The Chilterns reward a slow weekend: beech woods and rolling hills, pretty villages, characterful pubs and historic houses, all within a small, beautiful area. Whether you live here or are visiting, a little planning makes for a perfect couple of days. Here is a relaxed weekend itinerary, and how a local car lets you enjoy it without the driving.
- A Chilterns weekend mixes country walks, village pubs, historic houses and good food.
- The best spots are spread across the lanes, so local transport ties the days together.
- A car for the key journeys means you can enjoy long lunches and not worry about driving.
How to spend Saturday
Start with a Chiltern walk, a linear route through the beech woods, finishing at a country pub for lunch (a local taxi makes a point-to-point walk easy). Spend the afternoon exploring a village or a historic house, then enjoy a relaxed dinner at one of the area's destination restaurants, with a car home so everyone can unwind.
How to spend Sunday
A leisurely Sunday suits a heritage property or garden in the morning, followed by a proper Sunday roast at a village pub, see our Sunday lunch guide. A gentle afternoon walk or a wander round a market town rounds off the weekend before heading home or to the station.
Why use a local car for the weekend?
The Chilterns' charm is also its catch, the best of it is spread across country lanes with limited public transport. A local taxi for the key journeys ties the weekend together, lets you enjoy long lunches and a glass of wine, and removes the parking at busy spots. See our local service.
Arriving and getting around
If you are visiting, Gerrards Cross and Beaconsfield stations put you 20–25 minutes from London Marylebone, and a taxi from the station gets the weekend off to an easy start. For a special occasion, an executive car adds a touch of luxury to a country weekend. See our executive cars.