For wellbeing and wildlife

Revive the Wye

River Wye walks

The Rye and Kingsmead

Andrew Clark who is the Chiltern Society walks designer has created the first Revive the Wye walk in Chiltern Society format and it has been published in ‘Chiltern’.

This 5.5mile (with shorter options) walk is based on a route round the Rye and Kingsmead devised by Roger Wilding, and the notes have been compiled with the assistance of Mike Overall and Judy Sonley (all volunteers with the Revive the Wye Partnership) and Jane Dunsterville of Flackwell Local Area History Group.

A walk along the Wye

START: The Guildhall, High St, High Wycombe HP11 2AG. There are numerous car parks all fairly close to the Guildhall
DISTANCE: 5.5 miles/8.9km, with shorter 2.2 and 2.9 mile options
TERRAIN: An easy flat walk, mostly on good surfaces but with some muddy sections after rain
MAPS: OS Explorer 172, Chiltern Society 1 and 13
REFRESHMENTS: There are many places in the town. On the route there’s Pizza Hut in
Wycombe Retail Park, The General Havelock pub in Kingsmead Rd and the café at the end of The Dyke
PUBLIC TRANSPORT: The bus station is next to the Eden Shopping Centre. High Wycombe is served by Chiltern Railways from London Marylebone.

Route

When facing the Chiltern Society plaque, take the archway on the right and walk down the pedestrianised street behind. Turn left along the right-hand side of St Mary Street, cross at the bend and walk down the steps to Queen Victoria Rd. Cross it, turn right then left through the paved gardens. Go over the pedestrian crossing and turn left to the information boards at the entrance to The Rye and Holywell Mead.

  1. Follow the access road to the left then continue straight ahead on the wide paved footpath to the historic Pann Mill and River Stay in the same direction for a further 400m past a playground to a junction of paths. Continue straight on with the stream to the left, then follow the path to the right, passing the bowls club, to the entrance road to the Lido. Stay in the same direction to Bassetsbury Lane and turn right to the junction with Keep Hill Rd. For the shorter 2.2 mile option see below.
  2. After a further 60m, bear left along Bowden Lane towards a disused railway Go under it and the large pipe, to view the pond on the right. For the shorter 2.9 mile option see below.
  3. Continue in the same direction along the river bank, with the new Wye Dean development on the Cross the entrance road and, after 200m, follow the footpath round to the right to a roundabout in Wycombe Retail Park. Turn left along Ryemead Way and cross it via a traffic island by the river bridge. Continue straight ahead on the wooden walkway to the left of the Pizza Hut building and walk beside the river to a metal artwork. Turn left and take the pedestrian crossing over the main road. Turn right along the pavement past the Grade II listed St Anne’s Church and Wycombe Marsh Baptist Church to a pedestrian crossing just before Gomm Rd.
  4. Cross the road, turn left for a few metres and right over the wooden footbridge into Kingsmead Recreation   Turn  immediately  left and follow the riverbank path to the end of the playing fields, continuing

ahead on a short section of The Chiltern Way. Cross the entrance to Kingsmead Business Park and follow the rough track to a T-junction. Turn right on the surfaced footpath for 130m to the next T-junction.

  1. Turn right again along the bank of Marsh Brook (the Back Stream). Go past a car park on the right and stay in the same direction along the edge of the recreation ground for 630m. Bear left over a bridge just after the playground up to a road – Kingsmead Turn right on the pavement for 100m and bear right down Beech Rd to the ford at the bottom.
  2. Do not cross it, but take the surfaced path to the left and follow it back up to Kingsmead Rd. Turn right along the pavement and stay on it to the road junction with Abbey Barn Taking care, cross it to

continue along Kingsmead Rd for 200m, and go over a footbridge into Bassetsbury Lane. Follow the lane for 600m through an S-bend, cross the bridge over the Back Stream and climb the grassy slope on the left to meet Keep Hill Rd.

  1. Cross the road, follow the stream to a waterfall and take the surfaced path behind it up to a path junction at the
  2. Turn right along the wide path, keeping to the left of The Dyke, for 800m to reach the boating site and café at the end of the Bear right, follow the path to reach the entrance to The Rye and turn left to retrace the route back to the Guildhall.

Shorter options

2.2 miles Turn left up Keep Hill Rd for 70m to the brick wall on the right. Turn right onto the grass and follow the stream as described from point 7.

2.9 miles After the large pipe, climb the steps on the left up to the disused railway line above. Turn left and walk along the old track to the end. Bear right down to Bassetsbury Lane. Turn right and follow the route between points 6 and 7.

Download the Chiltern Society River Walk Leaflet here (PDF)

Additional Walks

​Willie Reid hosts free walking tours around the historic town of High Wycombe, some of which include the local waterways.

Details of the walks on offer can be found at https://www.walkingwycombewithwillie.co.uk/walks

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