Walking in Buckinghamshire

Guidebook of 32 walks through Buckinghamshire's bluebell woods, rolling Chiltern hills and pretty villages. The walks are of short and medium length on waymarked paths and bridleways, for all abilities and interests, and include sections of Icknield Way and a section of the Ridgeway.

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Walk 3 - Stowe Landscape Gardens

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Distance: 6km/4 miles
Time: 2 hours
Map: OS Landranger 152; National Trust Stowe visitor information leaflet
Start: National Trust car park at Stowe (Grid Ref 674376)
Refreshments: Tea rooms, Stowe Gardens

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A walk with a difference – a gentle stroll round Stowe Landscape Gardens, created in the grounds of a mansion (later Stowe School) over a 150 year period from 1700 by William Kent and, later, ‘Capability’ Brown. It is an epic landscape garden – one of the largest in Europe – with various monuments, temples, and the like. The National Trust embarked on an ambitious conservation project when it acquired the gardens in 1989 and opened them to the public. The house is still occupied by Stowe School.

Start: Stowe Gardens National Trust car park (grid ref 674376). Stowe is signposted from Buckingham along the long approach of Stowe Avenue. The gardens are open every day in the school holidays, and Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday in term time (except January–March). Opening times vary from year to year (tel. 01280 822850 for information). Buses from Aylesbury and Milton Keynes stop in Buckingham. A large-scale map of the gardens is available from the information centre in the car park.

From the car park turn left following the ‘Walks’ sign to reach the Temple of Concord and Victory.

This was built by William Kent about 1746. The temple includes fluted Ionic columns and an inscription which refers to the victorious end of the Seven Years’ War.

Turn left along the Grecian Valley, also designed by William Kent.

This valley was originally intended to be a lake, but the designers had difficulty in making the water stay put. At the far end of the valley is the Fane of Pastoral Poetry, with a view across to an obelisk built in 1759 to mark the death of General Wolfe in the battle for Quebec.

(A) Follow the main path (marked by green arrows) to the Cobham Monument, erected as a belvedere in 1747 by Lord Cobham. Follow the main path round to the Queen’s Temple, designed by Gibbs in the 1740s, later altered by Borra. From here, there is a view across to the Gothic Temple, visited later.

At a cross-paths, continue straight on along the Elysian Fields, laid out by William Kent in the 1730s.

Along this gentle valley are the Seasons Fountain, where the water flows out of a lion’s mouth, and Shell Bridge, which acts as a dam between the upper and lower parts of the lake. It was originally covered in shells. The Cook Monument was erected in 1778 in memory of Captain Cook. It originally had a globe on top.

Finally, the Temple of British Worthies is reached.

It was built by William Kent in 1733, one of the first of Stowe’s monuments. It is in semi-circle form with sixteen recesses, each containing a bust, made by Rysbrack in 1732–3. The worthies displayed there are Queen Elizabeth I, Shakespeare, Bacon, Milton, Hampden, Newton, Locke, William III (who is in Roman dress), King Alfred, the Black Prince, Gresham, Sir John Barnard, Drake, Raleigh, Inigo Jones and Pope. It is a superb monument of national pride and historical interest, complete with an accurate portrayal of period costume.

(B) At the end of the Elysian Fields turn left towards the Palladian Bridge.

This was also built early in the garden’s history, and was designed by Palladio. Other examples of this style are at Wilton House, near Salisbury, and at Prior Park, Bath. The bridge has unfluted Ionic columns. On the hillside to your left is the Gothic Temple. This is one of the most dominant of the Stowe monuments. It was built around 1840, when the Gothic revival was in its infancy. It was designed in a triangle, with a pentagonal tower at each corner, being taller in one corner than the other two.

(C) To explore the Gothic Temple turn left at the Palladian Bridge. After crossing the Palladian Bridge, the walk passes the Temple of Friendship, the front of which has four large Tuscan columns. From here there is a good view across the lake and Palladian Bridge to the Gothic Temple. Later, the Lake Pavillions are reached – designed by Vanburgh in 1719. From here is a superb view across the Octagon Lake to Stowe School – the best view on the whole walk.

At the second Lake Pavilion bear right past a ‘No Horses’ sign, then turn left along the lakeside path. Separating the Octagon Lake from the Eleven Acre Lake is the Cascade, a pretty dam built from rocks with a rough pointed arch. Turn right at a cross-paths, following the main path round the Eleven Acre Lake.

To the left is the Temple of Venus, a raised alcove with two Ionic columns. At the other end of the long avenue are the Boycott Pavillions. They were originally connected by an arch, crossing the approach road.

(D) However, our route turns right at a green arrow to follow a secluded lakeside path. At the other end of the lake, the path passes the Cascade again. Here, turn left, then right almost immediately. At a second T- junction, turn left (E), then right again to arrive back at the Elysian Fields, returning along the other side of the valley.

Almost at once, the Grenville Column is reached. This is a rostral column, with a statue of heroic beauty holding out a scroll towards the British Worthies on the far side of the lake.

A short detour brings you to the church of the Assumption, hidden by trees. The church is all that remains of the village of Stowe, which was moved when the park was built. After passing the Grotto at the head of the Elysian Fields, the path passes the buildings of Stowe School en route back to the Temple of Concorde and Victory. From here is a good view along the length of the Grecian Valley, together with a vista across to the Cobham Monument, visited earlier on the walk.

The tea room is located behind the Temple of Concorde and Victory.