Leafy Bucks (yet it has a London underground station?)
Buckinghamshire is an affluent county in the Home Counties (not far from London). Often called ‘Leafy Bucks’, it also has some of the London underground stations, one arriving at Aldgate East (a bit of a culture shock for some, who live in pretty villages!)
If out walking, follow the Countryside Code to keep all creatures safe. Keep dogs away from bluebells and other spring bulbs.
Chesham Underground Station – this historic market town boasts a 12th century church and is known for its ‘four Bs – boots, beer, brushes and baptists). It’s the furthest line on the Metropolitan line, and was home to Roger Crab, a 17th century herbal doctor whose eccentricity was thought to have inspired the Mad Hatter in Alice in Wonderland books.
One local boy who grew up here was Stephen Fry, who was a bit of a scallywag back in the day, but now is a good boy!
Aldgate East Underground Station – previously quite run down, this East end borough is now an up-and-coming place and far removed from its old Jack the Ripper tour routes. The station is built over a massive plague pit of over 1000 bodies from 1665’s Great Plague.
Buckingham has a timeless charm of cobbled streets and Georgian houses, alongside the River Ouse (it’s also home to England’s only privately-owned university). Markets run twice a week, and independent shops line the high street.
Set on the Grand Union Canal, offering peaceful towpath walks, along a stretch of water that runs from London to Birmingham. Read our post on protecting historic canals.
Denham (pretty parks, walks on Grand Union Canal and indie shops) means this village is home to many celebrities. Previous residents have been Sir John Mills, Sir Roger Moore, Cilla Black and Paul Daniels.
Although the outdoor and railway scenes for the iconic film Brief Encounter were filmed in the Cumbrian town of Carnforth, the studio scenes were filmed at Denham Film Studios (long gone, to be replaced by luxury homes).
