Dunstable Downs to Ivinghoe Beacon Walk

6.8 miles (11 km)

This walk follows part of the Icknield Way Path from Dunstable Downs Country Park to Ivinghoe Beacon. It's just under 7 miles from the car park at the Chilterns Gateway Centre to the Beacon summit.... On the way you will pass Whipsnade Tree Cathedral, Whipsnade Zoo and Dagnall as you make your way along the well signposted trail.
The route takes you through some of the most attractive countryside in the Chiltern Hills, with open chalk downland, wooded slopes and expansive views across the surrounding valleys. The Icknield Way is an ancient route with a long history, and its passage across the downs gives a good impression of the distinctive landscape of this part of the Chilterns. Along the way there are several notable landmarks, including Whipsnade Tree Cathedral, where trees and hedges have been arranged to create the form of a cathedral, and Whipsnade Zoo, which occupies a large site on the Chiltern escarpment. The village of Dagnall provides another interesting point along the trail, surrounded by the rolling farmland and woodland characteristic of the area. The walk finishes at Ivinghoe Beacon, one of the most prominent viewpoints in the Chilterns. At 233 metres, the summit commands wide views across the Vale of Aylesbury and surrounding countryside, making it a fitting end to a walk through this varied section of the Chiltern landscape.