Beech woods and chalk downland within easy reach of London, laced with old ridge paths and grazing red kites
Chalk makes for gentle country, all rounded hills, dry valleys and beech woods that turn copper in autumn. The Chilterns run for 838 square kilometres across four counties, from the Thames near Goring up towards Bedfordshire, and much of it is within an hour of London. That closeness is much of the appeal, real walking without the long drive.
The high ground has some of the oldest paths in the country. The Ridgeway follows the chalk escarpment, and the Icknield Way Path picks up its line eastward, while down at the southern edge the Thames Path traces the river. For a shorter outing, Dunstable Downs has a big view and gliders overhead, and Wendover Woods is easy underfoot with the family.
Red kites are one bird you’ll notice, reintroduced here decades ago and now common overhead. Any time of year works; the chalk drains fast, so paths tend to stay walkable after rain when heavier clay ground turns to soup.
