The Rising Sun, Little Hampden, Bucks

November 2006

Sadly this lovely little pub is now closed.

'Little Hampden is a mere hamlet in the woods, with a tiny church in a
secluded position, which dates from 1254. Its wooden porch wth belfry above
is a most interesting feature. The beech woods from Little Hampden towards
Wendover show Buckinghamshire at its best.'
..from the very informative 'Guide to Metroland', published in the1920s
(price 2d!). Not much has changed in 80 years.

Coombe Hill

Coombe Hill is a steepish climb from any direction, but the view is staggering.
The stone column shown here is only an outpost of the huge memorial to the right of the picture and commemorating the dead of Buckinghamshire from the Boer War.
A metal map helps orientate you in the landscape over to Aylesbury, Tring, Princes Risborough and beyond.

Walking is very well catered for, with signs everywhere for public footpaths, bridleways, The Chiltern Way and the Ridgeway. Autumn leaves and Beech Woods make this area a treat.

And at the end of our 5 mile morning walk we found The Chiltern Brewery where our previous booking set us up for a beer tasting, a tasty meal of beer related produce and a short tour of the microbrewery.

Chiltern Brewery Very obliging folks, a microbrewery with a good range of beers and related products. An interesting tour and a good lunch. I recommend the beer, the chutney, the marmalades and the chocolates. Here Duncan, Mark and Tim inspect the "copper" then grin following the tasting tour ...

Ellesborough Church

The church is near the Chiltern Brewery, near Chequers - the Prime Minister's Country Home - and to The Rising Sun at Little Hampden.

It is a charming part of the country, good for easy walking but with a few hills to give splendid views.

And here, for good measure, is a shot of the Church at Tring, which we passed through on our Sunday walk

And on Sunday to The Valiant Trooper at Aldbury Common - shown here with Duncan and Tim and the village stocks