4 38.9km / 24.2 miles / 12-14 hours Ascent 2927m/9603ft

5 15.6 km / 9.7 miles / 6 hours Ascent 1080m/3543ft

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE’S Hambleden Valley is one of England’s true hidden gems. Bypassed by through traffic, it is a lovely spot to explore on foot or bicycle if you keep to the path beside the Hamble Brook.

I’d wager that most keen swimmers have, at some point, daydreamed of owning a lake. Being just a few steps away from a swim in an idyllic location – it’s the stuff of dreams. But staying at Lenches La

6 20.6km / 12.8 miles / 7-7.5 hours Ascent 1122m/3680ft

In December 1997, we moved from a tiny London garden to our new home, Old Park Barn in Buckinghamshire. It was daunting – a huge leap of faith from gardening in an urban courtyard to essentially an ov