Bound for the Beacon, Hertfordshire ⏱️ 4 hrs

Bound for the Beacon

A day out in the Chiltern Hills

⏱️ Walk 4 hrs (14.5km)
📈 Total Ascent 334 m
⛰️ Highest Point 240 m

Welcome to this Signature Guide

This hike can be completed in four hours, meaning it really can be done at any time of the year. However, Spring is the time to go if you want to catch the bluebells in all their glory.

Ready to walk?

Be sure to download your PDF guide for the walk and make sure you have the OS maps app downloaded.

Or email yourself the guide:

Before you start

Here’s 3 important things you need to know before you head off:

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Save this Guide

Save the PDF guide on your device that you’re going to use on the walk. (This contains all the handy information, from how to get there, points of interest and pubs, taxis etc).

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Download OS Map App

This is how you will navigate your way around the route. The link for the route is in this guide and will take you to the OS Maps app.

Click here for Apple
Click here for Android

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Battery

Make sure you have plenty of battery. We hope you have a great walk.

The Curator Neil Thubron

Meet the Curator

Neil is, and has always been, a lover of the outdoors. An ultra runner and adventurer, he is passionate about sharing his love of the outdoors with others. Neil lives near Tring and this hike follows part of his regular running route around the area – but we’re sticking to walking for now. 

“A short train ride from central London lies the market town of Tring. Tring Station is situated on the path of The Ridgeway which, at over 5000 years old, is the oldest road in the UK. On this first section of the route you soon realise you are treading ancient trails as you make your way up to Pitstone Hill with its grassy, unusually shaped slopes.”

Leaving Ivinghoe Beacon you head into Ashridge Estate, which is all managed by the National Trust for Ashridge House. This whole area served as a hunting ground for royalty from as early as 1290. The herds of deer still roam the area freely. The walk takes you past the impressive Bridgewater Monument which was built in 1832. Next to the monument is a café where you can get refreshments before heading on through Aldbury and back to the station.”

Hike Summary

Tring, Chiltern Hills, Hertfordshire.

This circular hike is beautifully crafted, you’d never know it’s so close to London. The walk up to Ivinghoe Beacon provides outstanding views to the south. There is plenty of wildlife to keep an eye out for before you reach the Beacon itself. The hike crosses into the Ashridge Estate, now owned by the National Trust. Taking you through untouched woodland, complete with bluebells in Spring, up to the impressive Bridgewater Monument and then on to a welcome coffee shop stop. 

You’ve then cracked the back of the hike as the lovely village of Aldbury lies below you. A quick traverse down the escarpment and you will arrive at The Greyhound, a lovely village pub with accommodation. Tring Station is a short walk away.

Hike Highlights

Chiltern AONB

Explore one of the UK’s Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Stunning views

Enjoy the epic views from Ivinghoe Beacon.

The butterflies!

Spot some of the UK’s most majestic and rare butterflies.

By Train – This walk is easily accessible by train from Euston Station to Tring, with a journey time of about 35 minutes. Trains run regularly, although it may be quicker to change at Berkhamsted.

By Car – There is good parking at Tring Station (HP23 5QR).

Sometimes, we can get so caught up in reaching our destination that we forget to take in our surroundings. When in fact, some of the best moments on a walk are the ones spent not walking. It is not until you stop and look a little closer, that you truly see the magic of where you are.
Our hikes are not about how fast you walk, but about how much you take in. We share these beautiful trails with an abundance of wildlife and there’s always something to marvel at – so long as you take the time to look around.

Tucked away in the breathtaking beauty of the Brecon Beacons, The Greyhound is an absolute gem! The staff and regulars are incredibly welcoming and friendly. It’s the kind of place you never want to leave, and luckily you don’t have to! Stay the night in one of the four star rooms.

Points of interest

Places to enjoy along the route

A country lane on the Ashridge Estate in hertfordshire on an aut
THE ASHRIDGE ESTATE
The Ashridge Estate comprises 5,000 acres of woodlands (known as Ashridge Forest), commons and chalk downlands, which support a rich variety of wildlife. Look out for kites, buzzards and butterflies.
Aldbury Nowers small
ALDBURY NOWERS NATURE RESERVE
Situated on the Chiltern escarpment, the warm south-west facing slopes of this reserve are home to a beautiful array of chalk grassland flowers. This habitat supports 30 different species of butterfly, making it one of the most outstanding butterfly habitats in Hertfordshire, as well as a great place to spot a range of solitary bees in May and July. The site contains one of the best remaining areas of chalk downland in the county and a very fine example of ancient ‘beech hanger’ woodland. There are some excellent information boards highlighting the wonderful array of flora and fauna.
Ivinghoe Beacon small
IVINGHOE BEACON
Ivinghoe Beacon stands at 249 metres above sea level, an imposing gateway to the rolling hills of the Chilterns. Iron Age and Roman forts were located here. It marks the end of The Ridgeway and the beginning of the Icknield Way long-distance paths. The Icknield Way spans some 170 miles and finishes at the Suffolk/Norfolk border.
Aldbury village small
ALDBURY
Aldbury is a picturesque Hertfordshire village and the ideal place to stop for lunch. The Greyhound is a great spot, situated right by the village pond.
Ridgeway Path Sign
THE RIDGEWAY
The Ridgeway National Train travels northeast for 87 miles (139 km) from its start in the World Heritage Site of Avebury. As Britain’s oldest road, The Ridgeway still follows the same route used since prehistoric times by travellers, herdsmen and soldiers. For at least 5,000 years and maybe many more, people, including drovers, traders and invaders, have walked or ridden The Ridgeway. As part of a pre-historic track, once stretching about 250 miles (400 km) from the Dorset coast to the Wash on the Norfolk coast.

What’s Next?

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