Ivinghoe Hills

Ivinghoe Hills is a protected site in the Chilterns featuring chalk grassland and woodland habitats spread across rolling terrain. The landscape supports rare plant species and specialized wildlife that thrive on these particular soil conditions.

An Iron Age hillfort stands at Ivinghoe Beacon while Gallows Hill contains a Bronze Age burial mound, both as scheduled monuments. These ancient structures show how the landscape has been significant to people for thousands of years.

The land management includes traditional grazing practices with sheep and cattle to maintain the specific grassland characteristics for native species.

You can reach the site via the National Trust car park on the B488 road, which connects to the Ridgeway path and Icknield Way for exploring. The terrain is open and manageable for most visitors at a comfortable walking pace.

Gallows Hill preserves a deliberately maintained ploughed section where nationally scarce weed species grow. This intentional choice shows how conservation sometimes requires allowing specific agricultural disturbance to continue.