to the right of a bank. At the top of this path, you will see a large tranquil pond on your left.

(4) Continue over a stile, bear to your left and follow the path round the edge of the field up to another stile. Climb over this stile, turn left and walk along a broad fenced track. At the next yellow arrow, cross the stile and walk diagonally across the field to the next stile. Go over this stile and cross a track and over another stile following the yellow arrows. Do the same again at the next two stiles. Walk through three fields and over the stiles towards a large white house. Go over a stile next to the white house on to a narrow footpath emerging at a busy main road (A4130).

(5) Cross the dual carriageway with extreme care; cars pass here at speed. On the far side of the road turn left, then at the Finger Post indicating Bix Bottom, turn right and go straight ahead on what can be a very muddy track. Halfway across the field turn right on a track that leads towards some houses. Pass between the houses and turn right on to a tarmac road. Walk pass the Village Hall on your left and beyond it you will see an open stretch of land known as Bix Common. Next to the Village Hall is St James’ Church and opposite is The Old School. Continue along the road until you reach the A4130 once more which you need to re-cross, again, with care.

(6) Take the road opposite, pass Bix Manor on the left and on the right is the Water Tank at Bix. Continue along the road until you reach the sign for Lawrence Farm then turn right along the track. At the gate to a cream cottage with a very prominent ‘Private’ sign, turn right and enter a small field through an iron gate. Enter the wood through another iron gate, bear left and keep straight on through the wood, despite the mud and paths crossing, to a kissing gate.

(7) Where the path forks, take the left hand fork, pass through a second kissing gate and cross the track and follow the footpath sign, taking you past some farm buildings. Follow the yellow arrow through two gates and past some attractive ponds. Continue over a wooden bridge next to one of the ponds. Follow the yellow arrow through three more gates, the last with a picnic table on the left. Follow the path to the main drive to the wonderful Greys Court one of the many jewels in the crown of the National Trust. Follow the yellow arrows along the main drive, passing Greys Court on your right.

(8) This path affords excellent views of the house and grounds. Continue on downhill and just before the road, take the right fork on to a grass path. Follow the green National Trust footpath signs (green arrows) and where the path forks, take the left fork. The path runs parallel with the road (Rocky Lane) so you can use the road if you prefer. However, sticking to path is preferable especially when the bluebells flower, the woods are ablaze with colour. Keep the road in view and when the path forks again go left and exit on to the road via a broken stile. Continue walking uphill along Rocky Lane passing some large houses, among them Rose Farm, Rocky Lane Orchard and Rocky Lane Farm.

(9) When the lane makes a sharp left, continue straight ahead on the footpath following the yellow signs. Follow the path diagonally across the field and walk a short distance into the woods. Turn left at the path junction. Follow this path straight ahead to the B481, ignoring a path which leads off to the right.

(10) Cross the road with care, and enter the Highmoor Cricket Ground via a kissing gate. Walk across the cricket ground, follow the path straight ahead through the kissing gates and down to the road to Stoke Row. Cross the road with great care as the visibility of oncoming traffic is very poor here. Finally walk across to the path opposite and back to The Rising Sun on opposite site of the car from where you departed. (S/E)

Bromsden Farm has a beautiful tiled barn which forms an arch into the farmyard. The farm is part of Nettlebed estate owned by the Fleming family. It is rumoured that Ian Fleming came up with idea of James Bond while living on the estate.

It is believed that the horse was a prop in the one of the James Bond movies and the wings and rider were added later.

Bix Common is owned by a group of nine householders by virtue of their ownership of houses in the parish. The establishment of the Commons dates back to 1300s and is not unique in England. In the 1800s a small weekly livestock market took place on the Common. During the 1939-45 War the scrub was cleared and the land used for cultivation. The present owners meet periodically and decide on its management. Currently it is leased for hay making according to a strict timetable.

In 1875, St James’ Church at Bix replaced the tiny ruined Church at Bix Bottom.

The Water Tank at Bix was constructed in 1895. Water has always been scarce in the Chilterns but during the second half of the 19th Century it was discovered that a lack of clean drinking water was not just an inconvenience, but the cause of significant and often fatal diseases such as cholera. Consequently, efforts were made to improve the water supply. After the advent of piped water, the tank fell into disuse and became derelict but was eventually restored between 1998 and 2002. Boris Johnson MP took part in the commemoration ceremony.

Greys Court is a stunning Tudor country house with gardens. It is well worth taking a break from the walk to enjoy what it has to offer.