Walks in Bedfordshire and the Chilterns: Our Favourite Local Routes

Who says you need to drive to a national park for a good walk? When we moved out of London to Leighton Buzzard, we found chalk hills, red kites, a turquoise quarry and a windmill on a hill right on our doorstep. Bedfordshire doesn't have big mountains, but it has so many lovely hidden gems.

These are the walks we do again and again, after work, at sunrise or on a lazy Sunday morning. Most of them are in the Chilterns, which is now called the Chilterns National Landscape (it used to be an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty). I also added Rushmere, Woburn and Brill Windmill, which are just outside it. So here is our home patch, with parking, trains and buses checked for 2026.

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Quick answer

• Best views: Ivinghoe Beacon, with an easy 3.5 km circular walk from the National Trust car park.
• Most surprising: the turquoise water at Kensworth Quarry on a 6 km circular walk.
• Quietest: Sundon Hills to Sharpenhoe Clappers, Pegsdon Hills and Barton Hills.
• Best with a pushchair: Rushmere Country Park and the Ivinghoe Beacon circular.
• By train: Tring (from London Euston) for Ivinghoe, and Harlington (Thameslink from St Pancras) for Sundon Hills.
• Free to walk: all of them. Parking is free at some and paid at Dunstable Downs and Rushmere (2026).

Our local walks at a glance

Ivinghoe Beacon and Ashridge

Ivinghoe Beacon was one of the first walks we did after moving, and it quickly became a favourite. It is only 233 m high, but the 360-degree views are stunning. Pitstone Windmill looks like a little model from the top! We often come here to unwind after work, especially at sunrise or sunset. It is usually windy, so it is perfect for flying a kite.

The easy circular walk from the car park is 3.5 km with about 100 m of elevation gain. Look out for the Whipsnade White Lion carved into the chalk in the distance. You can also walk to Pitstone Hill past the steep dry valley of Incombe Hole, or to the Bridgewater Monument at Ashridge in about 45 minutes. The Ridgeway National Trail starts here too.

• Parking: the National Trust car park off Beacon Road (HP4 1NF). It has no toilets or bins.
• Train: Tring station, about 40 minutes from London Euston, then walk. A 9-mile circular from Tring takes in woods, meadows and the Beacon.
• Food: the Monument Café near the Ashridge visitor centre (outdoor seating only). The Brownlow Café we used to visit has closed.
• Bridgewater Monument: open to climb at weekends from April to October, weather permitting.
• Dogs: sheep often graze here, so keep dogs under control.

Read more in our Ivinghoe Beacon walk guide.

Kensworth Quarry and Dunstable Downs

I didn't edit my photos! The water at Kensworth Quarry really is this turquoise colour, with little islands sticking out. It almost looks like the tropics. However, it is a working chalk quarry on private land. So stay on the public footpath and never try to get closer or swim. The circular walk is 6 km with 167 m of elevation gain and takes about 1.5 hours. It goes through woodland and fields, and it was muddy when we went, so wear boots.

• Parking: Mentmore Park car park (LU6 3NW) is free but only fits about 8 cars. It has a playground. The National Trust Dunstable Downs car park costs £3.50 a day for non-members (free for members) and has toilets and a café.
• Bus: Centrebus route B from Luton towards Downside, then about 10 minutes on foot.
• Kids: fine to walk, but not with a pushchair because of the steps.

Full route in our Kensworth Quarry walk.

Sundon Hills and Sharpenhoe Clappers

Sundon Hills Country Park sits on one of the highest points in Bedfordshire. There are no playgrounds or cafés, which is probably why it is so much quieter than Rushmere. We walked from the Sundon Hills car park to Sharpenhoe Clappers and back, 7.6 km with 280 m of elevation gain. The path crosses grassland with little dry valleys, then a short, steep woodland section with a rope to hold on to when it is slippery. At the Clappers you can look for traces of an Iron Age hill fort, and there are rope swings on the big beech trees.

• Train: Thameslink from London St Pancras to Harlington takes about 45 minutes. Then walk to the start.
• Parking: Sundon Hills Country Park car park (Central Bedfordshire Council) or the National Trust Sharpenhoe car park, which has a 2 m height limit.
• Facilities: only picnic tables at Sundon Hills. The Red Lion in Sundon is within walking distance.
• Pushchairs: not suitable. It gets muddy after rain.

Barton Hills and Pegsdon Hills

Barton Hills National Nature Reserve

We visited Barton Hills at 7 am on a frosty Sunday morning in spring, and it was so peaceful. We sat on a bench at the top with a hot drink from our thermos and watched red kites and even hares. Then we went down a steep, slippery track to Barton Springs. The stream is shallow and clear, with stepping stones, so children love paddling here in summer. Between April and August the reserve is full of wildflowers, including the rare pasque flower.

Parking: there is no car park, so park considerately on Church Road or Old Road in Barton-le-Clay. Bus: the 81 from Luton. Toilets: none, but the village has pubs and cafés. Entry is free.

Pegsdon Hills and Hoo Bit

Pegsdon Hills reminded us of Ivinghoe Beacon. From the Hexton Road car park you reach Deacon Hill quickly, with views over Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire. We did a 5 km circular walk, had a hot chocolate on a bench and played on a rope swing. It is a Wildlife Trust reserve and one of the best chalk downlands in the UK. Rare breeds of sheep and cattle graze here, so keep dogs on a lead.

Parking: the car park only fits 4–5 cars, so arrive early and don't park on the verges. Train: Hitchin is the nearest station, about 4.5 miles away. Pub: The Raven at Hexton. Read our Pegsdon Hills walk and Barton Hills and Springs posts for the full stories.

Rushmere Country Park and Woburn

Rushmere Country Park

Rushmere is only a 10-minute drive from us, so it is our go-to local park. It was perfect for our lockdown walks. There are woodland trails, Stockgrove Lake, a sculpture trail with fairy doors and a giant chair, and bike trails. The main paths are easy with an all-terrain pushchair.

• Parking (2026): £3 for up to 1 hour, £5 for 1–3 hours and £7 for longer. Pay before you leave. The annual Greensand Parking Pass costs £77.
• Opening: the car parks close in the evening. In late October 2026 the main entrance was open 8 am to 5 pm, with last entry at 4:30 pm.
• Rules: no BBQs, drones, kites, camping or fires, and no general bins, so take your litter home.

Woburn deer park and Aspley Woods

We have spent a lot of time exploring Woburn too. You can walk through the deer park on the waymarked Greensand Ridge Walk. Enter through the kissing gate at Ivy Lodge on George Street, and keep your distance from the deer, especially during the autumn rut. Woburn Abbey itself is still closed for restoration (November 2026). Aspley Woods, on the Woburn Sands side, is big enough for many visits and has bluebells in spring. Find more ideas in 44 things to do in Woburn.

Brill Windmill, Buckinghamshire

Brill Windmill is a little further away, on the Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire border. We arrived early on a sunny Sunday and had the place to ourselves. The bumpy little hills around the windmill are left over from clay digging, and they are great fun for kids to run up and down. Our circular walk through the fields and Boarstall Wood was 6.7 km with about 180 m of elevation gain.

The windmill is usually open inside on Sundays from Easter to the end of September, 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm. Adults paid £5 in 2025. Parking next to it is free. The Pheasant and The Pointer in the village are both good for a meal. Read our Brill Windmill circular walk.

Getting there without a car

• Ivinghoe Beacon: train to Tring (about 40 minutes from Euston, 22 minutes from Milton Keynes), then walk.
• Sundon Hills: Thameslink to Harlington from St Pancras (about 45 minutes).
• Kensworth Quarry and Barton Hills: train to Luton, then bus B (Kensworth) or bus 81 (Barton-le-Clay).
• Woburn: Flitwick on Thameslink, about 50 minutes from St Pancras, then a taxi.
• Brill: the S&Z bus 111 runs on weekdays only, so a car is easier at weekends.

Many of these places are also in our list of places to go hiking near London by train.

Walks with kids and pushchairs

These walks are great for families too. Rushmere's sculpture trail and the Ivinghoe Beacon circular both work with an all-terrain pushchair. Kensworth Quarry, Sharpenhoe Clappers and Barton Springs are better with a carrier. Our Out n About Nipper copes really well with mud, grass and woodland paths, and you can read why in my Out n About Nipper review.

A few simple rules keep these places special. Park only in proper spaces, keep dogs on a lead near sheep and cattle, and take your rubbish home, as most of these sites have no bins.

FAQ

What is the best walk in Bedfordshire?

For views, Ivinghoe Beacon is hard to beat, even though it is just over the border in Buckinghamshire. For something different, the turquoise water at Kensworth Quarry is a real surprise. For peace and quiet, I love Barton Hills and Pegsdon Hills.

Can you walk in the Chilterns by train from London?

Yes. Tring is about 40 minutes from London Euston and is the best station for Ivinghoe Beacon and Ashridge. Harlington on Thameslink is about 45 minutes from St Pancras and works for Sundon Hills and Sharpenhoe Clappers.

Do you have to pay to park?

At some places, yes. Rushmere Country Park charges from £3 for an hour to £7 for over 3 hours, and Dunstable Downs costs £3.50 a day for non-members (2026). Mentmore Park, the Brill Windmill car park and the Hexton Road car park at Pegsdon were free when we visited. Barton Hills has no car park at all.

Can you swim at Kensworth Quarry?

No. It is a working quarry on private land, and there are warning signs. Enjoy the view from the public footpath only.

Which local walks are good for kids?

Rushmere Country Park (sculpture trail, playground and cafés), the Ivinghoe Beacon circular and paddling at Barton Springs are our favourites with little ones.

Do you live nearby? Which is your favourite walk in Bedfordshire or the Chilterns? Let me know in the comments!