The Chess Valley Walk: A beautiful 10-mile stroll along the River Chess
The Chess Valley Walk is a 10-mile linear hiking trail that meanders from Rickmansworth to Chesham alongside the River Chess. It showcases the beautiful countryside of Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire, taking you through valleys, forests and farmland on its way.
This walk is one of the best ways to experience the River Chess, as you’ll follow its entire length over the course of the day. Expect to see plenty of wildlife — I saw lots of ducks, geese, horses, sheep and cows, as well as some red kites, squirrels, a rabbit and even a water vole!
The Chess Valley Walk is mostly flat, easy to follow, and conveniently starts and ends in towns with tube stations. You can shorten it as much as you like, as it passes through a couple of other towns which also have tube stations. This makes it ideal for beginner hikers and families, as well as more experienced walkers looking for a leisurely day out.
Chess Valley Walk map & logistics
Start: Rickmansworth Station
Finish: Chesham Station
Distance: 10.3 miles (16.6 km)
Time: 4.5 – 5 hours
Difficulty: Moderate; the route is pretty flat, except for a few small hills. It is the distance which makes this route “moderate.”
GPX File: You can download my GPX file of the Chess Valley Walk here.
Where does the Chess Valley Walk start?
The Chess Valley Walk begins at Rickmansworth Station. It’s easily accessible from London, as Rickmansworth is on the Metropolitan tube line. From Baker Street, the journey is about 40 minutes. You can also reach Rickmansworth on the Chiltern Railways overground line from London Marylebone.
If you are driving, you could park at Rickmansworth Station and then get the train back to Rickmansworth from Chesham at the end of your walk.
How long is the Chess Valley Walk?
The Chess Valley Walk is 10 miles long and takes about 4.5 – 5 hours to complete. For a shorter walk, you can start/end at either Chalfont & Latimer or Chorleywood stations, both of which are on the Metropolitan line.
Is the Chess Valley Walk well signposted?
Yes! In general, the walk is easy to follow and is signposted throughout. Look out for signposts which display either “Chess Valley Walk” or the blue fish icon you see in the image below. Both are correct to follow.
That being said, there were a couple of places where I had to refer to my map to check the route, as the signposts were sometimes obscured by trees and I missed a turning.
Chess Valley Walk: Directions and route details
Start: Rickmansworth
Assuming you’ve begun your walk at Rickmansworth Station, turn right out of the station and continue along the road until you see a car park. There are some steps to the left of this car park — go up them and cross the bridge over the A412. You’ll find yourself in the scenic Rickmansworth Park.
Walk straight ahead across the grass and turn right along the path. You’ll soon find yourself leaving Rickmansworth Park and walking past a school. Continue on down the road and you should spot a signpost indicating the Chess Valley Walk (see image below).
To the River Chess
You’ll follow a narrow path along a sports ground for a while before meeting the River Chess itself. With the river to your right, stay on the path for about a mile until you reach some steps which take you up onto Loudwater Lane.
Cross over at Loudwater Lane and take the footpath on the opposite side of the road. I felt a little unsure if this was the right way because it seemed like private property. The path is fenced on both sides with corrugated iron to obstruct the view over properties and is actually a little eerie, but it is indeed a public footpath.
Continue along for about 430m before turning right at the fork (which is signposted with the Chess Valley Walk).
You’ll come out onto a scenic road with fields of horses surrounding you. Follow the road, and when it starts to bend right towards a house, take the path that goes straight on between the fences.
You’ll be spat out onto a narrow path next to a big fence with ugly buildings on the other side. Then, you’ll go over a bridge which crosses the M25. This is easily the worst part of the trail, but fortunately, it’s not long before you leave the M25 behind and can happily stroll into gorgeous countryside.
Chorleywood
After you’ve crossed over the M25, continue along the road a short way, and then take the first right down a surfaced track signposted to Sarratt Mill and Sarratt Green.
You’ll soon enter Chorleywood House Estate, a beautiful 68-hectare nature reserve. The Chess Valley Walk took me past magnificent oak and lime trees, and I even saw some birds of prey circling in the skies.
Continue following the trail through Chorleywood House Estate. You’ll cross a small bridge over the river, where I was delighted to see a German Shepherd splashing about and enjoying the water.
Sarratt Bottom
Continue following the trail and you’ll find yourself in the stunning Sarratt Bottom Nature Reserve. In the summertime, the meadows are filled with gorgeous yellow wildflowers.
Did you know that the Chilterns is famous for producing watercress? It was a big industry for the region during Victorian times, as the mineral-rich spring water of the River Chess is the perfect environment for the plant to thrive. The last remaining working watercress farm in the Chilterns can be found at Sarratt Bottom, and you can even visit to buy some.
Chenies
After you’ve left Sarratt Bottom and the watercress beds behind, you’ll soon arrive at Frogmore Meadows. This is a biological Site of Special Scientific Interest and is looked after by Hertfordshire and Middlesex Wildlife Trusts. You’ll be treated to more gorgeous meadow views; it was also around here that I saw a rabbit and a water vole, so keep your eyes peeled!
When you pass the stables and hit the road, turn left and walk a short way, before taking a right back onto the footpath.
Latimer
As you approach Latimer, you’ll need to leave the flat river path behind and begin to climb slightly uphill. The hill isn’t too challenging — more of a slight incline, really. The Chess Valley Walk will take you along a scenic field with views of the river to your left.
You’ll soon come to De Vere Latimer Estate, a grand country mansion overlooking the Chess Valley.
A mile or so after leaving De Vere Latimer Estate behind, you’ll reach the top of the hill. What meets you at the top is (in my opinion) the most scenic part of the walk — Tooley Croft. This sweeping crop field offers fantastic views across the valley.
Skirt around to the right of the crop field and then head downhill. As you approach the bottom of the hill, there will be a small (and missable) entrance into Frith Wood. Make sure to take the entrance into the woods — if you hit the bottom of the crop field, you’ve gone past it.
To the finish at Chesham
As you leave Frith Wood behind, you’ll enter the final leg of the Chess Valley Walk. Scenic paths alongside the river will accompany you to Chesham, where you’ll find plenty of coffee shops and pubs to reward yourself in. I recommend The Queen’s Head with its relaxing beer garden!
Looking for more walks easily accessible from London? Try these:
About The Author
Lauren Pears is a freelance travel writer and blogger based in London. She writes about active adventure travel, aiming to encourage and inspire travellers to make the most of the great outdoors.
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Hi,
Planning a hike on this path for the first time..
Are there toilets along the way.
If one can’t complete, are there trails to get back to the main roads to leave or do you have to walk all the way or walk back?