Chess Valley Walk is a beautiful route through the Chilterns countryside. Think rolling hills and lush green meadows. The land is damp and fertile, courtesy of River Chess. Wildlife love it here. And so will you.

Being in the Chiltern Hills feels like you’re hours away from the bustling city of London. That’s the countryside magic working.

In reality, it barely takes an hour to be transported from the hive of commercial activity in London to the flurry of wildlife activity in the Chilterns.

If you’re looking for a scenic countryside walk close to London, then go on the Chess Valley Walk.

Also Read: Box Hill Hike in Surrey Hills

What is the Chess Valley Walk?

The Chess Valley Walk is a relatively flat walking route in the Chilterns, a designated Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) in the UK.

The route follows River Chess between Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire (though at times the river is nearby but not visible). Tons of wildlife can be observed on this walking route.

Fun fact: River Chess is a chalk stream – a rare phenomenon outside of England. With the help of chalk aquifers beneath the Chiltern Hills, pure clear water flows into the river bed. The clean water supply allows wildlife to flourish in this region.

How long is the Chess Valley Walk?

Chess Valley Walk is 10 miles long.

Plan to spend at least a half day, or better yet, plan for a full day out in the Chilterns. Completing the full trail may take anywhere between 4 hours for brisk walkers to 6 hours for folks going at a moderate pace and taking a few unhurried breaks.

How do you get to Chess Valley from London?

What makes this walk immediately attractive is the dual benefit of the low effort and low cost to get to the Chess Valley from London. You can take the tube train directly from central London to the start of the walking route in the Chilterns.

Hop on the Metropolitan line at a London Underground station (Baker Street, Kings Cross St Pancras, Liverpool Street are popular commuter hubs on this tube route.) Then head directly to Rickmansworth tube station in Hertfordshire or Chesham tube station in Buckinghamshire.

Where is the best starting point for the Chess Valley Walk?

Rickmansworth is the most common starting point for people going on Chess Valley Walk.

Now that I’ve done the walk I would probably opt for alternative start the next time:

A. Start from Chesham. Take the Metropolitan Line further north to the Chesham tube station and begin walking from here. The most scenic section of the Chess Valley Walk is in Chesham so why not head straight to the prize?

B. Start at Chorleywood. Arrive at Chorleywood, or Chalfont & Latimer tube station, and pick up the public footpath to the Chess Valley.

This is an attractive option for those who prefer to walk a distance shorter than 10 miles, or if you want to avoid the urban terrain at the beginning of the Rickmansworth route.

Chess Valley Walking Route: Rickmansworth to Chesham

We go on the Chess Valley Walk on a sunny morning in June, starting out from Rickmansworth around 8:30am and ending in Chesham around 2pm. (That includes lots of stopping for photos and a pub stop!)

Loudwater to Chorleywood in Rickmansworth

The 1st part of the route in Rickmansworth leads us to River Chess, our host for the day.

The next place of interest in Rickmansworth is Glen Chess, or Loudwater House, built in the mid-nineteenth century. It is the first of a slew of historical homes on the Chess Valley Walk. We decide to be good citizens and not creep along the private driveway to score a photo.

The Grade II building now serves as a collection of private apartments. With a bit of digging I find a recent e-listing for one of its 3-bedroom apartments going for £599,000. A home at Gless Chess, anyone? 

The walk then takes us through suburban Rickmansworth and starts hinting at countryside.

Unfortunately, that is short-lived. A gritty narrow lane appears. It hugs the M25 motorway on one side and a wooden fence stands on its other side – hardly what you want to be sandwiched in between.

As traffic roars above on the busy motorway, we trudge through the dismal path, ducking prickly rogue stems and stamping out overgrown weeds as we go.

After exiting the path, an overpass bridge gives us passage to escape the abysmal presence of the M25.

This section presents the most compelling reason why you may not want to start the Chess Valley from Ricksmansworth tube station.

Chorleywood welcomes us next with open arms.

Chorleywood House Estate Local Nature Reserve (Alternative start for Chess Valley Walk)

The landscape widens to an open meadow and signs for a new public footpath invites us to explore Chorleywood Nature Reserve and another historic home in the Chilterns: Chorleywood House. 

Walking up the slightly uphill terrain, we stop and enjoy a nice treat: elevated views of the rolling countryside.

Further up, the area is bustling with families, most of them headed to the Chorleywood Common Youth Football Club grounds. 

Chorleywood Main House and Summer House provide the backdrop for a quick snack.

Animal highlight: alpacas

As we head out of Chorleywood Nature Reserve to rejoin the Chess Valley walking path, an animal with a thick white fleece grabs my attention.

“What is it?” I wonder. 

The mystery animal raises a long elegant neck from the grass and a pair of curious eyes meet my equally inquisitive gaze.

It is my first time meeting an alpaca!

Chorleywood to Sarratt Bottom

We continue onwards north towards Sarratt Bottom and come to a small crossing point where a wooden footbridge adorns the river. This is one of the most picturesque sections of River Chess. Other walkers have stopped to break here for a riverside picnic.

Next, the trail takes us through Frogmore Meadow Nature Reserve.

Frogmore Meadow Nature Reserve, Sarratt

This small grassland reserve in the Chess Valley is populated with wildflowers which dot the meadows with vibrant colours and attract a bevy of pollinators. 

The land here is very flat so gazing at this vista won’t lead to any sharp intake of breath – the way hilltop views provoke. Nonetheless, the blanket of green brings a sense of calm and renewed appreciation for the countryside. 

Continuing along the rural route in Sarratt Bottom, we arrive at a second pasture. A cautionary sign on the gate warns us to be vigilant of cows.

Thankfully, I have no harrowing tales with Chess Valley cows to recount. 

Chess Valley Walking Tip

The section of the Chess Valley Walk around Sarratt Bottom can become very muddy after rain. Remember to wear the right footwear!

Wildlife highlight: red kites

Red kites soar above us, some cruising low across the open fields. We spot them circling overhead several times on our walk, which makes it surprising to later learn that these birds of prey were once extinct in England.

If you’re interested to learn more about red kites in the Chilterns, read here.

Chenies village – pub stop on the Chess Valley Walk

Chenies village turns out to be the perfect place to take a pub break on our Chess Valley Walk. This quiet Chilterns village is everything you want out of a day trip from London: it’s quiet and atmospheric.

To get there we must walk past the Mountwood farm and go down a little country lane that becomes a snug passage between charming village houses.

It dutifully leads us to the main attraction: the pub. As it turns out we have two options: The Bedford Arms and The Red Lion.

The Bedford Arms is the more elegant-looking of the two pubs in Chenies. It is a hotel fitted with a restaurant and bar with a nice garden. 

The Red Lion pub is in two-minute walking distance of the Bedform Arms in Chenies. Currently, there are several picnic tables set up both alongside and in front of the pub – a nice spot to enjoy a pint at leisure. And so we do!

Latimer to Chesham

Latimer gets my vote for the most scenic section of the Chess Valley Walk and the site of the most fascinating historic home in the Chilterns.

The red brick of Latimer House is unmissable. The Tudor style mansion has an envious position on a grassy ridge that provides magnificent views of the valley. At the forefront of this view is a wide lake and the site of a former Roman farm villa.

However, the stunning view from Latimer House is not its most interesting detail. The real intrigue of Latimer House is the hush-hush history of covert operations that took place at this secret intelligence site during the Second World War.

The mystery doesn’t end there. Latimer House is said to have a secret tunnel. It lies behind a wall that cannot be touched for 50 years. Absolutely fascinating, right?

That 50 years comes to an end this decade. Whether that means we’ll learn more about this secret tunnel soon, time will tell…

Also read: Intrigues of the Cotswolds: Fairytale Flair and Stone Secrets

Finishing the Chess Valley Walk in Chesham

It’s the final stretch of our Chess Valley Walk. To our right is woodland. To our left is more farmland where an unlikely subject of beauty is resplendent under the summer sun. 

Stalks of wheat quiver as the occasional breeze blows. The golden yellow of their sun-kissed crowns dazzles as it tumbles across the landscape.

We pass an array of dreamy cottages by Blackwell Hall Lane. The picture-perfect bubble soon pops as country landscape fades and traffic appears. As we walk into Chesham town, one nice aspect of the trail re-emerges: the chalk stream is back.

The gentle clear waters of River Chess re-appear as if to say Farewell! 

Final thoughts on Chess Valley Walk

“Is the Chess Valley Walk worth it?”

If this is the question on your mind, the answer is an immediate Yes!

The Chess Valley Walk is one of the best reasons to take a day trip from London to the Chilterns. As I’ve already mentioned, my sole dislike on the walk was the early (short) section in Rickmansworth that is in the vicinity of the M25. Apart from that bit, this is an incredibly beautiful walk with wildlife and flowers dotting the path throughout. I’d recommend it to everyone, including novice walkers.