Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire, Luton, Oxfordshire
Created by the Chiltern Society as its Millennium Project, the Way originally took in all of the Chilterns from north to south across the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, in a 125-miles circuit extending from Ewelme in the south west, Chorleywood in the south east and Sharpenhoe Clappers and Great Offley in the north east. It was based on an earlier unofficial route, the Chiltern Hundred.
The Way passes through some of the most attractive parts of the Chilterns, including the Bovingdon Plateau, the Chess valley, the Misbourne valley, Penn Country, the Hambleden valley, Stonor Park, Ewelme, Swyncombe Down, Bledlow Ridge, Hampden Country, Bulbourne valley and Dunstable Down.
The original 200km (125 miles) Way took in Hemel via Chalfont St Giles, the edge of Marlow, Hambleden, Bix Bottom, Ewelme, the Ridgeway, Stokenchurch, Great Hampden, Aldbury, the Dunstable Downs, Sharpenhoe Clappers and Harpenden.
Two extensions have been added in 2003: the Chiltern Way Southern Extension adds a loop of 40km (25 miles) from Bix Bottom via Mapledurham on the Thames and the Chiltern Way Northern Extension 35km (22 miles) from Sharpenhoe Clappers via the Icknield Way and the outskirts of Hitchin. A short cut from Bix Bottom creates a 16km (10 miles) loop via Ewelme. The Chiltern Way Berkshire Loop adds 45km (28 miles) and marked on OS Mapping is a loop in Berkshire south of the Thames and uses two sections of the Thames Path.
Although officially starting at Hemel Hempstead Station, the walk can be started at many other places on the route. The Way also has links with other routes including Chiltern Heritage Trail, Ridgeway National Trail, Icknield Way Path, Oxfordshire, Swan's and South Bucks Ways and Grand Union Canal, Lea Valley and Chess Valley Walks.
An outline map of the Way including the extensions is shown on the Chiltern Society weblink below, overlaid to show the coverage of the Chiltern Society's own footpath maps. Apart from a small section in Bedfordshire, these cover most parts of the route. A wildflower guide, with 18 shorter walks, to which Society members contributed expertise, is also listed.
UPDATE FEBRUARY 2021: The footpath used by the Chiltern Way east of Chalk Hill to the north of Houghton Regis will be closed until 2 August 2021. The Chiltern Society have waymarked a diversion to avoid the affected path and notices have been placed at each end of the diversion.
The closure is due to the "Houghton Regis North" development - a major development which will provide over 7,000 houses, with schools, shops and employment areas over the next 5 years.
The Chiltern Society has worked closely with Central Bedfordshire Council and the developers and the 2 miles of the Chiltern Way through the development will be largely unaffected. However, with a development of this scale, temporary disruptions are inevitable. Please check the Chiltern Society page to keep up to date with what is happening on the route.
UPDATE MAY 2022: Grid reference SP 8766 0429. “The footpath past Durham Farm is expected to be closed until May 2026 due to HS2 works. Because of the length of the diversion the Chiltern Way has been re-routed onto the footpath next to Bowood Lane.” Chiltern Society (chilternsociety.org.uk/the-chiltern-way) say the diversion is signed.
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