A view of the North Chilterns

START & FINISH: Sharpenhoe Clappers Car Park Grid ref:TL065295.

(S/E) From the car park, cross the road and climb the steps opposite to join the Chiltern Way. Bear left across the field to a gate in the far corner. Follow the broad path along the top of the steep tree lined slope with fields on your left. Continue along the top of the slope as the path enters the beech trees.

After a few hundred metres the path drops a little then climbs and curves left to emerge in a field.

(1) Turn left along the edge of the field and right along the top of the field. After 300m the path turns left around the corner of a wood. After another 100m the path veers right to the corner of another wood. Once again walk along the right hand edge of the wood.

Continue for 200m until you pass through a tree-lined hedge.

(2) After passing through the hedge, turn right and walk along with the hedge on your right. As you walk you should now be able to see the church of Harlington directly ahead of you on a ridge across the valley.

At the end of the field you pass back through the hedge and turn left on a track between hedges following it along the left hand hedge, It soon brings you out in a broad grassy field. Walk along the left hand hedge.

As you climb, take time to look at the views (A) across the valley and back to the clappers.

After the first rise look out for a chunky waymark post (about 400m after entering the open area).

(3) At the waymark post turn right and walk downhill aiming to the left of the bushes above the combe across the field.

You will come to a kissing gate after 200m (signposted Icknield Way walkers route). Pass through the gate and bear a little left away from the trees above the combe. You will see another waymark post at the right hand edge of the chalk quarry - head for that. Take the steps down into the quarry. Walk through the bottom of the quarry and down more steps out of the quarry.

The path continues to descend and curves left and then, after bending right, you come to a junction of tracks near the edge of the woods. Turn right and walk through scrubby woodland past remains of industrial buildings to reach a kissing gate into a field. Use the permissive path to walk along the right hand side of a hedge descending to a road.

Turn right on the minor road (there may be signs saying the road is closed - it is open to walkers). This is a quiet lane that you will follow for 1km across the valley towards Harlington. Initially you have views of the Clappers but soon the lane veers left towards Harlington.

(4) When you come to some buildings on your left (Chiltern View Barn/Willow Farm), turn left on to the track to the houses. Continue straight ahead on a bridleway where the track curves left. The bridleway climbs up to the ridge between hedges bringing you out on Barton Road.

Turn right and walk along the verge and road edge. Shortly after passing the 'Harlington' sign you will see a foopath across the road marked with a blue lollipop sign for Bunyan's Oak. Take this path which soon brings you out in a field. Continue along the fence.

At a fingerpost take the left fork, signposted for Pulloxhill. Follow this path across several fields - you are aiming for the set of three barns on the ridge ahead of you. As you enter the field below the barns aim for the gate in front of the middle barn - you will see a fingerpost as you near the gate.

(5) Cross the tarmac road and continue straight ahead between two barns. You will soon see a kissing gate beyond the right hand barn - pass through the gate. You now walk across several fields, aiming to pass just to the left of Portobello Farm.

Walk around the left hand side of the farm and continue across the fields in the same direction. Do not be tempted to drop down to the path you may see lower down. Our route climbs gradually up the side of the ridge (B). Turn left and then right when you come to a barn.

Eventually you emerge at the edge of a large field with (C) Pulloxhill beyond. If the path is not clear, aim for the 30mph sign a little to the left of the house with the large chimneys. This will bring you out at the edge of the village by the Water Tower. Go straight ahead past the Vicarage and Village Hall to reach the church.

(6) If you wish to visit the Cross Keys pub, it is about 100m further on. Our walk goes right through the churchyard. Walk along the right hand hedge and out in to 'Rushymead'. The path descends steeply and soon meets a crossing path. Turn right on this through a kissing gate. Bear half-left across the narrow strip of field and through a gate. The path now crosses several narrow fields below the houses. Finally you pass through the top end of a garden in to Blackhill Lane. Turn left on the lane. The broad track bends right and descends.

(7) Where the lane starts to bend to the left, leave it on a footpath to the right. Initally the path runs along the right side of an open field before passing right through a hedge gap and continuing in the same direction. After 20m bear left into a narrow strip of trees. The path here is quite rough - watch your step! After a few hundred metres you emerge in open fields and continue in broadly the same direction.

As you near the buildings of Portobello farm the path veers left and enters a large irregular field. Bear half-right across the corner of the field.

(8) Look out for a kissing gate on your left in the field below Portobello Farm. Pass through the gate and cross to the kissing gate a little to the right of the hedge. The path veers a little further to the right across the next field heading to the east of the Clappers. You will see your exit gate with a waymark post below two oak trees. Pass through and turn right, then right again to reach a footbridge.

Turn left across the stream then right, following the hedge on your right. Continue in the same direction through a gap in the hedge. You now walk with a hedge on your right walking almost directly towards the Clappers. You follow this broad track for the next kilometre to (D) Bury Farm. Here you pass right and then left through the buildings to join a lane to Sharpenhoe.

(9) Cross the road and turn left. Where the pavement ends by a layby just beyond the village take the path right heading uphill to the (E) Clappers. Climb into the trees where you will find steps. Take these to the top of the hill.

Bear right at the top and walk along the right hand side of the beech trees at the top of the scarp slope. You will have open views over the hills you crossed earlier and across the valley to Pulloxhill. Follow the fence and hedge along the edge of a grassy area then, at a fork in the track bear right down some steps. You soon pass through a wood then emerge to reach a broad track. Turn right and in 100m you will be back at the car park. (S/E)

"We hope you have enjoyed your walk. Please remember to rate the walk and add comments. We are interested in how we could improve the instructions or the route and would like to hear about any issues with paths on the walk."

TERRAIN: A moderate walk, with one steep descent and ascent. Total ascent 250m

START & FINISH: Sharpenhoe Clappers Car Park Grid ref:TL065295.

FOOD & DRINK: The Cross Keys in Pulloxhill

PARKING: The National Trust car park at the Clappers (free).

LOCAL TRANSPORT: Bus 79 runs between Luton and Meppershall on Mondays to Saturdays and stops in Streatley.

(A) Take time to enjoy the view here. Looking back there is a fine view across the downs to the Clappers. Across the valley in front of you will see Harlington church on a ridge. Following that ridge to the right you should be able to see the water tower at Pulloxhill where we will be heading later. Beyond that you can see the higher greensand ridge behind Ampthill and Clophill.

(B) As you climb across the open field here you are treated to probably the finest view of the North Chilterns. From right to left along the chalk downs you can see Sundon Hills, Sharpenhoe Clappers, the deep combes of Barton Hills Nature Reserve, Ravensburgh castle, Deacon hill and Knocking Hoe. Across the valley you will see Shillington church on a small hill. If it is a clear day you will be able to look beyond, over the flat country of the rivers Ivel and Hiz, beyond the A1 in to Cambridgeshire and the hills above Royston.

Since 2020 a barn has been built that now breaks the view into two - it is a good view nevertheless

(C) Pulloxhill is one of the oldest villages in Bedfordshire - over 1000 years old. The main street runs along the top of a ridge. Here you will find all the important old buildings: church, pub and school. The church dates back to Norman times.

For a brief time in the 17th century the village experienced a gold rush. It turned out to be no more than flakes of gold coloured mica in quartz. There is a street named Golds Close near the site of the find and mine workings were still visible in 1980.

(D) BURY FARM: Previously known as Sharpenhoe Manor, it dates back to 1197. The moat is a scheduled ancient monument. The Manor’s most famous owner was Thomas Norton, who was married to Margery, the daughter of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer. Norton had a reputation for persecuting Catholics in Queen Elizabeth I’s reign and it earned him the title of ‘rackmaster-general’. He died in 1584 and bequeathed £10 to pay for a schoolmaster to educate the local children.

(E) SHARPENHOE CLAPPERS: An ancient woodland and chalk downland owned by the National Trust, the name Sharpenhoe comes from ‘sharp spur of land’. There seems to be some debate over the name ‘Clappers’. Some think it derives from the medieval Latin term claperius meaning a heap of stones or rabbit hole, others the French for rabbit warren. The site contains an Iron Age hillfort and is covered in beech trees.