Five TripAdvisor reviews of places to visit in High Wycombe

High Wycombe and the surrounding area has some breathtaking views alongside beautiful National Trust properties and interesting history for residents and visitors to explore and enjoy.

But despite its beauty, there is just no pleasing some people.

Some visitors have been so displeased with their visit to the town, they’ve taken to TripAdvisor to vent, leaving some pretty harsh – but hilarious – reviews.

Here are some of High Wycombe’s toughest critics and what they had to say about the various attractions here.

West Wycombe Park

“Dog hostile”

Reviewer Sherrie P was furious her dog was not allowed in West Wycombe Park, a National Trust property, in 2018.

She wrote a scathing review, accusing the owners’ dogs as having “behaviour issues”.

She said: “First National Trust property I’ve come across where you can’t walk a dog in the grounds.

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“Why not? The explanation I was given at the gate was that the owner (I thought it was owned by the National Trust) doesn’t want his dogs upset by the public’s dogs.

“Well, matey, first off, you're a tenant; you can’t afford to run the house and grounds. It’s the dog owning, NT members who are subsidising your lifestyle.

“Secondly, dog walking is a sociable activity. Dogs meet up with dogs all the time. Why can't your dogs cope with other dogs?

“I was informed that your dogs are walked in the grounds. Should the public be warned to keep away from them? Probably.

“You are effectively stating that your dogs have behaviour issues. Can’t you afford leads? There's acres of space.”

“This place is bonkers!”

Another reviewer, d_jones25, described the “odd” estate as “bonkers” in 2016, adding that an “out of control ego” had “gone crazy” inside the house.

They wrote: “I found it really creepy because I couldn't help thinking about what person could design, construct & live in such an odd place.

“The extensive grounds contain a nice lake and then you find many large Romanesque temples dotted around.

“That sets the tone for inside the house. An apparently out of control ego has gone crazy in there.

“The art is over the top & totally out of place in the Bucks countryside.”

Hughenden Manor

“Waste of a drive”

Reviewer HertfordshireMarmi was disappointed there were cows in the parkland at Hughenden Manor, and the area itself was “very hilly” - despite coming to a valley.

They wrote: “Had a good look on the NT [National Trust] website and decided to book. Took 1hr 15mins to get here and what a waste.

“Car park poorly signed and roads to it poorly kept. Toilets very clean.

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“No maps, no arrows to follow despite signs saying one way.

“Only a very small orchard, walled garden and parkland. If we had paid, I would want my money back.

“Save your petrol and stay home. Nowhere open even for water. Cows in the parkland, very hilly, just so disappointing.”

Wycombe Museum

“The most boring thing you can do in this world”

Googlemanis1988 visited Wycombe Museum in 2016, scathingly joking that people who have insomnia should visit it as they would “sleep on the spot” because it is so “boring”.

They wrote: “The Wycombe chair museum is the most boring day out you could ever achieve in your life.

“Want to go look at some ugly brown chairs stuck to the wall? Well step right up.

“Yes, High Wycombe used to be the biggest chair manufacturing town in the country [but] this museum does not do that fact any justice, there is really nothing to see here.

“Ugly, uncreative, nasty looking brown wicker crap furniture stuck to the wall, the worlds most rubbish day out.

“If you have insomnia go, this place it will bore you to tears so much you will sleep on the spot.”

Wycombe Swan

“A bit like entering a police state”

Reviewer canndyman was left seething after they and a friend had to present their bags to be checked at Wycombe Swan when they came to see the UK Pink Floyd Experience perform, likening it to “entering a police state”.

They wrote last February: “It’s so sad what has happened to this theatre in the past few months, whereby it seems now that all visitors are treated like potential criminals.

“On our latest visit to see the UK Pink Floyd Experience (who were excellent btw), we once again had to join a long line of people at the entrance so that a surly youngster in a suit could search our bags.

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“It appears they are looking for alcohol – presumably ‘smuggled’ in by people who baulk at the theatre’s ridiculously expensive bar prices.

“On a previous visit I even had a bottle of water confiscated.

“This time, my friend was treated in a disrespectful way too when, on producing our 2 tickets (once she’s got through ‘security’), had to point me out in the aforementioned queue to make sure I wasn’t ‘gatecrashing’.”

They also seemed surprised staff wanted to catch out people taking pictures on their mobile phones, saying: “The same overzealous attitude from front of house staff prevails once people are seated, where they seem determined to home in on any ‘wrongdoers’ who might be taking pics on their mobile phones etc.

“All this unnecessary ‘policing’ of theatre-goers leaves a rather sour taste and sullies the experience of should be an enjoyable night out – that normally doesn’t come particularly cheaply either.”