Ivinghoe Beacon & the Ridgeway Trail loop from Tring station — Chilterns

Ivinghoe Beacon, at the northern end of the Chiltern Hills, is the start (or finish) point of both the Ridgeway and Icknield Way National Trails. The Ridgeway runs westwards, passing through the Wessex Downs and finishing at the World Heritage Site of Avebury 87 miles (140 km) later, while the Icknield Way travels east for 112 miles (180 km) along an ancient trackway to Knettishall Heath in Suffolk.

Ivinghoe Beacon’s distinctive shape is visible for many miles around, rising straight out of the flat lands of the Vale of Aylesbury. It provides an inviting summit to run to while exploring the inviting chalk trails and long, grassy ridges characteristic of this area.

This Tour takes in an enjoyable loop of the classic Chilterns countryside from Tring train station. Starting with a stretch of the Ridgeway, it takes you over the steep-sided Pitstone Hill to reach the summit of Ivinghoe Beacon, then joins the Icknield Way to return through woodland to Tring.

Covering 9 miles (14.3 km) with 886 ft (270 m) of ascent, the Tour follows clear, well-signed trails. Some sections can get muddy so we’d recommend running it in trail shoes. Over the summer months there’s often an ice-cream van in the Ivinghoe Beacon car park, but you’ll need to descend off the main route to reach it. Otherwise, the Monument Cafe on the Ashridge Estate is at around 7 miles (11.4 km). The start/finish point is at Tring station, about a 40-minute journey from London Euston.