The Chiltern Way

The Chiltern Society fosters the development and maintenance of all kinds of rights of way, perhaps the most notable example being The Chiltern Way.

A wandering, varied and mostly rural way stretching from north to south across the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and giving the user all the usual characteristic Chilterns scenery.

Based on an earlier unofficial route, the Chiltern Hundred, the original 200km (125 miles) way was created as the Chiltern Society's Millenium Project in the year 2000, taking 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.

A southern extension was included in 2003 and adds a loop of 50km (35 miles) from Bix Bottom via Mapledurham on the Thames.

A northern extension was added during the same year, of 44km (27 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.

With the exeption of a small section in Bedfordshire, most parts of the Chiltern Way appear in our Chiltern Society Footpath Maps – See 'The Chilterns' in this ('About us') section of our website, which shows the maps overlaid on a Chilterns map.

Visit our online Shop for the list of Chiltern Society Footpath Maps available. Prices range from £2.25 to £3.29, including postage and packaging.