Top 7 Natural Monuments around Chalfont St Giles

There is a lovely little weir on the River Chess here that's worth stopping by. Also, on the same pond, you will see stepping stones (called Steps of Heaven by some) if you'd like to walk across! A good few years ago, I used to live in the street right next to these ponds, so I can vouch for the fact that this is a great place to spend some time at, particularly in the summer.

There is a lovely little weir on the River Chess here that's worth stopping by. Also, on the same pond, you will see stepping stones (called Steps of Heaven by some) if you'd like to walk across! A good few years ago, I used to live in the street right next to these ponds, so I can vouch for the fact that this is a great place to spend some time at, particularly in the summer.

its ok but muddy to get in and out of if you want to dip your feet during a hike

Burnham Beeches is a Site of Special Scientific Interest, National Nature Reserve, and Special Area of Conservation thanks to its ancient beech woodland and rich wildlife. More than sixty species of plants and animals that call the 927-acre (375 ha) site home are rare or under threat. The historic woodland is also home to relics of times gone by. Located in the southwest of the woodland, you can visit Seven Ways Plain hill fort which dates to the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age. Neighbouring film studios have used the Beeches as a shooting location in various productions such as Doctor Who, Harry Potter, Goldfinger, and Robin Hood Prince of Thieves.

Legend has it that whoever walks on these steps without falling will be blessed with eternal life.

Will you be able to crack Lord Astor's secret route and reach the heart of the Cliveden Maze? Our maze is based on one that was built for the 1st Viscount Astor in 1894 and has over 500 metres of paths winding amongst two-metre high hedges. The maze covers approximately one-third of an acre, making the maze the same size as the world-famous Hampton Court Maze. We started work recreating the giant puzzle in 2009 and it was officially opened on Friday 8 April 2011 by a renowned gardener, broadcaster and writer Alan Titchmarsh. Lord Astor, whose great-grandfather was William Waldorf, the 1st Viscount Astor, was the first person to officially go into the new maze. Historic design Apart from a few surviving yew trees that provided the exact location, little else was known about the original maze. However, a sketch drawn by the 1st Viscount Astor showing his design for maze survives in the archive and we were able to use this to recreate a faithful copy. A-maze-ing facts Yew trees create great mazes because they readily form dense hedges and are easily clipped into shape. We used almost 1,100 yew trees to make up the hedges and each tree on arrival was already 2 metres tall and weighed approximately 60 kilograms. It took four 40-foot artic lorries to transport them. Meanwhile, over 1,000 metres of steel edging and 120 tonnes of gravel were used to produce the 500 metres of a path. The maze’s beautiful hand-forged wrought iron gates were created by Chris Collman from Burnham who is known locally as The Wrought Iron Man. The gates have a strong Victorian influence and commemorate both Lord Astor’s original maze and our recreation. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cliveden/features/the-cliveden-maze

In the Long Garden, you'll find huge beds of seasonal flowers displayed amongst a collection of quirky topiary and sculptures Colourful combinations to come Every Spring and Summer there's a new floral scheme creating a mass of colour within the four box-edged central beds and along the bricked walled border. Space for sculpture This aptly named garden was created by William Waldorf Astor in 1896 to display some of his classical sculpture collection. Notable pieces include four 18th-century stone characters from the Commedia dell’ Arte in the centre of the garden, two ancient Egyptian baboons and the striking marble figures of Nautica and Marco Polo at the eastern end. Italian inspiration Taking elements from gardens he’d seen in Italy, Lord Astor created the long, narrow central beds and planted climbers along the boundary wall. Originally two unbroken beds, it was his son and daughter-in-law, Waldorf and Nancy, who modified the design to make four beds with a large central space as we see today. Norah and Nancy During the inter-war years, Nancy Astor worked closely with socialite-turned-gardener Norah Lindsay to devise herbaceous schemes for the Long Garden. Designed to peak for Ascot week, the central beds were filled with bright red, yellow and orange blooms in the centre with the colours fading to pinks, creams and mauves towards the edges. Although different, today’s modern scheme ensures a striking spectacle in spring and summer. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/cliveden/features/the-long-garden-at-cliveden

The wetland meadows of Cock Marsh are very important for rare plant species, breeding waders and overwintering birds. Part of the site is designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). The steep chalk grassland swiftly changing into marshy, acid meadows has created an ecosystem of rare and interesting species. As part of the historic channel of the Thames, the ponds here support specialist plants like water violet, marsh arrowgrass, marsh stitchwort, marsh pennywort and water hemlock. The rare sedge Cyperus fuscus (brown galingale) is found here and in only a handful of other sites in Great Britain. It relies on cattle to tread or poach the ground on the pond edges to create the perfect habitat to grow. The cattle here work hard to help to maintain a rich botanical diversity of grassland habitat. https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/maidenhead-and-cookham-commons/trails/cookham-and-cock-marsh-walk