It was a cold damp morning in Great Missenden car park as Ian, Alan, John Mac, Angela, new member Steve, and myself joined Phil for his ride over the hill to Cuddington. After a short delay to fix a puncture we headed off up the High Street and Rignall Road. Continuing on and up over Longdown Hill we arrived at The Plough at Cadsden for elevenses.
Coffee’s and tea’s downed we left The Plough on down Cadsden Road, through Asket and around Monks Risborough and into Mill Lane. Crossing the Icknield Way, B4009, we continued on through Owlswick, Ford, and Dinton to reach the Oxford - Aylesbury Road. We crossed the aforementioned road into Cuddington Road which led us to lunch at The Crown, a thatched Fullers pub.
After lunch Phil led us out of Cuddington past Haddenham to Towersey where we joined the Phoenix Trail which we followed to Princes Risborough crossing the Lower Icknield Road on a rail bridge and the Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway on a level crossing. The trail was the Wycombe Railway which connected Princes Risborough and Thame with the city of Oxford and transformed into the trail (NCR57) by Sustrans in the 1990’s. The Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway is on part of the former GWR branch to Watlington.
We followed thr Upper Ickinield Way briefley crossing Wycombe Road into Woodway which led us via a 10% hill to Lacey Green and our tea stop at The Whip Inn.
Behind The Whip Inn stands Lacey Green Windmill which is the Oldest smock windmill in England with original wooden machinery dating from around 1650. Restored to working order by members of The Chiltern Society between 1971 and 1983.
We left Lacey Green down Pink Lane past the Pink and Lilly PH, which still looks closed, through Great Hampden to Great Missenden.
Return trip to Great Missenden 3i.9 miles