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Оглавление1 CORNWALL
Brown Willy 420m SX 1587 8000
| Location | Bodmin Moor, 6.5km SE of Camelford |
| Start | Car park (free) at Poldue Downs road head. SX 1383 8191 |
| OS map | Landranger 201 (Plymouth & Launceston), Explorer 109 (Bodmin Moor) |
| Difficulty | 3 |
| Enjoyment | **** |
| Distance | 7.5km (4.5 miles) |
| Ascent | 390m |
| Time | 1.5–2hrs |
The name ‘Brown Willy’ normally raises a titter, but there is nothing funny or frivolous about Cornwall’s highest point. Surveying brooding Bodmin Moor and the spectacular north and south Cornish coastlines, Brown Willy is a splendid hill that regularly features in lists of the UK’s best-loved high points. The moor’s most famous inhabitant (allegedly) – the Beast of Bodmin – needs no introduction; many claim to have spotted a black panther-like creature slipping through the mist. Brown Willy also features in an annual out-and-back race from Jamaica Inn (best known on account of Daphne du Maurier’s novel of the same name, published in 1936) on New Year’s Day, which is run ‘regardless of the weather’. The route described here takes the walker through wild moorland scenery and among rocky outcrops synonymous with Bodmin Moor.
Summit of Rough Tor
Did you Know?
Famous native
Newquay-born poet and writer Sir William Golding (1911–93) is best known for his 1954 novel Lord of the Flies. Sir William, whose other books include the To the Ends of the Earth trilogy, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1983.
Interesting fact
Lizard Point on the tip of the Lizard peninsula – some say the name derives from the underlying rock, serpentine, which when wet resembles the skin of a snake – is the southerly extent of the British mainland.
Route
From the car park, cross a stream to reach the moor, where various tracks lead uphill to a trio of tors. Head ESE for the easternmost one, Showery Tor, from where a terrific high route can be negotiated S around rocky outcrops to Little Rough Tor (pronounced ‘row’), and then WSW to Rough Tor. Look W for views of the china clay works at Highertown. From the summit of Rough Tor, head downhill in a roughly SE direction towards the De Lank River which drains Roughtor Marsh. Shortly before reaching the watercourse, a bridleway will be met, which climbs the NW slopes of Brown Willy. A trig pillar and a large cairn stand on the highest point.
Descent
Return by the same route to Rough Tor, from where a path leads downhill to Poldue Downs.
Jamaica Inn
Bodmin Moor is famously associated with Jamaica Inn, an 18th-century coaching house at Bolventer, off the A30 Exeter–Penzance road. The inn once provided a night stop for travellers, among them smugglers, crossing the moor. Pirates used the inn to secrete goods such as brandy and tea that had been smuggled into Britain. Jamaica Inn, which is now run as a hotel and restaurant, is also reputed to be one of the country’s most haunted places.
2 DEVON
High Willhays 621m SX 5803 8922
| Location | Dartmoor, 6km S of Okehampton |
| Start | Car park (free) at Meldon Reservoir, SX 5616 9180 |
| OS map | Landranger 191 (Okehampton & North Dartmoor), Explorer OL28 (Dartmoor) |
| Difficulty | 3 |
| Enjoyment | **** |
| Distance | 10km (6 miles) |
| Ascent | 400m |
| Time | 2–3hrs |
High Willhays is one of the two UK county tops situated on Ministry of Defence land, although access is less complicated than on Yorkshire’s Mickle Fell, the other summit in a ‘danger area’. The Okehampton firing range, which includes High Willhays, has traditionally been open on weekends and large chunks of the spring and summer, but it is always sensible to check the Dartmoor Training Area website (www.dartmoor-ranges.co.uk) prior to setting out; and do not attempt this route in mist unless competent in the use of map and compass. Dartmoor is also the home of the Ten Tors Challenge, held annually in May and featuring 2400 teenagers who carry all they need to survive for two days and a night on the moor.
High Willhays
Did you Know?
Famous native
Diver Tom Daley was born in Plymouth in 1994. In 2009 Daley won Gold at the World Championships in Rome, and at the time of writing is the youngest ever British World Champion in any sport.
Interesting fact
Slapton Sands on the south Devon coast was used as a practice area for the D-Day landings by virtue of its resemblance to Omaha Beach. In April 1944 nearly 1000 servicemen were killed here when their convoy was attacked by German torpedo boats.
Route
Upon leaving the car park by the toilets, turn left downhill to cross the dam. Turn right along a track on the other side; where that bears sharp left uphill keep ahead on an obvious path that leads along the eastern shore of the reservoir. Pass a footbridge over the West Okement River at Vellake Corner and continue on a path to the E of the river for about 1km. On approaching an area of ancient stunted oak woodland – Blackator Copse, one of three such areas remaining on the moor and well worth a visit – leave the waterside and ascend SE to the rocky outcrops of Black Tor, with High Willhays now lying a little over 1km to the E. Much of the route between the river valley and High Willhays is pathless and careful navigation is required during periods of poor weather; parts are also steep. The summit of High Willhays is marked by a large mound of stone; as such it is not one of the weathered granite outcrops – ‘tors’– for which Dartmoor is famous.
Descent
Proceed N along a path to Yes Tor (619m), Devon’s second-highest hill, which is topped by a trig pillar. From the summit, descend moderately steep slopes to the W to meet a path that runs between Black Tor and Longstone Hill. The path dips to the N before plunging W to the reservoir. Cross the dam to return to the car park.
Other routes
High Willhays can be climbed via the network of rough non-vehicular military roads to the N and E, and from Okehampton itself.
The Army and Dartmoor
The Ministry of Defence uses three areas of the northern section of Dartmoor for training and live-firing exercises. The boundaries of these areas, known as Okehampton, Merrivale and Willsworthy, are shown on OS maps. According to the Dartmoor Training Area website, the moor is seen as an ideal training ground for war because of its ‘remoteness, challenging terrain and changeable climate’. Tanks, however, cannot be utilised because of the boggy terrain.
3 SOMERSET
Dunkery Beacon 519m SS 8915 4160
| Location | Exmoor, 9.5km SW of Minehead |
| Start | Dunkery Gate car park (free), off minor Luccombe–Wheddon Cross road, SS 8960 4064 |
| OS map | Landranger 181 (Minehead & Brendon Hills), Explorer OL9 (Exmoor) |
| Difficulty | 1 |
| Enjoyment | *** |
| Distance | 2.5km (1.5 miles) |
| Ascent | 130m |
| Time | 30–40mins |
The summit of Dunkery Hill, Dunkery Beacon, is also the highest point of Exmoor, a National Park designated in 1954. The hill is easily accessible for young walkers and attracts many day-trippers during holidays. Fine views stretch north across the Bristol Channel and South Wales, with Pen y Fan in Brecknockshire visible on a clear day. The high point is crowned by a cairn erected in September 1935 to commemorate the handing over of Dunkery Hill to the National Trust, as well as a number of Bronze Age burial mounds. Exmoor ponies and herds of red deer are regularly seen on the well-walked approaches to the summit. This walk is particularly lovely in August when the hill is clothed with purple heather and bright yellow Western gorse.
National Trust sign close to the start of the walk
Did you Know?
Famous native
Labour politician Ernest Bevin (1881–1951), foreign secretary between 1945 and his death, was born in Winsford to the south of Dunkery Beacon. Orphaned at six years old, he worked as a farm labourer before moving to Bristol when he was 18.
Interesting fact
The longest of the UK’s long-distance footpaths, the 1014km South West Coast Path, starts (or ends) in Minehead and ends (or starts) on the shores of Poole Harbour in Dorset.
Route
Exit the car park to the W and cross the road. Follow the second of two bridleways on the left. Ascend the wide, stony path in a generally NNW direction to reach the large stone cairn and toposcope atop Dunkery Beacon. ‘Dunkery’ comes from the Old English dun (hill) and the Celtic creag (rocky place); when you reach the summit you’ll see what an appropriate name it is!
Descent
Return by the same route.
Other routes
A multitude of paths criss-cross Dunkery Hill, each giving a different ascent to Dunkery Beacon. The Macmillan Way West long-distance footpath visits the summit, while lengthy ascents can also be made from Exford and Luccombe.
Walkers on the summit of Somerset
4 DORSET
Lewesdon Hill 279m ST 4376 0123
| Location | 4km W of Beaminster |
| Start | Lay-by immediately N of Buck’s Head, off B3162 Bridport–Broadwindsor road, ST 4396 0054 |
| OS map | Landranger 193 (Taunton & Lyme Regis), Explorer 116 (Lyme Regis & Bridport) |
| Difficulty | 2 |
| Enjoyment | *** |
| Distance | 0.6km (1 mile) |
| Ascent | 50m |
| Time | 30–40mins |
For whatever reason, Pilsdon Pen (277m) – a well-known summit 3km west of Lewesdon Hill – was long considered Dorset’s highest point. The debate is now closed: Lewesdon Hill is definitely higher, albeit by a mere 2m. The route described here, through a 200-year-old beech and oak woodland, is best walked in the spring, when the hill’s slopes are carpeted in masses of fragrant bluebells. As the flat top of Lewesdon Hill suggests, it was once the location of an Iron Age hillfort. Similarly, Pilsdon Pen, which is also well worth a visit, was the site of a Roman fort, as was Waddon Hill to the east of Lewesdon Hill.
Bluebell-decked woods on Lewesdon Hill
Did you Know?
Famous native
Tennis player Virginia Wade, who won the singles title at Wimbledon in 1977, was born in Bournemouth. She claimed two other Grand Slam titles during her professional career: the US Open in 1968 and the Australian Open in 1972.
Interesting fact
With an area of 14km2, Poole Harbour lays claims to being the largest natural harbour in the world. Four rivers – the Corfe, the Frome, the Piddle and the Sherford – drain into it.
Route
Walk W along a single-track road towards Higher Brimley Coombe Farm. At the brow of the hill, go through a gate on the right to join a footpath leading onto Crabb’s Hill. Two paths breaking off to the left will soon be met. Follow the second route, which climbs through woodland, steeply at first, before the gradient eases and a National Trust signpost is reached. The way climbs steeply again, partly over a path of exposed tree routes, with a final sharp pull bringing the walker onto the summit plateau. The highest point of Lewesdon Hill, an unmarked grassy protrusion, is roughly half a dozen steps forward of the lip of the plateau.
Descent
Return by the same route.
Woodland on Lewesdon Hill
5 SUSSEX
Black Down 280m SU 9195 2963
| Location | North Downs, 4km SSE of Haslemere |
| Start | Black Down National Trust car park, near Aldworth, SU 9209 3058 |
| OS maps | Landrangers 186 (Aldershot & Guildford) and 197 (Chichester & the South Downs), Explorer 133 (Haslemere & Petersfield) |
| Difficulty | 2 |
| Enjoyment | *** |
| Distance | 3km (1.8 miles) |
| Ascent | 30m |
| Time | 30–45mins |
Perched on the west periphery of Sussex, Black Down is an area of heath and woodland, where tantalising views of the South Downs and Low Weald peep through trees. Black Down was the scene of a major air disaster in 1967 when all 37 people on board a flight bound for Gatwick died when the plane crashed on the hill’s southern slopes. There are numerous paths on Black Down, including one which follows the line of the Sussex border, making route-finding surprisingly tricky. The route described here, starting from close to Aldworth – the former home of the Victorian Poet Laureate Alfred Lord Tennyson – should make locating the summit simple.
National Trust sign on Black Down
Did you Know?
Famous native
Tony Hawks, the author of Round Ireland with a Fridge, was born in Brighton in 1960. The story of the 1997 journey, which was inspired by a drunken bet, was made into a film – with Hawks playing himself – in 2010.
Interesting fact
Rising 162m above the English Channel, Beachy Head, close to the seaside resort of Eastbourne, boasts the tallest chalk cliffs in Britain. The area is part of the eastern section of the South Downs National Park, which was established in 2009.
Route
Walk S along a track to meet a gate and a National Trust information board shortly after. Some 500m from the start, a fork in the track will be reached, where the lower route – signposted the Serpent Trail – should be followed. Continue along this path, ignoring various offshoots and the temptation to strike across rough ground in search of the summit. The land to the E drops away steeply, with glimpses of rolling Sussex countryside sporadically appearing through the trees. Immediately after passing a pond, follow an uphill path that breaks off to the right. At the brow of the hill, turn to the N and follow a narrow but well-walked path that meanders through woodland to the summit trig pillar of Black Down, which stands on a grassy knoll. A mound a short distance to the NNE appears slightly higher than the trig.
Trig pillar on Black Down summit
Descent
Return by the same route.
6 SURREY
Leith Hill 294m TQ 1394 4319
| Location | North Downs, 7km SSW of Dorking |
| Start | Windy Gap National Trust car park, Abinger Road, TQ 1382 4288 |
| OS map | Landranger 187 (Dorking & Reigate), Explorer 146 (Dorking, Box Hill & Reigate) |
| Difficulty | 2 |
| Enjoyment | **** |
| Distance | 800m (0.5 miles) |
| Ascent | 66m |
| Time | 20–30mins |
Crowned by an 18th-century Gothic tower, Leith Hill – the second highest point in southeast England – is justifiably one of the UK’s most iconic county tops. Even without the tower – a fortified folly – the grassy summit is a lovely place, with the English Channel, St Paul’s Cathedral on Ludgate Hill in the City of London, the Wembley arch and Gatwick Airport all visible on a clear day. The hill, a mix of farm, heath and woodland, is managed by the National Trust, and dark red Sussex cattle – thought to descend from stock living in the Wealden forests at the time of William the Conqueror – can be seen grazing on its slopes. Some hills display greatness and splendour when glimpsed from their summits, others when viewed from below. Leith Hill is certainly the former.
Route
Follow a footpath up dozens of steps to ascend Leith Hill’s steep and forested S slopes. Soon after passing a bench, the edge of the wooded area will be reached, with magnificent views to the S being revealed, while the top of Leith Hill Tower will also appear ahead. Once on the summit plateau, proceed along an obvious track to the tower. The highest point is marked by a bench and a square stone block a few metres to the NE of the tower in open ground; it is said that on a clear day 13 counties are visible.
Descent
Return by the same route.
Other routes
The route described here is one of the shortest and Leith Hill can be climbed from any of the plentiful parking areas surrounding the peak. A popular route for those arriving by train is to walk from Holmwood station, passing through the picturesque village of Coldharbour en route.
Looking towards Leith Hill Tower
Did you Know?
Famous native
Delia Smith, celebrity chef and television presenter, was born in Woking in 1941. After leaving school at the age of 16 without an O-Level, she has gone on to become the UK’s best-selling author of cookery books.
Interesting fact
Denbies Wine Estate, situated on the northeastern outskirts of Dorking overlooking Box Hill, is the largest vineyard in the UK. The site – previously a pig farm – was planted between 1986 and 1991, and the average yearly wine yield is 300,000 litres.
Leith Hill Tower
The notion of building a tower on the summit of Leith Hill was the idea of Richard Hull, a squire who lived at nearby Leith Hill Place. The tower realised Hull’s aim: to raise the height of the hill above the magical 1000ft (305m) mark, and he would eventually be buried beneath the floor of his monument. Further additions in the 19th century increased the height of the building to its current reach of 317m. Visitors can climb steps in the tower to the battlements, while further information and refreshments are available within the building. See the National Trust website for opening times (www.nationaltrust.org.uk).
Start of the descent to Windy Gap car park
7 KENT
Betsom’s Hill 251m TQ 4355 5633
| Location | North Downs, 9km WNW of Sevenoaks |
| Start | Small parking area on lane off A233 Biggin Hill–Westerham road, 100m SE of Westerham Heights Farm, TQ 4369 5638 |
| OS map | Landranger 187 (Dorking & Reigate), Explorer 147 (Sevenoaks & Tonbridge) |
| Difficulty | 0 |
| Enjoyment | * |
| Distance | Negligible |
| Ascent | Negligible |
| Time | 5mins |
The highest point in Kent – the so-called ‘Garden of England’ – is, rather appropriately, a garden. Top marks for novelty value, but also for frustration, for this is the only inaccessible historic county top. Trespass cannot be recommended so unless you happen to encounter a friendly resident happy to invite you onto their land, you will not be able actually to stand on this particular summit. A crumb of comfort can perhaps be gained by venturing north along the busy A233 for a short way to reach Westerham Heights Farm (245m), the equally disappointing highest point of Greater London. Traversing Betsom’s Hill to the south is the Pilgrims’ Way, the route followed by pilgrims travelling from Winchester in Hampshire to visit the shrine of Thomas à Becket at Canterbury, now a 192km-long National Trail.
Looking up the lane to the highest publicly accessible point on Betsom’s Hill
Did you Know?
Famous native
Frontman and lead vocalist of The Rolling Stones, Sir Mick Jagger, was born in Dartford in 1943. Sir Mick was knighted in 2003 for services to music; he has been performing with the band since the early 1960s.
Interesting fact
The first person to swim the English Channel began his quest from the Admiralty Pier, Dover, in 1875. Captain John Webb arrived in Calais 21 hours and 45 minutes later, having covered 39 miles.
Route
There is room to park a car close to the entrance of the lane. From here, walk W along the track, which rises very gradually to a coachworks and Fort Cottages. The highest point in Kent clearly lies in gardens, which, as the name of the cottages suggests, were once the site of a fort, to the S of the lane. Walkers will have to satisfy themselves with reaching the highest point of the track or by wandering around an adjacent patch of scrubland to the N.
Descent
Return by the same route.
The Garden of England
This traditional title recognises Kent’s history of allotments and hop orchards, as well as its bountiful countryside and abundant wildlife. Charles Dickens once commented: ‘Kent, sir, everyone knows Kent. Apples, cherries, hops and women.’ However, a TV survey carried out in 2006 to find England’s 21st-century ‘garden county’ revealed that Kent had slipped in the public’s affections. Just five per cent of respondents said Kent deserved its title as the Garden of England, with people insisting Derbyshire, Devon, Gloucestershire and Yorkshire were more worthy of the sought-after moniker.
Fields close to the summit of Betsom’s Hill
8 MIDDLESEX
Bushey Heath 153m TQ 1525 9378
| Location | Crossroads 3km S of Bushey (in Hertfordshire) |
| Start | Stanmore Tube Station (Jubilee Line), TQ 1760 9261 |
| OS map | Landranger 176 (West London), Explorer 173 (London North) |
| Difficulty | 1 |
| Enjoyment | * |
| Distance | 6km (3.5 miles) |
| Ascent | 70m |
| Time | 1–2 hrs |
The British do irony well. Why else would there be a pub called The Alpine and a road named Alpine Walk close to the low, traffic-choked summit of Middlesex? Alpine walk? Nothing could be further from the truth. There is nothing alpine about London’s northwest fringe. The summit’s absence of character and charm can be countered by a stroll through some of the area’s nearby green havens, including Bentley Priory Nature Reserve, Stanmore Common and Stanmore Country Park, on the way to or back from Bushey Heath.
Route
Turn left out of Stanmore Tube Station – the terminus of the Jubilee Line – and head along London Road towards Stanmore. The route continues along The Broadway, past cafés and shops, before turning NW up Stanmore Hill and The Common, passing Stanmore Common on the right and RAF Bentley Priory on the left. The top is a low plateau where four roads – Common Road, High Road, Magpie Hall Road and The Common – converge. Magpie Hall Road marks the boundary between the historic counties of Hertfordshire and Middlesex. The highest point appears to be a triangle of grass bordered by Alpine Walk, Magpie Hall Road and The Common, diagonally opposite The Alpine pub.
One of the four roads that converge at the highest point in Middlesex
Did you Know?
Famous native
Peter Sallis, who played Norman Clegg in the TV comedy series Last of the Summer Wine, was born in Twickenham in 1921. More recently, the entertainer has provided the voice of Wallace in the Wallace and Gromit movies.
Interesting fact
The county name Middlesex means ‘territory of the middle Saxons’, a reference to the area’s former dwellers. The region was recorded as ‘Middelseaxan’ in AD704 and as ‘Midelsexe’ in the Domesday Book in 1086.
Descent
Return SE along The Common and turn left into Warren Lane. Soon after passing a car park and a disused block of toilets, turn right onto a path immediately after a gated access track to Stanmore Cricket Club pavilion. This way follows a section of the Bentley Priory circular walk around fishponds. At the S end of the ponds, follow a footpath parallel to Springfield Close that emerges onto Little Common, a gravel road. At the end of Little Common, turn left along Wood Lane, right into Dennis Lane, then left into Valencia Road. Take a right turn to Kerry Avenue, from where Stanmore Station is directly ahead.
An ironic road sign close to the highest point in Middlesex
9 BEDFORDSHIRE
Dunstable Downs 243m TL 0088 1942
| Location | Northern Chilterns, 8km WSW of Luton |
| Start | National Trust car park (pay & display), Chilterns Gateway Visitor Centre, TL 0084 1958 |
| OS map | Landranger 166 (Luton & Hertford), Explorers 181 (Chiltern Hills North) and 182 (St Albans and Hatfield) |
| Difficulty | 0 |
| Enjoyment | * |
| Distance | Negligible |
| Ascent | Negligible |
| Time | 5mins |
One of the easiest county tops to accomplish, the summit of Bedfordshire is marked by a trig pillar on the west side of the B4541 Dunstable–Whipsnade road that crosses the Dunstable Downs. The pillar is a few steps from the road and next to the entrance of the new Chilterns Gateway Visitor Centre. The Dunstable Downs, a chalk escarpment, are part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. After visiting the highest point, walkers seeking a greater challenge can head north to the shapely Five Knolls or follow the Icknield Way south to the Tree Cathedral at Whipsnade.
Sculpture in front of the Chilterns Gateway Visitor Centre on the Dunstable Downs
Did you Know?
Famous native
Sir Joseph Paxton (1803–65), the architect who designed The Crystal Palace, was born at Milton Bryan, a village near Luton. The cast-iron and glass building was erected for the Great Exhibition in 1851, held in London’s Hyde Park, before being relocated to Sydenham.
Interesting fact
Henry VIII’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon was annulled by Archbishop Thomas Cranmer at Dunstable Priory in 1533. The king married his second of six wives, Anne Boleyn, later that year.
Route
Leave the Visitor Centre car park by the driver’s entrance/exit. The trig pillar is immediately opposite in a triangle of grassy land between the access road to the centre and the B4541.
Descent
Return by the same route.
The Chilterns
Stretching 70km from the Thames Valley in Oxfordshire to Hitchin in Hertfordshire, the rural, rounded Chilterns juxtapose their densely populated surroundings. Much of the chalk escarpment, an area covering 833km2, was designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1965. As well as the 100,000 residents who live inside the area’s boundaries, a further 500,000 people live within a 3km range.
Trig pillar marking the highest point on the Dunstable Downs
10 BUCKINGHAMSHIRE and HERTFORDSHIRE
Haddington Hill (Buckinghamshire) 267m SP 8907 0909
Pavis Wood (Hertfordshire) 244m SP 9143 0915
| Location | Chiltern Hills, 10km ESE of Aylesbury |
| Start | Wendover Woods car park (pay & display), off St Leonard’s Road, SP 8882 0890 (Buckinghamshire) |
| OS map | Landranger 165 (Aylesbury & Leighton Buzzard), Explorer 181 (Chiltern Hills North) |
| Difficulty | 2 |
| Enjoyment | ** |
| Distance | 11km (6.5 miles) |
| Ascent | 110m |
| Time | 2–3hrs |
Two county tops, the highest point in the Chilterns, a fine stretch of the ancient Ridgeway: what more could a walker want? Haddington Hill, the highest point in Buckinghamshire, and Hertfordshire’s Pavis Wood, are both flat summits, but that is where their similarity ends. The former is a honeypot, heaving with visitors, the top celebrated by a brass plaque erected in 1977; the other is anonymous, unmarked and unwittingly ignored. Combining the two high points gives a pleasant walk through Wendover Woods and along The Ridgeway, Britain’s oldest road and now a long-distance footpath running for 139km across the Home Counties from Overton Hill near Avebury to Ivinghoe Beacon in the Chilterns.
Route
As drivers enter the car park, a sign pointing to the ‘Chiltern Hills highest point’ is immediately on the left. After parking, return to the sign and follow a track through woods to a rock sculpture marking the Chilterns summit and the highest point in Buckinghamshire. The cairn and a plaque were erected to commemorate the Queen’s Silver Jubilee.
For Hertfordshire’s top briefly retrace your steps to a junction of paths close to the summit. Turn left onto a track that soon reaches the exit road of the car park. Cross the road and continue on an obvious footpath. The route will divide after about 250m. Follow the left fork when that happens and head S along a bridleway, initially running parallel to the road.
The path will begin to drop, gently at first, then more steeply, and turns to the SE before joining the Icknield Way. Follow the track to the NE, where it meets The Ridgeway. The trail passes through more woodland and beside two cottages before reaching St Leonard’s Road. Cross the road and pass through a kissing gate into a field. Head NE across the field towards a communications mast that towers over Chivery Hall Farm. Another kissing gate escapes the field.
Walk past the mast and turn right, following a sign for The Ridgeway. The path stays virtually on the same level for 1.2km to the E edge of Pavis Wood. Pass through a gate to reach a country lane, marking the Buckinghamshire/Hertfordshire border. The rather disappointing, unheralded summit of Hertfordshire is close to the sharp bend in the road.
Descent
Return by the same route or via the Icknield Way and The Crong.
The Ridgeway between Haddington Hill and Pavis Wood
Did you Know?
BUCKINGHAMSHIRE
Famous native
Designer of the Albert Memorial in London’s Kensington Gardens, George Gilbert Scott (1811–78) was born in Gawcott. The 54m structure commemorates Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, who died of typhoid in 1861.
Interesting fact
Aylesbury won £2 million in 2005 to become one of the UK’s six ‘cycling demonstration’ towns. The money was used to create new cycle routes in the town and to encourage people to ride to work and school.
HERTFORDSHIRE
Famous native
Born in Hitchin in 1980, cyclist Victoria Pendleton won gold in the women’s individual sprint event at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. She was subsequently made an MBE in the 2009 New Years Honours list.
Interesting fact
Parliament Square in Hertford is so named after the Parliament of England briefly relocated to the town during an outbreak of the plague in London in 1563. The government met at 1000-year-old Hertford Castle.
11 BERKSHIRE and HAMPSHIRE
Walbury Hill (Berkshire) 297m SU 3735 6163
Pilot Hill (Hampshire) 286m SU 3988 6011
| Location | Berkshire Downs, 11km SW of Newbury |
| Start | Car park (free) at high point of minor Faccombe–Inkpen road, 700m E of Walbury Hill summit, SU 3804 6159 (West Berkshire) |
| OS map | Landranger 174 (Newbury & Wantage), Explorer 158 (Newbury & Hungerford) |
| Difficulty | 2 |
| Enjoyment | ** |
| Distance | 6.5km (4 miles) |
| Ascent | 100m |
| Time | 1–1.5hrs |
Walbury Hill has a 3m advantage over Leith Hill, making Berkshire the highest county in southeast England. It is also the highest chalk hill in England. The hill’s altitude relative to its environs means it was once a defensive site, with an Iron Age fort encircled by banks and ditches positioned here. Walbury Hill overlooks Combe Gibbet, where the bodies of George Broomham and Dorothy Newman were draped in 1676, after they were convicted of murdering Broomham’s wife and son. Hampshire’s Pilot Hill has a less glamorous and gory history, although the two summits, which have a striking resemblance, can easily be linked.
Summit of Pilot Hill
Did you Know?
BERKSHIRE
Famous native
Former Chelsea and Southampton footballer Peter Osgood (1947–2006) was born in Windsor. Osgood, who won four England caps, was known as the ‘Wizard of Os’ by Chelsea fans.
Interesting fact
Berkshire is often referred to as a ‘royal county’ because Windsor Castle falls within its boundaries. A fire in 1992 damaged or destroyed more than 100 rooms at the 900-year-old castle.
HAMPSHIRE
Famous native
Victorian novelist Charles Dickens (1812–70) spent the first three years of his life in Portsmouth before moving to London. Revered for his contribution to literature, his best-known novels include A Christmas Carol and Great Expectations.
Interesting fact
Southampton residents were the first to taste-test cod and herring fish fingers in the 1950s. The town’s consumers (and others from South Wales) preferred the cod version of the fish product.
Route
From the car park, follow a rough farm track that rises in a NW direction to Walbury Hill along the route of the Wayfarer’s Walk, a 113km-mile path from the coast near Portsmouth to Inkpen Beacon in Berkshire. After about 600m, cross a gate into a field, where a track leads to a trig pillar marking the highest ground in Berkshire. Combe Gibbet, a little over 1km to the NW, can clearly be seen from here.
