sign in sign up
<<
Home , Aston Rowant, Beaconsfield, Bix Bottom, Chinnor, Chinnor Hill, Christmas Common

Where to see Red Kites in the Chilterns AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY

This leaflet highlights some of the best locations to see red kites, gives a brief An Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty description of the landscape and The were declared an Area of Outstanding The area is characterised by a ridge of chalk running describes some of the plants and animals Natural Beauty (AONB) in 1965 in recognition of their from south west to north east with wooded hills, you are likely to see. beautiful landscapes and rich wildlife. The AONB ancient hedgerows, farmland and medieval villages. covers 833 square kilometres and stretches from The Chilterns are famous for their beech woodlands Open the leaflet for details of the locations. Goring-on-Thames in across and nationally rare chalk downland and chalk streams. and Bedfordshire to Hitchin in Many of the sites are easy to reach by public transport. . Call the National Public Transport Information Service (daily 7am - 8pm) on 0870 608 2 608 for more information. Chalk Downland Woodland

Some of the car parks listed Chalk downland is the result of many years of Woodland covers over are quite remote. Be careful grazing by livestock, such as sheep on the chalk one fifth of the not to leave valuables on hills. The grassland supports a wide diversity of Chilterns AONB and is show in your car. plants and animals. Rare flowers such as the bee important for red kites orchid and the Chilterns gentian can be found which nest high in the Please be considerate in the as well as the chalkhill blue and marbled tree tops. Many of the RS s countryside keep to footpaths, PB Image white butterflies. Chalk downland is home woods are ancient especially through crops, and leave farm gates as you find to large populations of rabbits, which (pre 1600AD)but them. Please keep dogs on leads or under close control. Be form a major part of the 's diet. In the well-known aware that footpaths may be muddy particularly during the Bluebell wood - Steve Rodrick beech woods were winter. places scrub has invaded the grassland M is planted more recently in the eighteenth century to and this habitat is important for wildlife too. ar rr ble Mo d W hn Many birds and insects find food and shelter hite butterfly - Jo provide timber for furniture makers. Nowadays they are among the bushes. mainly managed for nature conservation and recreation. Visitors with mobility difficulties may wish to enjoy the red You can visit kites and the Chilterns, however, some of the sites examples of chalk A large number of birds and animals such as mentioned in this leaflet don’t offer level access. grassland and scrub woodpeckers, finches, badgers and roe deer live in the If you have a mobility difficulty, you are advised at Watlington Hill, woods. Wildflowers like foxgloves and bluebells grow to visit the villages of or , beneath the trees and butterflies can be seen in or use the easy access paths at Watlington Hill woodland clearings. All the sites listed in this leaflet or Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve in order and to see and hear red kites . Hill. contain woodland or are close to it.

Chalk downland - Steve Rodrick

For further information on the 8 suggested locations RED KITES The Red Kite - l1 Watlington Hill (Oxfordshire) Tel: 01494 528 051 () in the i Web: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/regions/thameschilterns Where to Chilterns Unmistakable 2 Cowleaze Wood (Oxfordshire) Red kites are magnificent birds of prey with a distinctive l i Tel: 01296 625 825 (Forest Enterprise) forked tail, russet plumage and a five to five and a half foot see Red Kites wing span. l3 Stokenchurch (Buckinghamshire) Magnificent birds i Tel: 01494 485 129 (Parish Council Office limited hours) in the Chilterns 4 Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve (Oxfordshire) 60 - 65cm Russet body, grey / white head, red wings l with white patches on underside, tail i Tel: 01844 351 833 (English Nature Reserve Office) reddish above and grey / white below, tipped with black and deeply forked. l5 Chinnor (Oxfordshire) Tel: 01844 351 443 (Mike Turton Chinnor Hill Nature Reserve) Seen flying over open country, above i Tel: 01844 353 267 (Parish Council Clerk mornings only) woods and over towns and villages. m c

0 6 West Wycombe Hill (Buckinghamshire) 7 Nests in tall trees within woods, l 1

- Tel: 01494 528 051 (National Trust) sometimes on top of squirrel’s dreys or i 0

5 using old crow's nests. Web: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/regions/thameschilterns 1

Scavenges mainly on dead animals l7 The Bradenham Estate (Buckinghamshire) (carrion), but also takes insects, i Tel: 01494 528 051 (National Trust) earthworms, young birds, such as crows, Web: www.nationaltrust.org.uk/regions/thameschilterns weight 0.7 - 1 kg and small mammals. l8 The Warburg Reserve (Oxfordshire) i Tel: 01491 642001 (BBOWT Reserve Office) Once common across Great Britain, red kites suffered Email:[email protected] severe persecution between the 16th and 19th centuries. Web: www.wildlifetrust.org.uk/berksbucksoxon People mistakenly thought that they were a threat to game birds and livestock. By the The Chilterns Conservation Board aims to increase end of the 19th century, just a awareness and understanding of the Chilterns, handful of these birds and to foster social and economic well being of CONSERVATION BOARD remained in Wales. local communities. web site: www.chilternsaonb.org

Between 1989 and 1994 the The Chilterns Conservation Board produces information sheets on different aspects of red kites and the Chilterns. A programme of walks, RSPB and English Nature led es ag talks and events is also available. Im a programme to re-introduce red RSPB kites to the Chilterns. There are now over 300 breeding pairs and kites are once again a common and much- For more information on Red Kites in the Chilterns, please contact: Cathy Rose, Activities and Education Officer, loved feature of the area. Chilterns Conservation Board, The Lodge, 90 Station Road, Chinnor, Oxon, OX39 4HA tel: 01844 355 506 fax: 01844 355 501 e-mail: [email protected] Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty Where to see Red Kites in the Chilterns l1 Watlington Hill (Oxfordshire) l2 Cowleaze Wood (Oxfordshire) l3 Stokenchurch (Buckinghamshire)

Watlington Hill forms part of the Chilterns The mixed woodland of Cowleaze Wood covers 29 hectares and is The large village of escarpment and is composed of a mainly managed for recreation by Forest Enterprise. Stokenchurch is handily mosaic of chalk grassland, Footpaths lead through the woods, where you will find, hidden situated for easy access to scrub and scrub-woodland amongst the trees, a collection of sculptures by a variety of artists. open spaces including habitats. The National commons, playing fields Trust ownership covers Location: Approx 3 miles west of and public footpaths. Red an area of 44.5 Stokenchurch, south of the M40 kites are regularly seen hectares and with a flying over the village. M40 A40 height of 230m, the hill Grid reference: Stokenchurch gives commanding views SU 726 957 John Morris Location: ½ mile east of over much of Oxfordshire. Junction 5 l3 junction 5 of the M40 and 7 miles west Access: Open of on the A40 Location: 1 mile south east of John Morris A40 2 to High Watlington, east of the B480 l Wycombe Grid reference: Village centre SU 760963 to Chinnor Getting there: B4009 Cowleaze Wood B480 Car: from the A40, just Grid reference: Watlington west of Stokenchurch, M40 Access: Open spaces / footpaths. A guide to the SU 702935 B482 follow the signs for and the Chilterns footpaths of Stokenchurch is available from the Parish

B4009 Sculpture Trail. Park in the Forestry Commission car park (grid Office or library Access: Open (with the reference SU 726957) l1 exception of a small private area Getting there: near the car park). Easy access path Christmas Train: nearest station is High Wycombe from car park to top of hill. Common Bus: frequent buses between High Wycombe and B480 (including Sundays) stop outside the Kings Arms Hotel Getting there: Car: village car park at Kings Arms Hotel (grid reference SU Bus: buses run through Watlington village. 760963), or Longburrow Park (grid reference SU 761965) Studley Car: small car park (grid reference SU 709936) Green Community Centre car park (grid reference SU 783954) l4 Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve (Oxfordshire) l5 Chinnor (Oxfordshire) The village of Chinnor lies at the foot of the Chilterns escarpment. The Aston Rowant National Nature Reserve was established in 1958 There has been permanent occupation since the fourth century and lies on the north-western scarp of the Chilterns, overlooking the Barton-le-Clay M1 BC, and there is evidence of Roman and Anglo-Saxon settlement. Vale of Oxford. The reserve is bisected by the , which Forestry Commission passes through a deep cutting, excavated in the 1970's. Location: Leighton Buzzard Dunstable 5 miles north-east of M40 Location: Approx 2 miles west of A40 B4009 area where kites are a A5 M40 junction 6 on Stokenchurch, south of the A40 common and familiar sight the B4009 area where kites are A4146 Junction 6 present, but less common Whipsnade Grid reference: Village centre B4009 4 l Aldbury SP 755008 Stokenchurch Tring A40 Harpenden A41 Berkhamsted Grid reference: Junction 5 Access: SU 731966 HEMEL Open spaces / R Princes S P A416 HEMPSTEAD B A40 Risborough footpaths. A413 I to Princes M40 m a John Morris Risborough Access: g Chinnor M25 Getting there: e M40 Gt. Missenden Open, but please close all gates and keep s 5 Train: nearest station B4009 lA4010 B4445 dogs under close control. Easy access trail on l7 is (4 miles) 4 High e southern section opposite Cowleaze Wood. l6 Bus: Buses run from in l L Stokenchurch 3 Wycombe A329 Watlington l ld R. Thames High Wycombe and Thame ie 2 Chinnor kn l Ic Getting there: Car: There is a small BBOWT 5 Car: the reserve is best l1 l approached from the Christmas Common A4130 car park at the end of Hill Top Lane (off the to Bledlow road (off the A40). For the Wallingford Marlow Great Wood Chinnor road) with northern section, the l8 English Nature car Henley access to Chinnor park (grid -on- Thames A423 Maidenhead Hill Nature Reserve B4009 Goring (grid reference SU 767004) reference SU M4 731966) is at There is a small area for parking on / Upper Icknield the end of a R. Thames Way, just off Hill Road, to the east (grid reference SU 761003) quarter mile long lane READING leading off the western side of the 8 road. For the southern English Nature lThe Warburg Reserve section, park in the Forestry Commission car park at Cowleaze 7 (Oxfordshire) Wood (grid reference SU 726957) lThe Bradenham Estate (Buckinghamshire) l6 West Wycombe Hill This 445 hectare estate surrounds the village of Bradenham. The (Buckinghamshire) church and 17th century (which is not open to the West Wycombe Hill covers 22hectares and was given to the public) was once the home of Isaac Disraeli, father of Prime National Trust in 1935 just after the acquisition of most of Minister, Benjamin. the village of West Wycombe a year earlier. It is part of the Location: 18th century landscape 4 miles north west The Warburg of West Wycombe of High Reserve is Park. owned by the Wycombe, John Morris 4 ½ miles south , Buckinghamshire Location: of Princes and Oxfordshire Wildlife Trust (BBOWT) and was bought in 1967. 2 miles west of Risborough, east The 106 hectare reserve nestles in a quiet chalk valley in the High Wycombe, of the A4010 southern Chilterns. north of A40 Grid reference: Location: , 4 miles north-west of Henley on Thames Grid reference: SU 825970 John Morris

SU 827951 Grid reference: to Watlington National Trust Access: Open access to main areas of SU 720879 (car park) B481 l8 Access: Open woodland, network of paths over some of the farmland Access: Open daily B480 Public rights of way cross Nettlebed Getting there: A4010 Getting there: Middle the reserve nature trail and Assendon Train: nearest stations are High Train: nearest station is Saunderton, 1 mile from Bradenham village Bradenham woodland walk. No access off paths along a foot/cycleway beside the A4010 Bix Wycombe and Saunderton, both l7 2 ¼ miles from West Wycombe Hill. Bus: on the High Wycombe Princes Risborough bus route A423 Bus: buses call regularly at West Wycombe. Car: Car parking on the village green (grid reference SU 827971) Getting there: to Henley Car: West Wycombe Garden Centre car park and at Small Dean Lane (grid reference SU 823989) Train: nearest station, Henley on Thames - grid reference SU 826947, If leaving your car in a car park, please check with the pub staff Bus: to Nettlebed then 1½ mile walk High and be considerate when using facilities Car: from B480 Henley-Watlington road turn off at West Wycombe Hill Top car park 6 lWycombe - grid reference SU 827951 (beside the church) towards Bix Bottom. Bear right at small grass triangle, follow lane West NB: A recently published National Trust circular walk leaflet (West for 1 mile. Car park at end of lane on right. Difficult to find so phone Wycombe A40 Wycombe and Bradenham) takes in a wider area for walkers. first if in doubt

One hectare equals approx. two football pitches