5 Of The Best Cycle Trails In The Chilterns
If you like nothing more than spending a pedal-powered day out in the countryside, then this article’s for you.
Beautiful Buckinghamshire is bursting with brilliant bicycle trails catering to all abilities, so you don’t have to be Bradley Wiggins to go the distance.
Take a two-wheeled tour around these terrific trails using The Chequers – one of the best hotels in Buckinghamshire – as your base…
1. Wendover Woods
Load up your bike rack and head out to Wendover Woods, a little over 40 minutes drive from The Chequers.
This forest is a dream landscape for any active adventurer or exercise enthusiast. As well as a fitness trail assault course and numerous woodland running circuits, Wendover boasts several mountain bike routes, including the Juniper cycle trail. This six-mile, well-surfaced track takes you on an adventure through the trees, with one or two steep slopes to heighten your heart rate.
2. The Henley Loop
The Chequers offers the best night’s sleep of all the hotels in Buckinghamshire, and you’ll it need before taking on this challenging 18-mile cycle, which starts and finishes at nearby Henley-on-Thames. It’s a hilly route on quiet country lanes that passes through quiet woodland and – notably – the village of Turville, home to a windmill made famous in the film Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
3. The Phoenix Trail
This 7.5 mile stretch from Princes Risborough to Thame offers traffic-free tranquillity and a terrific cycling trail. Overlooking some of the most stunning scenery in the Chilterns, the Phoenix Trail is a gentle, well-laid route that’s also popular amongst walkers and wildlife enthusiasts. Best of all, the market towns at either end of the trail boast some really rather nice cafes. And as any cyclist knows, a post-spin coffee and slice of cake is important for recovery.
4. Stonor to Christmas Common
A mountain bike is the best bet for this short but somewhat challenging bridlepath route, stretching from the grounds of stately Stonor House to the Oxfordshire village of Christmas Common (so named, apparently, because it’s bursting with holly bushes). The trail lasts around 4 miles, passes through the ancient timbers of Queens Wood and – crucially – ends at a Brakspear pub, The Fox & Hounds. That’s your rehydration strategy taken care of.
5. Marlow Suspension Bridge Loop
This circular route starts and finishes a stone’s throw from The Chequers, further evidence that we’re one of the best hotels in Buckinghamshire for biking. The loop is 10.7 miles long, but well-paved and largely flat, making it perfect for the more petite members of your peloton. You’ll pass Little Marlow, Bourne End, Cookham Bridge and Cookham Dean before finishing up back in Marlow. At which point you’ll be ready for some refreshments (we can definitely help with that).