Ivinghoe Beacon

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Ivinghoe Beacon Ivinghoe Beacon Parking address: Ivinghoe Beacon, National Trust Car Park, Dunstable, LU6 2EG. Use your satnav. This road is unmarked, but is signposted, as shown. Parking: Ivinghoe Beacon, National Trust Car Park, Dunstable, LU6 2EG. No road name for this, it’s just a turning off the B489. The car park generally has sufficient parking spaces for visitor numbers. Left turn off the B489 coming from Dunsta- Parking area at the top of the hill. ble side. Walk: Ivinghoe Beacon is part of the Ashridge Estate. At 233m above sea level Ivinghoe Beacon was once part of an old signalling network, used to send messages over long distances. It is part of the Chiltern Hills and is the start of the Icknield Way to the east and Britain’s oldest road, The Ridgeway, to the west. This is also the site of an iron-age hill fort. Signs at Ivinghoe Beacon site suggest three potential walks of varying lengths. These range from around 45 minutes to the Beacon and back to a much longer 17-mile circular affair, which we have managed to avoid so far. The tops of the hills make for good views over the surrounding countryside, as well as a perfect vantage point for RC glider enthusiasts to use slope soaring: gaining lift from winds that meet the sides of the hills causing an updraft. Obviously, Ivinghoe Beacon is popular with walkers, dog-walkers, picnickers and model flying en- thusiasts – not the powered type, though, only gliders. Food and drink: The Village Swan pub at Ivinghoe Aston is a pub run by a local collective. Address: The Village Swan, Ivinghoe Aston, Bucks, LU7 9DP Tel: 01525 220 544.
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  • Views of the Vale Walks.Cdr
    About the walk Just a 45 minute train ride from London Marylebone and a few minutes walk from Wendover station you can enjoy the fresh air and fantastic views of the Chilterns countryside. These two walks take you to the top of the Chiltern Hills, through ancient beech woods, carpets of bluebells and wild flowers. There are amazing views of the Aylesbury Vale and Chequers, the Prime Minister's country home. You might also see rare birds such as red kites and firecrests and the tiny muntjac deer. 7 Wendover Woods – this is the habitat of the rare Firecrest, the smallest bird in Europe, which nests in the Norway spruce. You can finish your walk with a tasty meal, pint of beer or a This is also the highest point in the Chilterns (265m). The cup of tea. woods are managed by Forest Enterprise who have kindly granted access to those trails that are not public rights of way. Walking gets you fit and keeps you healthy!! 8 Boddington hillfort. This important archaeological site was occupied during the 1st century BC. Situated on top of the hill, the fort would have provided an excellent vantage point and defensive position for its Iron Age inhabitants. In the past the hill was cleared of trees for grazing animals. Finds have included a bronze dagger, pottery and a flint scraper. 9 Coldharbour cottages – were part of Anne Boleyn's dowry to Henry VIII. 4 Low Scrubs. This area of woodland is special and has a 10 Red Lion Pub – built in around 1620.
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  • The Story of Ashridge House
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