Countryside at Hughenden

Take in the countryside

A wander through the woodlands and countryside sees the impact of the ever-changing seasons.

Hughenden estate waymarked walks

Our four colour-coded walks range from a gentle 1 mile to a 4 mile hike and begin from the visitor welcome kiosk. They are a great way to start exploring the estate and our cafe in the stableyard makes a good start or finish point. Hughenden’s codename during the war was Hillside for good reason, most walks will include a slope or two but the reward for climbing higher is a spectacular view. Download the walk map here  or take a look at the walks section below for more information on the many routes to enjoy around the area.

Countryside conservation

The countryside around Hughenden features chalk grassland, managed farmland and acres of beech woodlands which means it is an area rich in wildlife, from red kites to rare butterflies.

Since the Second World War, the UK has lost around 80 per cent of rare grassland habitats. Monitoring the flowers, butterflies, moths and insects that make their homes here is an important part of our work and it means we can help to protect them and provide habitats and landscapes that let them thrive, reversing this decline.

Our team of countryside rangers is working every day to actively manage the woodlands and countryside, to maintain the walks and woodlands and to encourage the widest range of wildlife possible.

Ash dieback in the Chilterns

Ash dieback, caused by an airborne fungus, is devastating the historic trees and beautiful woodlands in our care in the Chilterns. We had to fell a record number of trees in 2021, around 6,000, because of the impact the disease is having in the area. 

Where trees are close to pathways or roads, they are felled, those deep in the woods are left to fall and decay naturally. The rangers leave the cut areas to see what shoots up naturally in the cleared spaces and  then begin to replace some of the trees with native species in the coming years.