Chiltern Walks

Ancient Sunken Lane

The Chilterns are full of amazing walks. My top three would include valley walks along chalk streams, through sunken lanes in the beechwoods, and high along the tops of the northern escarpment.

There really are an incredibly well preserved network of ancient footpaths and bridleways which give truly superb access to virtually all areas of the Chiltern Hills. Footpaths connect all the towns and villages, and many hardly ever cross a road.

Whether you’re walking along the breathtaking Chiltern escarpment or meandering ancient pathways through the beechwoods, your only regret will be that there’ll never be enough hours in the day to explore every path.

Ivinghoe Beacon
Along the Ridgeway to Ivinghoe Beacon

Two of the best known Chilterns walks are the Ridgeway Path and the Icknield Way. These ancient trackways are as old as the hills themselves, used by our ancestors since time began they were the motorways of their day. Incredibly, today it’s entirely possible to walk these paths all day and not meet a soul!

Quieter still are the Chiltern Way and Chiltern Link footpaths. These are ideal routes for exploring the Chilterns ‘off the beaten track’.

When walking in the Chilterns you’ll definitely need the appropriate ordnance survey map, for example Chiltern Hills North #181, if only to work out the location of the next hostelry. Though footpaths are generally very well signposted, the map will come in handy now and then.

Chilterns Walks