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Berkshire
Runnymede and Ankerwycke
© NTPL / Andrew Butler
Come and see the site where King John sealed the Magna Carta in 1215 and history was made. This attractive Thames-side setting of meadows and broadleaved woodland also holds a tranquil memorial to John F Kennedy and the magnificent 2,000-year old Ankerwycke Yew.
Buckinghamshire
Ashridge Estate and Ivinghoe Beacon
© NTPL / Michael Caldwell
This estate of open countryside and fantastic woodland is a wonderful place for walking whatever time of year you visit. There are plenty of self-guided walks available to help you enjoy the estate which runs along the Chiltern Hills. Bluebells carpet the woodland in spring and there are rich pickings of wildlife, including the rare red kite. Ivinghoe Beacon and the Duke of Bridgewater Monument offer splendid viewpoints.
Coombe Hill and Low Scrubs
© Alex Bryce
Climb Coombe Hill, the highest point in the Chilterns, for sweeping views across the Vale of Aylesbury, the Berkshire Downs and the Cotswolds. A flock of our sheep grazes the hill to encourage wild flowers to flourish, and attract butterflies and insects. Low Scrubs, to the east, is a wooded common where you can discover many woodland plants.
Hampshire and the New Forest
Curbridge Nature Reserve
© Peter V Facey
Enjoy a delightful walk through the Curbridge Nature Reserve with fine views over the River Hamble, a rich haven for wildlife. The bluebells are stunning in the spring and birdwatchers can spot Little Egrets, Shelducks, Grey Wagtails and Sedge Warblers.
Hale Purlieu
© Graham Cooper
This area of heathland was once part of the historic royal hunting ground of the New Forest and is still grazed under the traditional commoners’ rights. A network of footpaths will help you to explore Hale Purlieu's heath and mires, and its wealth of wildlife which features the rare Dartford Warbler.
Selborne Common and Hill
© Dylan Lumborg
Selborne is famous as the village were the pastor and naturalist Gilbert White lived in the 18th century. You can still walk up the famous zig-zag path to Selborne Common and Hill where he made his studies of the local wildlife. You'll see plants, butterflies and other wildlife, along with some of the finest beech ‘hanger’ woodlands on the chalk escarpments of East Hampshire.
Isle of Wight
The Needles Headland
and Tennyson Down
© NTPL / Joe Cornish
With its towering white chalk cliffs, the Needles Headland is one of the most recognisable natural landmarks on the island. Strategically placed at the west entrance to the Solent, it was a site of military importance for centuries and the Old Battery, a Palmerstonian fort built in 1860 to protect against the threat of French invasion, gives fantastic sea views today. Walk the coast path along Tennyson Down to appreciate the full drama and vitality of this haven for sea birds.
Ventnor and Luccombe Downs
© NTPL / Joe Cornish
Ventnor and Luccombe are the southernmost chalk downs in England, designated an Area of Outstanding Beauty and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. The crest of St Boniface at 240m is the highest point on the island and a wonderful viewpoint. The Downs are alive with butterflies, including the Adonis Blue, in summer and wild goats graze the hills all year round.
Oxfordshire
White Horse Hill
© NTPL
Come face to face with myths, legends and one of ancient man in Britain's most famous achievements on this wild and windy hill. Visit the flat-topped mound of Dragon's Hill where St George is reputed to have slain the dragon. From the hill, it's a short walk to Wayland's Smithy long barrow, another Prehistoric treasure.
The Buscot & Coleshill Estates
© NTPL / David Levenson
Discover an area of unspoilt Oxfordshire countryside with miles of waymarked walks leading through a traditionally farmed landscape, and dotted with pretty villages and historic sites. Plan the Iron Age hill-fort at Badbuy Hill, Buscot Weir, Buscot Park and Great Coxwell Barn into your visit.
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