Pegsdon and Deacon Hills, Chilterns

Start : An old road West of Pegsdon (SG5 3JS) Grid ref. TL 118 301

(S/E) From the entrance to the parking area, turn left on the road towards the village. Turn right onto Pegsdon Way and 200m after passing the View pub you reach a road junction.

(1) Turn left on the North Chiltern Trail (A) towards Pegsdon Common Farm for 500m. Just after the lane bends to the left, turn right uphill on a path across fields. Go through the hedgerow then up the steps ahead. Follow the path to the right of a wood and a field to the top of the hill.

(2) Here, turn left on a wide grassy strip between fields and continue on this undulating path. At the end of the field turn right uphill on a wide path. At the top go past, but not through, the entrance to Knocking Hoe Nature Reserve (B) then straight on past a farm gate to a crossing bridleway. Turn left along it for 100m, then bear left and follow the bridleway for about half a mile.

(3) Turn right onto a footpath marked Chiltern Way and stay in the same direction along the left-hand edge of a field, Pass through a kissing gate in a fence and carry on to the left of the hedge. Go through a kissing gate about 50m from the corner of the field, and stay directly ahead to the left of a hedgerow down to a fenced-in path just before the road. Go left along the path by the side of the road which shortly curves right to the road. Cross the road, taking great care. Take the wide grassy track ahead for 180m.

(4) At a junction of tracks turn directly right towards the middle of a copse. There may be several mowed tracks - aim just to the left of the larger conifers. Go through the copse and then straight across a field to a lane. Turn right and walk along to the main road. Turn left along the path at the road edge and continue to a small parking area.

(5) Ahead is the ancient Icknield Way Trail. Do not go along it, but go a little further to the right and look for a wooden kissing gate into the field on your left. Go through it and follow the left-hand edge of the field as it runs parallel to the Trail. At the end of the field you will find a Natural England information board.

Alternative Route: To avoid the steep climb, go straight ahead on the Icknield Way (C) - a broad hedged track which can be muddy at times. You climb steadily for nearly a mile. After the track flattens off, look for a kissing gate on your right. Go through the gate into Pegsdon Hills Nature Reserve by an information board. Head straight ahead to a fence corner and follow the path to the left of the fence to rejoin the main route just after Waypoint (7).

(6) From the information board there are two options: for a more strenuous route, see below. Go past the information board and into the next field. Turn right to climb to the trig point at the top of Deacon Hill (D). Follow the ridge round to the left and, without losing much height, continue to a wooden kissing gate at the entrance to Pegsdon Hills Nature Reserve (E). Go through it and follow the track as it contours round the hill to the right of a fence.

(7) When you reach a wooden kissing gate in the fence, go through it and turn right along the fence. Follow the fence as it soon turns right around the top of a dry valley. Ignore the wooden gate on the right and continue to the next one directly ahead. Go through it and follow the path as it descends by the edge of a dry valley. Stay in the same direction through two further gates and all the way down to the last gate by the main road. Cross over and keep straight ahead to the parking area. (S/E)

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