Activities at Chilterns Countryside

Countryside ranger walks

Explore the countryside around Hughenden and the Chilterns on a guided walk with our ranger team and find out about their conservation work that supports nature and encourages wildlife.

'Exploring the Chiltern Escarpment': a walk between Coombe Hill and Whiteleaf Hill

This 10 mile walk offers a range of panoramic views across the Chiltern Escarpment and the Aylesbury Vale. See a range of historical and archaeological sites, as well as the pretty village of Ellesborough and the prime minister’s country retreat at Chequers. With several important ecological habitats, ranging from rare chalk grassland to archetypal Chiltern beech woodlands, you’ll also pass through the largest remaining area of natural box woodland in Britain.

• Challenging
• 5 hours
• 10.0 miles (16.05km)

Coombe Hill Woodland Walk

This gentle 3.5 mile circular walk passes mostly through sheltered woodland, from the mysterious coppiced beech of Low Scrubs to the towering beech standards of Linton’s Wood. The final section of the walk, in contrast, takes you around Coombe Hill, with its magnificent, far-reaching views.

• Easy
• 1 hour 3 mins
• 3.5 miles (5.6km)

Bradenham Butterfly Trail

This is a short trail that can be walked at any time of the year, but to see butterflies it is at its best on a warm, dry day, without strong winds at any time between April and September. You are most likely to see the greatest variety of species between May and August.

• Easy
• 1 hour 30 mins
• 2.3 miles (3.7km)

Chiltern Hills, Valleys and Woodlands Walk

This is an 8 mile (13 kilometre) walk starting in the National Trust’s Bradenham Village and leading you through a mix of chalk meadows, beech woodlands and a variety of farmland.

• Moderate
• 3 hours 30 mins
• 8.0 miles (12.85km)

The Hampdens Trail

An eight mile walk takes you through undulating farmland and heavily wooded hillsides around the Hampden Bottom valley, one of the least populated and most beautiful parts of the Buckinghamshire Chilterns. You visit remote hillside hamlets and pass through the grounds of the stunning Hampden House.

• Moderate
• 4 hours
• 8.1 miles (13.0km)

Beacon Hill, Juniper Bank and Aston Wood Walk

A moderate walk around the Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve and the National Trust woodlands at Juniper Bank and Aston Wood. Some of the route coincides with the way-marked Aston Rowant Discovery Trail.

• Moderate
• 2 hours
• 4.5 miles (7.2km)

Watlington Hill and the Wormsley Estate – An Emblematic Chilterns Walk

This is a 8.4 miles (13.4 kilometres) walk taking you around the National Trust’s Watlington Hill site, Pyrton Hill, Cowleaze Wood and the Wormsley Estate.

• Challenging
• 4 hours
• 8.4 miles (13.5km)

Bradenham beech woods and bunkers trail

This is a medium length walk in the woodlands and meadows of the Bradenham Manor Estate in Buckinghamshire village of Bradenham and neighbouring meadows.

• Moderate
• 2 hours
• 4.4 miles (7.05km)

Hambleden and Pheasant’s Hill Trail

This circular, 5.0 mile walk starts and ends in the flint and red brick village of Hambleden. The walk initially ascends the east side of the Hambleden Valley; it then descends through the hamlet of Pheasants Hill. The route then explores the west side of the Hambleden Valley, with its beech woods and distant views across the valley and towards Hambleden village below.

• Moderate
• 2 hours 30 mins
• 5.0 miles (8.0km)

Hambleden Mill to Henley-on-Thames – a circular walk

This circular, 6.1 miles (9.8 km) walk starts at the site of an extensive Roman villa complex with a dark history. It then crosses the River Thames via a weir and a lock at Hambleden Mill, before heading upstream along the river bank alongside the regatta course to Henley-on-Thames. This stretch of river is usually busy with boats of many types, and a wide variety of geese, ducks, swans, cormorants and other water birds. In the summer months it is popular with numerous leisure boats.

• Moderate
• 3 hours
• 6.1 miles (9.8km)

Pulpit Hill and the Grangelands & Rifle Butts Nature Reserve

This is a short walk offering panoramic views across the Chiltern Escarpment and the Aylesbury Vale.

• Moderate
• 1 hour
• 1.3 miles (2.05km)

A long walk in the Chilterns

This 16 mile circular walk starts at the National Trust’s Watlington Hill site. It drops down and along the Chilterns escarpment then climbs back into the hills. Here you visit pretty hamlets and villages, and the Stonor and Wormsley estates. You also enjoy much remote and unspoiled countryside and woodland. The walk is challenging but hugely rewarding.

• Challenging
• 6 hours 30 mins
• 16.0 miles (25.7km)

From Chilterns Escarpment to Remote Interior

This is a moderately long walk that begins at Watlington Hill with far-reaching views of the Chilterns escarpment and the Oxford Vale.

• Challenging
• 5 hours 30 mins
• 11.3 miles (18.15km)

Hambleden Valley, Turville and Fingest

This 9.5 mile circular walk starts from the village of Hambleden. It crosses the Hamble Brook chalk stream before climbing into the lovely hills and woods to the west of the Hambleden Valley. The walk then descends to the picturesque villages of Turville and Fingest before turning south for a gentle return to Hambleden along the valley alongside the Hamble Brook.

• Challenging
• 4 hours 30 mins
• 9.5 miles (15.25km)

Chiltern Hills Three-in-One Walk

A scenic walk linking three National Trust properties in the Chiltern Hills: West Wycombe, Bradenham and Hughenden.

• Challenging
• 3 hours
• 5.5 miles (8.85km)

West Wycombe: Ridges and Bottoms

This 8 mile walk heads northwest of West Wycombe to some beautiful countryside and woodland with far-reaching views.

• Challenging
• 4 hours
• 8.0 miles (12.85km)

Coombe Hill and Chequers trail

This moderately energetic circular walk offers panoramic views across the Aylesbury Vale. You’ll see rare chalk grassland, beautiful woodlands, the pretty village of Ellesborough and the Prime Minister’s country retreat at Chequers. Feel the fascinating history of the Chiltern Hills, inhabited by people for thousands of years.

• Challenging
• 2 hours 30 mins
• 5.0 miles (8.0km)