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Great Missenden – Wendover

30 km road cycling loop246 m climbing1½–2 hoursGPX

Little Kingshill, England, United Kingdom · Road

A hilly 30 km road cycling loop from Little Kingshill, England through Great Missenden, Hotley Bottom and Wendover, with 246 m of climbing.

Route contributed by Richard Chapman · Created from a ride on Thursday 2nd July 2026

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At a glance

Best for
Short, climbing-heavy rides
Distance
29.9 km
Loop
Elevation gain
246 m
8 m per km
Riding time
1½–2 hours
moving time, estimated
Difficulty
Easy
Bike
Road bike
from the mapped surface
Surface
Paved
96% paved · 2% unpaved · 2% no data
Traffic
Mostly minor roads
3.1 km where the limit is 80 km/h or more
Food & water
Regular
37 cafés and restaurants · 4 shops · 4 public toilets
Navigation
GPX download
free, no sign-in
Start and finish
Little Kingshill

Map and elevation profile

Elevation profile

Total ascent
246 m
Distance
30 km
050100150200250m0 km102030 km237 m · highest, at 18.6 kmStartFinish · back at the start

Route description

  1. Little Kingshill
  2. Great Missendenkm 2
  3. Hotley Bottomkm 5
  4. Ellesboroughkm 11
  5. Butler's Crosskm 11
  6. Wendoverkm 14
  7. St Leonardskm 19
  8. Lee Gatekm 22
  9. The Leekm 23
  10. Little Kingshillkm 30

Starting at Little Kingshill, the route heads to Great Missenden at 2.1 km with a pub at the start and finish named Nag's Head. The ride continues through Hotley Bottom before reaching Ellesborough and Butler's Cross around 11 km. After Wendover at 14.3 km, the first climb begins at 14.5 km, lasting 1.5 km with a 3.5% average gradient, reaching 177 m.

A steeper climb starts at 16.7 km, 1.7 km long averaging 4.3% but with a 9.5% max, peaking at 235 m near 18.6 km. The route passes near Coombe Hill at 11.9 km. Most roads are minor roads (85%) with 2 km of path and 0.5 km of main road; 96% is paved. There is 3.1 km on fast roads with 80 km/h or more. The longest descent is 1.2 km from 26.5 km dropping 58 m to 120 m near 28.9 km.

Refuelling options include cafés and supermarkets near Great Missenden (2 km) and Wendover (14 km), with pubs or cafés also near 21 and 28 km. Toilets are found near 14 and 28 km. Two bailout points are at Great Missenden and Wendover stations, both off route by about 130 m. There is an 8.8 km stretch without a café, shop, or water from 2.6 to 11.4 km.

Highlights

  • Passes beneath Coombe Hill (260 m)
  • Climb of 1.7 km averaging 4.3% at 16.7 km
  • Longest descent 1.2 km dropping 58 m from 26.5 km
  • Stops at Great Missenden and Wendover stations

Along the route

Measured from the route line, the Copernicus elevation model and OpenStreetMap.

Places passed

  1. Great Missenden 2.1 km
  2. Hotley Bottom 4.7 km
  3. Ellesborough 11.2 km
  4. Butler's Cross 11.4 km
  5. Wendover 14.3 km
  6. St Leonards 19.2 km
  7. Lee Gate 21.7 km
  8. The Lee 22.8 km
  9. South Heath 25.8 km

Climbs

Climbs in ride order: where each starts, what this ride climbs, and the full named ascent
ClimbStarts atOn this rideTop on this ride
Unnamed climb14.5 km1.5 km · 50 m · 3.5 % · max 5.6 %177 m
Unnamed climb16.7 km1.7 km · 74 m · 4.3 % · max 9.5 %235 m

High point 237 m at 18.6 km; low point 120 m. Passes beneath Coombe Hill.

Traffic, surface and gradient

Measured from OpenStreetMap along the track and the elevation profile.

Mostly minor roads and streets on the map.

Roads
85% minor road · 7% path · 5% quiet street · 2% main road · 1% other roads and tracks
Fast roads
3.1 km on roads with a limit of 80 km/h or more
Main roads used
Missenden Road (6 km)
Surface
Paved: 96% of the route is mapped as paved, 2% as unpaved and 2% has no surface data.
Gradient
18% climbing · 24% descending · 58% flat
Steep sections
1.2 km over 5% · 0.5 km over 8% · steepest 500 m averages 9% at 17.3 km

Food, water and services

Within a few hundred metres of the track, from OpenStreetMap. Opening hours change — treat this as where to look, not a promise.

No stretch is longer than 15 km without a café, shop or water. Along the route: 37 cafés and restaurants, 4 shops and 4 public toilets.

Food, water and shops in ride order

  1. 2 kmCosta · café · on the route
  2. 2 kmThe Co-operative Food · supermarket · 60 m off route
  3. 2 kmKinton Pharmacy · pharmacy · on the route
  4. 14.1 kmSweeney's · supermarket · 50 m off route
  5. 14.1 kmToilets · 40 m off route
  6. 14.3 kmCosta · café · 70 m off route
  7. 21.4 kmThe Old Swan · pub · on the route
  8. 28 kmCafé Twit · café · on the route
  9. 28 kmToilets · on the route

Need to bail out?

  • 2 km — Great Missenden (station), 130 m off route
  • 13.8 km — Wendover (station), 130 m off route

Whether bikes are carried depends on the service — check before relying on it.

Start and access

Starts and finishes at Little Kingshill. Mapped within a short walk of the start, from OpenStreetMap.

At the start and finish

Food and coffee
Nag's Head (490 m)

Know before you go

  • 8.8 km without café, shop or water from 2.6 to 11.4 km
  • 3.1 km on fast roads (80 km/h or more)
  • 0.5 km on main roads without a cycle lane
  • Steepest 500 m at 9% gradient at 17.3 km

Routes are for inspiration. Roads, surfaces and conditions change — check locally and ride within your limits.

1 photograph from the road

About this route

Ridden by
Richard Chapman
Date ridden
Route line
Built from a GPS recording of the ride.
Elevation
Recalculated from the Copernicus GLO-90 terrain model every 50 m, not the device’s barometer.
Roads, surface, services
Measured along the line from OpenStreetMap extracts.
GPX
Generated from the route line: track points only, no timestamps or personal data.
Page added
Page last updated

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