The pursuit of gorgeous rural scenes has led us to the wonderful Chiltern Hills, a chalk escarpment about 30 miles west of London, within the counties of Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire. Stretching from Goring in the south to Hitchin in the north, some 45 miles away, and only 12 miles at its widest point, the area may not be huge, but it’s packed with great riding, wonderful views and an abundance of beautiful flora and fauna. It certainly feels a long way from the hustle and bustle of the capital.
Our starting location is the small village of Nettlebed, just west of Henley-on-Thames, which hosts the annual Henley Royal Regatta. The roadside parking by the village green is unusually busy with Thames Water vans, so we pop down the road to the other end of the village, where we find The Cheese Shed. This creative establishment has been around for a while, with the staff producing award-winning cheeses from their creamery. But when COVID shook things up, to survive, they emerged with a wonderful new addition, in the form of a cafe in one of their barns. They now offer a range of drinks, cakes, ice creams and cheese toasties, alongside their own amazing cheeses. There are toilets and a big car park, too, so a polite word later and we’re safely
