Chinnor & Princes Risborough Railway - (Chinnor Station)

Steam trains still run between Chinnor and Princes Risborough, which feels properly old-fashioned in the best way. The railway operates heritage services along a scenic stretch of the Chilterns, and you can either ride the trains or simply wander around Chinnor Station to watch them come and go. It's the kind of place where you'll see proper enthusiasts with their cameras and children pressing their noses against windows as a locomotive hisses into the platform.

The station itself has that lived-in charm of a working railway - vintage signage, period buildings, and usually something being restored in the yard. Riding one of the heritage trains takes you through proper countryside, nothing rushed or theme-park about it. Allow a good couple of hours if you're doing a full journey, though you can just pop in for 30 minutes to watch the action.

Families with kids who aren't train-obsessed might find an afternoon visit enough rather than a full day out. Older railway enthusiasts, though - they'll lose hours here happily. The nearest towns are High Wycombe to the north and Princes Risborough directly down the line, so it slots easily into a wider Chilterns exploration.

If you're based at one of the camping spots nearby - Home Farm Camping is closest at under three miles - you've got a handy rainy-day option. It's not flashy, but it's genuine and unpretentious. Worth checking their website for seasonal opening dates and train schedules before you go.