Chalk and Trees - The Chilterns AONB

&
WINTER 2012
Chalk and Trees
THE MAGAZINE OF THE CHILTERNS CONSERVATION BOARD
Inside this issue:
£1 million boost for cycling Rare wildlife thrives Magnificent new home
in Chilterns in Beds nature reserve wins 2012 Design Award
an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

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Winter 2012
&
Chalk and Trees
Top 10 ways to enjoy winter
– see page 5
Published by the Chilterns Conservation Board
The Lodge 90 Station Road Chinnor Oxon OX39 4HA
Tel: 01844 355500 Email: office@chilternsaonb.org
Chairman: Mike Fox
Staff
Steve Rodrick Chief Officer
01844 355505 srodrick@chilternsaonb.org
Colin White Planning Officer
01844 355507 cwhite@chilternsaonb.org
Kath Daly Countryside Officer
01844 355524 kdaly@chilternsaonb.org
Cathy Rose Activities and Learning Officer
01844 355506 crose@chilternsaonb.org
Claire Forrest Information & Interpretation Officer
01844 355521 cforrest@chilternsaonb.org
Annette Venters Strategic Access Officer
01844 355508 aweiss@chilternsaonb.org
Allen Beechey Chalk Streams Officer
01844 355502 abeechey@chilternsaonb.org
Neil Jackson Conservation & Landscape Officer
01844 355523 njackson@chilternsaonb.org
Donna Webb Administration Officer
01844 355500 office@chilternsaonb.org
Rachel Sanderson Commons Project Officer
01844 355525 rsanderson@chilternsaonb.org
Advertising: contact Advance Publications at
sales@advancepublications.co.uk
or call 0118 926 9120
Wildlife and Countryside events
Find details of many events taking place across the
Chilterns at www.chilternsaonb.org/events
There are guided walks, talks, family activities, open
days and more and lots are free.
The Chilterns Conservation Board is the public
body established to conserve and enhance the
Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Its 27 members are drawn from local communities
and it has a staff team of 10 based in Chinnor,
Oxfordshire
CONSERVATION BOARD
Photo credits: Chris Smith, Suzanne Graff, Gerry Whitlow
and John Morris
Main cover picture: Autumn in the Ashridge Estate
near Berkhamsted
Highlights in this issue
Walking, Cycling and Events
Chilterns Buildings Design Awards
HS2 fight goes to court
Frogs, bees and dukes
Saving our musical woods
Tommies, trenches and teamwork
AN AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY
River Thames
Wallingford
Goring
Reading
Aylesbury
Princes
Risborough
Marlow
Wendover
High
Wycombe
Henley-on-Thames
The Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)
was designated in 1965 and covers 833 sq kms. It is one of 46 AONBs
in the UK. AONBs, along with National Parks, are nationally-protected
as the finest landscapes in the country.
Tring
Dunstable
Berkhamsted
Chesham
Beaconsfield
To find out more about the Chilterns AONB visit
www.chilternsaonb.org
Amersham
Landscapes
for life
.org.uk
Hemel
Hempstead
River Thames
page 4-5
page 8-9
page 12-13
page 15
page 16
page 17
Luton
Hitchin
St Albans
CHILTERNS
One of the
AONB family
Chalk and Trees - Winter 2012
3

New stile-free walks in
Oxfordshire
wo new stile-free circular routes have been created by the Chilterns
Conservation Board through some of the loveliest parts of the
TOxfordshire Chilterns. The Caversham Heights to Mapledurham
Walk is a four mile loop with splendid views over the River Thames.
It goes past historic Mapledurham House and its watermill, both of
which are open to the public at certain times and are well worth a
visit. The Crocker End and Alvingham Estate Walk is a four mile
loop starting near Nettlebed which takes in the beautiful Warburg
Nature reserve owned by the Berks Bucks and Oxon Wildlife
Trust and passes the ruins of St James' Church near Bix.
Full details and maps for both walks can be downloaded
i
from www.chilternsaonb.org/walks-rides
Walking, Cycling and Events
Talking
sculptures at
Aston Rowant
he Talking Trail at Aston Rowant National
Nature Reserve near Watlington is a great
Tnew sound and sculpture trail on top of the
Chilterns, launched by Natural England. The 2km route
has six eye-catching sculptures along it, made mostly from
wood found on the Reserve. Their design is the result of
collaboration between local artists and adults and children
from nearby communities. Incorporated into each sculpture
are wind-up listening posts which play a variety of sound clips.
You can listen to the artist relate the story behind the sculpture,
hear the voices of local people as they describe
what the Reserve means to them,
answer questions on the wildlife
of Aston Rowant or listen to
songs and poems specially
written for the Trail.
Follow signs for the
Talking Trail from the
main Reserve car park
which is off the
Christmas Common
road near Stokenchurch.
The watermill at Mapledurham
4
Chalk and Trees - Winter 2012

Walking, Cycling and Events
Natural play trails at Coombe Hill
and Dunstable Downs
he National Trust have added some fun trails to their sites at
Coombe Hill near Wendover and Dunstable Downs. Climbing
frames and other obstacles made out of natural materials have Tbeen dotted around the woods to encourage children (and the youngat-heart)
to test their strength and balance. At Coombe Hill there are
rustic balance beams, a 'make your own' see- saw using a trunk and
planks of wood and a climbing wall. The obstacles at
Dunstable Downs include 'Fort Scramble'
and a sunken tree.
More
to explore at Ashridge
Natural
at
play trail
Coombe
Hill
ore of the National Trust's Ashridge Estate near Berkhamsted can be explored
by users of wheelchairs and mobility scooters as the easy access trail has
Mbeen extended. Starting from the Bridgewater Monument near the visitor centre,
the trail now extends south for 1km through the woods towards Aldbury.
4
Top
1
10
things to do in Winter
Visit Watlington Hill on Oxfordshire and watch the red kites soaring in the winter sun
2 Do the 14 mile Wendover Cycle Loop on the Chilterns Cycleway and reward
yourself with hot refreshments in a Wendover café at the end.
3 Enjoy an easy amble by the reservoirs and Grand Union Canal near Tring and
spot birdlife and colourful narrowboats on the water.
Visit one of the local breweries or vineyards and stock up on beer, wine and other local products.
5 Take a walk through one of the Chilterns' ancient woods - like Philipshill Wood near Chorleywood – in winter
it's easier to spot intriguing features like sawpits and boundary banks.
6
Take the children to Dunstable Downs or Ashridge for fun winter craft activities with the National Trust.
7 Winter is one of the most active times for conservation volunteer groups – if you fancy getting active and
looking after the countryside visit www.chilternsaonb.org/volunteering for local opportunities.
8 Make the most of a windy day by flying a kite on one of the highpoints of the Chilterns like Ivinghoe Beacon or
Coombe Hill.
9 Enter a world of fantastic stories and fun at the Roald Dahl Museum in Great Missenden – a great rainy day
outing.
10
i
You can book mobility scooters by contacting the visitor centre on
01442 851227 or visit
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ashridge
There’s lots to enjoy in the Chilterns in winter – wrap up warm and make the
most of this special season!
If it snows grab wellies and sledge and head off out into the magical white world of winter.
Find out more about all the places mentioned by visiting www.chilternsaonb.org
Chalk and Trees - Winter 2012
5

£1 million boost for cycling
f you were inspired by Olympic cyclists Sir Chris Hoy and Bradley Wiggins there is good news - enjoying the Chilterns by bike
will become a lot easier over the next couple of years. A major project to encourage visitors and residents to get cycling is
Igoing ahead thanks to a £868,000 grant from the Department for Transport. Together with other contributions, the total
project value is over £1 million.n.
Cyclists enjoying a break at a pub in Turville, Bucks
The success of the Chilterns Cycleway has helped to attract the
funding and this popular cycle route will be improved even further
as part of the project.
“Getting the go-ahead for this project is great news for
everyone who lives in and near the Chilterns”, says Annette Venters
at the Chilterns Conservation Board, one of the organisations
leading the work. “We'll be doing a lot to make it easier to travel by
bike around the area and we'll be promoting the Chilterns Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty as a wonderful place to visit for a
cycling break. We'll also be encouraging local residents to use their
bikes instead of the car. All of this will bring more money in for
local businesses and help reduce the number of cars on our roads.”
Visitors will be encouraged to reach the Chilterns by train and
then use bicycles to travel around during their stay. Those who do
come by car will be encouraged to leave it at their accommodation
and get around by bike.
The project will be focussing on three particular areas of the
Chilterns. These have been selected as they all contain very good
train and bus links, are on the Chilterns Cycleway route and have a
good number of tourism businesses and visitor attractions.
6
Chalk and Trees - Winter 2012
The selected areas are:
Twyford and Henley-on-Thames
Great Missenden, Chesham and Amersham
Tring and Berkhamsted
Within these areas there will be investment in better signage on
cycling routes, more cycle parking and more bike hire facilities.
Even those who are not keen on pedalling pushbikes up and
down the hilly Chilterns will be able to enjoy the countryside on two
wheels as a number of electric bike hire hubs will be set up. With a
boost from an electric battery even the least Bradley Wiggins-like
will be able to make it up all the hills! This will open up cycling to
many more visitors and make it attractive to those who rarely get on
a bike. The hubs are likely to be at some railway stations and major
visitor attractions.
The Chilterns Conservation Board is leading on the project
along with Wokingham Borough Council and CTC, the national
cyclists' organisation. The funding has come from the Department
for Transport's Local Sustainable Transport Fund.
i
To find out more about the project contact Annette Venters at
the Board at aweiss@chilternsaonb.org

Historic
fort
revealed
in
Wendover Woods
T
hanks to the efforts of The Chiltern Society volunteers, one of the Chilterns' historic hillforts has been saved for the future
and is now much more accessible to the public.
Boddington Hillfort is high up in Wendover Woods, one of the
Chilterns' most popular countryside sites. The Hillfort is right next
to one of the Woods' well-used paths but it was very hard to spot
for years because of all the trees and shrubs growing on it. Over
two thousand years ago it would have been home to a small
settlement, protected by a bank, deep ditch and 12 foot high
wooden palisade fence. Once it fell out of use the woodland
gradually took over, covering the hillfort until it was pretty much
invisible. Tree roots cause a lot of damage to ancient sites, leading
English Heritage to place Boddington Hillfort on its 'at risk'
register.
Brighter future
In 2009 the future of the fort began to look a lot brighter as an
agreement between The Chiltern Society and the Forestry
Commission resulted in the formation of the Society's Wendover
Woods Conservation Group. Under the direction of Forestry
Commission rangers the volunteers set to work to open up the
hillfort. “As many as 22 volunteers turned out regularly, whatever
the weather, to clear vegetation along the ditch and mound and
make the fort more of a visible feature in the landscape,” says
ranger Colin Bradley.
The work parties took place midweek and attracted a wide range of
people, both men and women: some retired, on shift work, selfemployed
or between jobs. They had incentives to keep them
going, as volunteer Mike Baldock comments: “A bonfire provided
some relief on a cold wet day and a venison barbecue was
appreciated by us all.”
All the hard work has paid off. The distinctive shape of the hillfort
can easily be seen as you walk through Wendover Woods and some
lovely views have been opened up. English Heritage has now
assessed the fort's status as 'low risk and stable', a great reward for
all the effort put in.
The activities of the Conservation Group continue as there is
plenty else to do in the Woods including wildlife surveys, pond
clearing and tree coppicing. If you are interested in becoming a
volunteer, contact the Forestry Commission at Wendover Woods
on 01296 625825 or email colin.bradley@forestry.gov.uk.
Find out more about the Group at
www.chilternsociety.org.uk/cons-wend.php
i
The boundary bank and ditch of Boddington Hillfort after clearance
CARLTON CLOCKS
sales and restoration
Large showrooms
with an impressive range
of clocks and barometers
Long guarantees
www.ukclocks.com
Chalfont Station Road,
Little Chalfont, Bucks. HP7 9PN
01494 763793
Chalk and Trees - Winter 2012
7

Chilterns Buildings Design Awards 2012
Award-winning Chilterns Buildings 2012
hese annual awards are given to buildings in and close to the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty whose design
and construction shows high quality and a sympathy to their surroundings. This year there was the usual field of strong
Tentries, ranging from new and restored houses to offices, a visitor centre, girls school and garden studio. The awards are
offered jointly by the Chilterns Conservation Board and The Chiltern Society.
Overall Winner –
Horseshoe Hill House
Horseshoe Hill House is a very impressive
newly-built house in Littleworth Common
near Wooburn in Buckinghamshire. It is in a
lovely position with commanding views over
the Thames Valley and is close to Burnham
Beeches. The imposing Georgian-style house
is surrounded by a formal garden with terrace
and swimming pool, and yet retains a strong
feel of a family home.
“It was our vision to build a home in keeping
with the beautiful surrounding countryside”,
say owners Malcolm and Beverley Heald.
“Our architect Christopher Gregory
translated this brief into a truly delightful
family home."
Mr Gregory comments :
“The opportunity to design a country house on
a truly stunning site was a real gift.”
Richard Wheeler, Chairman of the judging panel,
lays out the panel's reasons for giving the top prize
to Horseshoe Hill House: “This is a superb,
perfectly-executed building which has taken full
account of its setting in the landscape, created the
right building for the site and produced a lovely
and uplifting home”.
Owner –
Mr and Dr M Heald
Architect –
Chris Gregory,
Danks Badnell LLP,
Windsor
Builder –
R. J. Clyde Builders Ltd.,
Maidenhead, Berks
Horseshoe Hill House
Highly Commended –
The Studio at The Lodge, Bledlow Ridge
A small brick and flint studio built in the garden of a house in
Bledlow Ridge near High Wycombe
Owner –
was admired by the judges as a
Mr and Mrs Fischer charming addition to the main house.
The Studio
Architect – Kate Fischer,
“It's a truly multi-functional space,”
Chiltern Architecture Studio,
says owner Kate Fischer. “We use it
Bledlow Ridge
as an office and studio during the
Builders –
day, a home cinema in the evening
Nu-Look Renovations, and a gym at weekends. The small
Bledlow, Bucks
mezzanine provides a novel
sleeping den for guests and there is
a storage area for our bikes. Despite
being small it's added a huge dimension to our home.”
8
Chalk and Trees - Winter 2012

Chilterns Walking, Buildings Cycling Design and Awards Events 2012
Highly Commended –
37-39 London End, Beaconsfield
37-39 London End in Beaconsfield is two adjacent listed buildings
that have been restored and extended and are home to a Farrow
and Ball paint shop. Praised as a “complex and well-managed
scheme” by the judges the project included the reinstatement of the
original shop front when it was unexpectedly uncovered during the
work. A contrasting modern extension was added at the rear.
Owner –
Hall Barn Estate,
Beaconsfield
Architect –
Heighway Associates,
Marlow, Bucks
Builders –
Farr and Roberts,
Maidenhead, Berks
Highly Commended –
The Old Brewery House, Ivinghoe
The Old Brewery House in Ivinghoe is better known as the former
Youth Hostel, which was open for many decades from 1936 until it
closed a few years ago. The building was originally built in the 18th
century as a family home. When its life as a hostel ended it was
sold to private owners and has now been sympathetically restored
to reflect its origins as a Georgian family home. The judges
described its restoration as “a valiant
Owner –
effort to rescue an important local building”.
Mr and Mrs M Hopcroft
Architect –
Stefan Skanski, Cannon,
Morgan and Rheinberg
Partnership,
St. Albans, Herts
Builders –
Mark Feldman, Mars
Building Contractors,
Knebworth, Herts
rear of 37-39 London End
The Old Brewery House
Special Commendation –
College Lake Visitor Centre
The judges decided to award a Special
Commendation to the Berks Bucks and Oxon
Wildlife Trust's new Visitor Centre at College
Lake Nature Reserve near Tring. “We felt this is
a really engaging, well-judged and welcoming
building which takes full account of its setting,
does not dominate the site and leads the visitor
into the secret landscape beyond,” said Richard
Wheeler. The Centre has been open since 2010
and has attracted a whole new audience to this
dramatic but hidden reserve with its large lake
and wildflower areas.
Owner –
Berks, Bucks and
Oxon Wildlife Trust
Architect –
A & G Architects
Oxford) Ltd.,
Headington, Oxford
Builder –
Edgar Taylor
(Buckingham) Ltd.,
Buckingham
College Lake Visitor Centre
Bovingdon Brickworks Ltd.,
Ley Hill Road, Bovingdon,
Herts. HP3 0NW
Tel: 01442 833176 & 832575
Fax: 01442 834539
E-mail: info@bovingdonbricks.co.uk
www.bovingdonbricks.co.uk
Robert Tucker Associates
The Market House
High Street
Tring Herts HP23 4AB
ROBERT TUCKER ASSOCIATES
We are a long established firm of Consulting
Structural Engineers, based for over thirty
years in the town of Tring in Hertfordshire.
Our centrally placed office is located in the
picturesque and historic Market House, itself
an early refurbishment project for the Practice.
We have a wide experience of the design of
building and engineering works ranging from
new-build to historic, domestic to commercial
and ecclesiastical to recreational.
Tel : 01442 891411
www.roberttucker.co.uk
Chilterns Buildings
Design Awards 2013
The Conservation Board and The
Chiltern Society are keen to
receive entries for the 2013
Awards. The closing date is
March 1st 2013 and schemes
must be three years old or less.
Entry forms are available from
The Chiltern Society on 01494
771250 or email
office@chilternsaonb.org
Chalk and Trees - Winter 2012
9

Just what the doctor ordered
ork to restore a section of the River Misbourne near Amersham to a more natural state is producing great results, as
Wbirds, insects, frogs and toads are all returning to this important chalk stream.
Digger at work narrowing the channel
The narrowed channel with faster flow and gravel bottom
Natural chalk streams have narrow, winding channels with fast
water flows that keep the gravel riverbed clear of silt and suitable
for chalk stream wildlife. At Doctor's Meadow near Little
Missenden, however, the Misbourne lost this natural character a
while ago: its channel was straightened and widened over the
years.
The Environment Agency decided to fund work to narrow
the channel and give it a more natural winding alignment and
contracted the Chilterns Chalk Stream Project, led by the Chilterns
Conservation Board, to carry out the work in March and April
2012.
Heavy equipment was brought in to restore the channel and
also to dig out a shallow wet scrape next to the river. The scrape,
with its standing water surrounded by boggy grassland, has proved
an immediate hit with wildlife, attracting birds like jack snipe,
common sandpiper and lapwing, all of which are in decline
nationally, as well as grass snakes, frogs and toads. Monitoring of
the river by The Chiltern Society volunteers revealed that typical
chalk streams insects
like caddisfly and
mayflies had returned
by July, which is likely
to attract brown trout
and other fish to
return.
You can see the
restored river from
the footpath next to
the churchyard in
Jack snipe
Little Missenden.
Olympic rower says love your river
atural Environment Minister Richard Benyon and
Olympic rowing gold medallist James Cracknell visited
Nthe River Chess at Latimer in October to meet local
river groups and promote the 'Love your River' campaign.
This national campaign, run by the Government, is encouraging
people to care for their local rivers and to be careful with water use
at home. Allen Beechey of the Chilterns Chalk Streams Project
emphasised to the Minister how important it is to reduce public
demand for water in order to protect vulnerable rivers like the
Chess and other chalk streams. James Cracknell is an adviser to the
campaign and commented:
“We've all got a role to play in making sure our rivers are as
healthy as they can be and I'm pleased to be involved.
”
The visit was hosted by the River Chess Association and Thames Water.
10
Chalk and Trees - Winter 2012
James Cracknell and Richard Benyon join schoolchildren to monitor
wildlife in the River Chess

Businesses want more tourists
new website has been launched by the Chilterns Conservation Board and local tourism businesses to attract more people
to spend short breaks in the Chilterns. www.visitchilterns.co.uk showcases some of the best places to stay and to
Aeat in the area and also highlights the wide range of quirky and interesting attractions on offer.
Henley-on-Thames
The new website is part of a promotional project funded by a
£21,000 grant from the Chilterns LEADER rural grants
programme. Initiated by the Chilterns Tourism Network, which
has over 100 members, the project is aiming to get more tourists
staying overnight in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural
Beauty and spending money with
local businesses. The Chilterns'
location close to London, and the
popularity of 'staycations' mean there
is great potential to raise the profile
of the Chilterns as an ideal 'get away
from it all' destination.
“The Chilterns is such a
fantastic resource right on our
doorstep,” said Karen Wade, member
of the Tourism Network and Chair of
the Henley Tourism Partnership. “My
visitors come to experience rowing on
the Thames at Henley and I'm now
helping them to discover lots of other
activities in our beautiful countryside
to make a full weekend of it.”
The delights of local market
towns, the huge range of local food
and drink producers and the
intriguing history of the area are all
promoted on the new website. There
is also information on some of the
more adventurous activities people
can take part in, like gliding or taking
a high-wire walk through the treetops
at Wendover Woods.
The website has some free resources to help local businesses
promote the fact they are in the Chilterns, including a 'Sense-of-
Place' marketing toolkit and lots of stunning photos.
To find out more about the Chilterns Tourism Network
i contact Annette Venters at the Chilterns Conservation Board
on 01844 355508 or email
aweiss@chilternsaonb.org
www.visitchilterns.co.uk
Toby and Sarah Murray of
Beechwood Fine Foods in Tring are
keen to see more visitors enjoying
local produce
Chalk and Trees - Winter 2012
11

HS2 fight goes to court
he campaign to stop the HS2 high speed rail line will reach the High Court in December 2012 when five formal challenges
to the Government's proposals will
Tbe heard by a judge. The proposed
HS2 line will cut a permanent scar
across the Chilterns AONB at its widest
point and the years of construction
would cause huge disruption to local life,
the economy and wildlife. If the Court
upholds any of the challenges the
Government may be forced to go back
to square one.
Fight against HS2 goes on
The five challenges to the Government's
decision to proceed with HS2 will be heard in
the High Court of Justice over a seven day
period starting on December 3rd 2012. The
grounds for the challenges include:
High Speed 2
inadequate and faulty public consultation,
non-compliance with EU environmental
legislation,
selection of wrong route and
short-comings in the compensation scheme.
The judicial reviews will give anti-HS2 groups the opportunity to
paint a clear picture of the many flaws in the Government's case for
the new line and the processes it has followed so far. The Secretary
of State for Transport will also be required to explain how 400
responses were omitted from the public consultation analysis. The
challenges are being brought by:
51M group – an alliance of local authorities opposed to HS2
HS2 Action Alliance (two separate challenges)
Heathrow Hub – a pressure group campaigning for a direct link
to Heathrow Airport
Aylesbury Golf Club
If the Court upholds one or all of the challenges the Government
may be required to scrap the current proposals for HS2 and start
again.
Local campaign groups and community organisations have
been meeting HS2 Ltd at a number of Community Forums along
the proposed route through the Chilterns to raise issues about the
design and construction of the route and its environmental
impacts. Shirley Judges of the Great Missenden Stop HS2 group
summarises the frustrations felt about the ineffectiveness of these
Forums:
“
People's expectations that the Forums would be a genuine
chance to raise matters of concern with HS2 Ltd have not
been met so far. It is obvious that as far as HS2 Ltd is
concerned, the Forums are a box-ticking exercise, not a
serious contribution to the process.
”
Mess, ugliness and noise –
the construction of a high speed rail line in China
Value of AONB ignored
Incredibly, an assessment by the Department for Transport (DfT) of
the cost of the damage to the landscapes along the HS2 routes
places a value of zero on the AONB status of the Chilterns
countryside. The land that will be destroyed by the line in the
Chilterns has been given the lowest value category, despite that fact
that it is designated as some of the finest countryside in the UK.
This is a massive devaluation from the previous official assessment
in 2010. Hilary Wharf, of the HS2 Action Alliance, warned the
move:
establishes a precedent that the most precious green space
can be devalued whenever the Government wants to build
“on it badly enough.
”
The DfT claims the huge decrease in the value assigned to
environmental damage is partly due to changes to the route to
reduce its impact. However, the Board and others have already
shown that these changes will create more, not less, damage to the
Chilterns.
There is also strong evidence that HS2 Ltd's assessment of the
impacts on the environment of building the high speed line will be
completely inadequate. Public scrutiny of their plans to survey the
likely impacts of the line on wildlife, habitats and landscapes
resulted in thousands of comments pointing out many weaknesses,
but only a small number of changes were made to the final plans.
Surveys of wildlife are being squeezed into very short timescales –
less than a year – and there is no detail on the exact methods that
will be used. It seems that HS2 Ltd has not been instructed to carry
12 Chalk and Trees - Winter 2012

High Speed Walking, 2 Cycling and Events
Part of ancient Bowood Lane near Great Missenden will be destroyed to create a wide bridge over the HS2 line
out a full ecosystem
assessment, as would be
expected following guidance
published by Defra, the
Government's own
Environment Department,
in June 2012.
Sticking to Plan A
The building of HS2 is far
from a done deal and the
Conservation Board along
with many other local and
national groups will
continue to call for a
national transport strategy
to be prepared before any
commitments to major new
infrastructure are made.
The recent announcement
of a £9 billion investment in
Huge impacts on Chilterns
The short-term and the long-term consequences for the Chilterns AONB if HS2 goes
ahead are huge. Even though many have a clear cost to the economy as well as the
environment they are not being properly considered in the plans for the line.
The impacts include:
the current rail network during 2014-19 gives even more weight to
the argument that there is no case for spending £33 billion on HS2.
at least 20 rights of way severed by line, other unusable during construction
damage to rural roads from thousands of lorry and equipment movements
during construction
a permanent impact on farming as farmland is destroyed and farms are cut
in two
a permanent impact on the tourism economy of the Chilterns as visitors stay
away from the blighted area
scarring of the landscape through the Misbourne Valley from the cuttings,
embankments, viaducts, access shafts and other infrastructure of the line
huge disruption from nine years of construction:
congestion on roads
visual impact of cranes and other equipment which will be seen from
miles away
rural tranquillity destroyed by noise from construction and vehicle
movements.
A fully-bored tunnel
under the whole of the
Chilterns AONB,
ensuring that HS2
cannot be seen, heard or
felt, is the only route
design that would be
acceptable for a
nationally-protected
landscape. It would not
be more expensive
either, if the full
environmental and
economic costs of the
current route design are
taken into
consideration.
i
Keep up-to-date with
the latest HS2 news at
www.chilternsaonb.org/hs2
Chalk and Trees - Winter 2012
13

The ancient woods of the Chilterns
new survey has revealed the Chilterns has more
ancient woodland than almost any other part of the
Acountry. Two thirds of our local woods date back to
the time of Elizabeth Ist or earlier.
Woodland is officially classified as ancient if it has been
continuously wooded since at least 1600 AD. This great age makes
ancient woods irreplaceable: through the centuries a complex web
of trees, plants and animals develops until the wood is a natural
treasure trove, home to thousands of species dependent on each
other. Ancient woodlands are the UK's equivalent of tropical
rainforest.
Ancient Woodland Survey
The Chilterns Ancient Woodland Survey was carried out between
2010 and 2012 to get an accurate picture of the extent of this very
important habitat across the AONB. Previous surveys had ignored
woods of less than two hectares and did not have the accuracy of
modern mapping techniques.
“
The new survey has identified
11,058 hectares of ancient
woodland in the Chilterns
AONB, a net increase of 1,231
hectares over the previous
figure. This means that ancient
woodland covers 13% of the
AONB and represents a hefty 61% of its total woodland cover.
The Survey was commissioned by the Chilterns Conservation
Board, the Forestry Commission and Natural England. John
Morris of the Chiltern Woodlands Project surveyed many of the
woods and is very pleased with the results: “We now have an up to
date and comprehensive
inventory of all our
precious ancient
woodland, no matter
how small. Despite its
importance surprisingly
little is legally protected.
This survey will help to
make sure woods get the
right management and
are protected from being
damaged or developed.”
It is not so much for its beauty that the forest makes a claim
upon men's hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality
of air, that emanation from old trees, that so wonderfully
changes and renews a weary spirit.
Robert Louis Stevenson
The signs of
age
How do you know
you are in an ancient
woodland? It is not
always obvious, as
some woods
classified as ancient
contain relatively
young trees planted
on a site that has
been wooded for
hundreds of years. However, there are some tell-tale signs. A real
giveaway is carpets of bluebells in spring – these take hundreds of
years to spread. Many other flowering plants are associated with
ancient woodland, such as lily of the valley, violet helleborine and
wild garlic. You can also spot evidence of the woods being used by
people through the centuries, like boundary banks and the oval
depressions of sawpits where
Wild garlic
trees were cut up. Another sign
are the deep hollow-ways carved
out by feet, hooves and
cartwheels over the years.
”
The Ancient Woodland Survey
covered the Chilterns AONB and
also included those parts of Dacorum, Chiltern, South Bucks and
Wycombe local authority areas outside the AONB. Funding was
provided by these authorities as well as Buckinghamshire and
Hertfordshire County Councils. The full report on the Survey can
be downloaded at www.chilternsaonb.org/ancient-woodland
An ancient woodland
near Great Hampden,
Bucks
14
Chalk and Trees - Winter 2012

Frogs, bees and dukes
nature reserve near Dunstable is
home to some of the UK's rarest
Aspecies of butterfly and orchid.
Totternhoe Knolls is a chalky spur of the
Chiltern Hills and is registered commonland.
An area of it, known as Little Hills, is managed
by the Wildlife Trust for Bedfordshire,
Cambridgeshire and Northamptonshire. Past
records show that it was rich in species that
thrive on chalk grassland but these have
declined in recent years.
The Wildlife Trust was keen to establish
what species were still present in Little Hills
before devising a new management plan for the
site, and so last May volunteers and Trust staff
began carrying out regular surveys. The
Chilterns Commons Project provided funding
for the volunteers to be trained in identifying
butterfly and plant species.
Home for rarities
The results are very exciting. 11 species of
butterfly were recorded, including Duke of
Burgundy, small blue, grizzled skipper and dingy skipper, all of
which are in serious decline in the UK. Five species of orchid were
found: musk, frog and man orchids which are in decline nationally
plus the more common bee and pyramidal orchids. It's clear that
this is still one of the most important wildlife sites in the Chilterns
and it is vital that it's carefully looked after to help these important
species thrive.
There is a good reason why Little Hills is full of butterflies and
flowers and it's linked to the actions of people a long time ago.
bee orchid (photo: Steve Chilton)
Laura Downton, Wildlife Sites Officer at The
Wildlife Trust, explains: “The chalk rock at
Totternhoe is particularly durable and has been
quarried through the ages to be used in
buildings. You can see it in local churches and
it was also used in the altar screen in
Westminster Abbey. Little Hills is the remains
of a medieval Totternhoe Stone quarry, and the
hillocks and hollows that were left behind have
gradually turned into an excellent habitat for
chalk-loving plants and the butterflies that feed
and breed on them.”
The challenge in managing a site like Little
Hills is pandering to the different requirements
of the rare plants and animals found there. The
Duke of Burgundy butterfly, for example, likes
to lay its eggs on the leaves of cowslips growing
in the dappled shade of light scrub. The small
blue butterfly, on the other hand, prefers open,
short, velvety grassland where its caterpillars
feed on kidney vetch.
Armed with the knowledge of what is in their care The Wildlife
Trust can now plan the best ways to manage the site. The future for
the orchids, butterflies and other species of Little Hills looks
brighter, not least because the Trust has purchased some adjacent
land which is being reverted from arable use to chalk grassland. In
time it is hoped that wildlife from the reserve will colonise this new
area.
Duke of Burgundy butterfly
(photo: Allen Beechey)
i
The motte at Totternhoe Knolls
Demanding residents
Find out more about the Totternhoe Knolls nature reserve at
www.wildlifebcn.org
Chalk and Trees - Winter 2012
15

Saving our musical woods
hat is the link between music of the Baroque period and one of the rarest habitats found in the UK? The answer is box
wood – the very hard, dense timber from box trees which was used in the 17th and 18th centuries to make woodwind
Winstruments such as clarinets and flutes. The Chilterns AONB is one of the few places where native box woodland can
still be found in the UK and the
Chilterns Conservation Board
has just been awarded
£80,000 from the Heritage
Lottery Fund to conserve the
woodlands and promote their
fascinating history.
Box trees like to grow on chalky
soil and box woodland was once
widespread across southern
Britain. Centuries of clearance
for agriculture, however, have
left only three significant box
woodlands in the country, and
one of these is at Ellesborough
and Kimble Warrens on the
Chequers Estate near Wendover.
Box has grown on this site since
at least 1787. In 1917 Sir Arthur
Lee of Chequers commented on
the size of the woodland in a
letter to the Speaker:
“
It is quite true about the box woods at Chequers. They are
finer than those at Box Hill and in
places are over 30 feet high.
”
The importance of the box woods at
Ellesborough and Kimble Warrens
was recognised by Charles
Rothschild, founder of the Wildlife
Trusts, who urged that they be
protected when Chequers was given
to the nation in 1917 as a residence
for prime ministers. There are other
remnants of box woodland across
the Chilterns, but at the moment
very little is known about them.
Research and recitals
English flageolets – Baroque
The Board's new Lottery-funded
woodwind instruments
project will identify all the areas of
box woodland that exist in the Chilterns and will work closely with
landowners and organisations like the Forestry Commission,
National Trust and Wildlife Trusts to manage and restore them. A
large number of volunteers will also be
recruited, with help from The Chiltern
Society, to carry out surveys of box
woodland and research their history
and how their wood has been used over
the centuries.
A major aim of the project is to raise awareness amongst the public
of the many different uses made of box wood, from instruments to
cabinet-making, and the national importance of the Chilterns' box
woods. A new promoted walking route will be developed that will
pass through Ellesborough and Kimble Warrens and there will be
a programme of guided walks, talks and workshops on box
woodland beginning in summer 2013. Music and nature will be
brought together at baroque music recitals in the woodlands.
i
The project will be up and running by January 2013. If you
would like to know more or get involved contact Neil
Jackson at the Board on 01844 355523 or email
njackson@chilternsaonb.org
Witches not welcome
Box woodland at Ellesborough Warren
Smart residences often have a pair of 'lollipop'
box trees on either side of the front door, but did
you know that people used to plant box by the door
as a defence against witches? Witches were said to
know the number of leaves on every plant, except for
box: every time they tried to count the numerous small
leaves on a box plant they lost their place and had to
start again. Thus any witch trying to enter a house
would get waylaid counting the leaves on the box
outside and never make it in!
16 Chalk and Trees - Winter 2012

Tommies, trenches and teamwork
unique volunteering
opportunity is on offer to
Ahelp uncover some historic
World War I remains on
Berkhamsted Common.
During the War the Chilterns played a
crucial role in providing major training
camps for the infantry and cavalry. One
of the essential skills for soldiers was
planning and constructing trenches,
the front line defence at the time. Many
practice trenches were built at the
Chiltern camps but nearly all of these
have disappeared over the years.
A project is now starting to map
one of the few remaining practice
trench sites to help preserve it and
provide a permanent commemoration.
The site is on Berkhamsted Common.
The trenches were originally dug by
trainee soldiers who were based at a
camp known as 'Kitchener's Field' near Berkhamsted Castle.
The Chilterns Commons Project is recruiting volunteers to join
a team to plot the exact location of the trenches on the Common.
The mapping process will be “hands on” and very simple. It will
take place from October 2012 to April 2013 with weekday and
weekend sessions planned. Volunteers will be particularly useful as
part of the core planning team, but those with time for just a few
mapping sessions are also very welcome.
Soldiers digging a trench on Berkhamsted Common in March 1916
Can you help?
All you need is enough fitness to walk on uneven ground and a
few hours to spare. If you would like to find out more or get
involved, please contact Norman Groves on 01442 385070 or
email norman.groves@ntlworld.com.
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Chalk and Trees - Winter 2012
17

In brief
Bedfordshire village history online
You can find out about the history of individual Bedfordshire
villages by diving into a free online resource being created by
the Bedfordshire and Luton Archives and Records Service.
They are writing webpages on all the communities of the
county, with information on the history of each village and its
name, interesting buildings including local pubs and churches
and links to other websites. Pages have already been written
for the Chilterns villages of Studham, Slip End and Totternhoe
and there will be information on Kensworth and Whipsnade in
the next few months. Visit www.bedford.gov.uk/archive and
choose Community Archives from the lefthand menu.
Chalk and Trees to your door
Fancy having Chalk and Trees drop on to your doormat twice a
year? For only £5 a year you can subscribe to this magazine
and have it delivered as soon as it is published in April and
October. You can enjoy all the latest conservation stories,
heritage articles, events information and useful links related
to the Chilterns countryside. Or why not give a subscription as
a gift? You can subscribe online by visiting
www.chilternsaonb.org/shop or send a cheque for £5 payable
to the Chilterns Conservation Board to the address on page 3.
Great Chilterns stocking-fillers
If you are looking for great-value gifts browse the
Conservation Board's online shop – you'll find books and gifts
to suit nature-lovers, history buffs and keen walkers or
cyclists. The Chilterns
Cycleway Guidebook
(£7.99) is the complete
companion to this very
popular cycling route
and contains detailed
maps plus lots of useful
route information. Delve
into some thoughtprovoking
and quirky
an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty
stories about our local
woodlands in the fully-illustrated Special Trees and Woods of
the Chilterns book (£16.99).
The Red Kites in the Chilterns
booklet (£2.99) has some stunning
photos of this beautiful bird plus a
lot of interesting information on
its lifecycle, behaviour and the
story of its hugely successful
re-introduction to the Chilterns.
www.chilternsaonb.org/shop
The Chilterns Cycleway
Chilterns
Cycleway
a 170 mile circular cycle
route through the
Chilterns Area of
Outstanding Natural Beauty
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Chalk and Trees - Winter 2012
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The joys of the season
Autumn and winter in the Chilterns countryside have lots of delights on offer, so get out
and make the most of these crisp and wonderful seasons!
Getting active i
n
w
int
ry
w
o
o
ds nea
r
S
e
er
Lots of walks and events
G
re
en
Hawthorn berries
Frost-bitten leaves
There are many guided walks, talks, family activities and wildlife events taking place
this autumn and winter across the Chilterns area. Visit www.chilternsaonb.org/events for all the details.
The view
from a
wintry
Britwell Hill
near
Watlington
in Oxfordshire
Braziers Park School
of Integrative Social Research
Day and residential classes & workshops
throughout the year including:
Estate work volunteer days every
Wednesday and Thursday
Short Courses in
Coppicing, Hedgelaying, food growing,
bee-keeping
Herbal Medicine, preserve making as well as
Yoga & Tai Chi retreats
See website for full programme
www.braziers.org.uk
admin@braziers.org.uk 01491 680221
PETERLEY MANOR FARM
Peterley Lane, Prestwood Tel: 01494 863566
BEDDING PLANTS - Spring and Autumn
Ready Planted Hanging Baskets and Garden Tubs
Shrubs, heathers, herbaceous, bulbs and conifers
PICK YOUR OWN seasonal fruit and veg - June to October
FARM SHOP - Open all year
Fresh and Frozen fruit and vegetables, honey, fresh flowers and eggs
Good selection of local produce from small independent suppliers
HOME GROWN CHRISTMAS TREES - December
Large selection of sizes and varieties of trees and home made wreaths
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THE MAGAZINE OF THE CHILTERNS CONSERVATION BOARD
Chalk and Trees
please contact
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www.advancepublications.co.uk