Enjoying the countryside on your doorstep. Did you know that some of the UK’s finest countryside is on your doorstep? You’re probably aware that you live near some lovely landscapes, but perhaps you didn’t know that most of this countryside is nationally-protected as some of the best in the country. The Chiltern Hills (known as the Chilterns) can be found north and south of Luton and Dunstable. They include places you might have heard of like Dunstable Downs, Whipsnade Wild Animal Park and Sundon Hills.

Did you know that some of the UK’s finest countryside is on your doorstep? You’re probably aware that you live near some lovely landscapes, but perhaps you didn’t know that most of this countryside is nationally-protected as some of the best in the country. The Chiltern Hills (known as the Chilterns) can be found north and south of Luton and Dunstable. They include places you might have heard of like Dunstable Downs, Whipsnade Wild Animal Park and Sundon Hills.

Sharpenhoe Clappers and Sundon Hills Country Park are just north of Luton in a really scenic part of the Chilterns. If you haven’t got access to a car you can reach them by taking the train from Luton to Harlington and then following the Chilterns Country ‘Walk Like the Clappers’ walk – pick up leaflets for this from your local library or information centre or download them from the website www.chilternsaonb.org Wherever you go in the Chilterns, you’ll be among rolling hills, fields, woods and streams. There is lots of wildlife around, though most of it is fairly inconspicuous. In summer the grasslands are covered in wildflowers and butterflies and in springtime you’ll hear lots of birds singing as they prepare to start nesting.

The Chilterns is special not just because of its wildlife though. One of the things that makes this area special on a global scale is right under our feet. If you stand in a Chilterns field and dig down you will reach a soft, white rock. This is chalk, the same that is traditionally used with blackboards. The whole of the Chiltern Hills are made out of chalk. Worldwide, chalk rock is only found in northwest Europe (including the UK) and New Zealand. The rolling hills and valleys of the Chilterns cover 324 square miles in total, stretching from the River Thames near Reading to Hitchin. There are many invisible boundaries crossing this landscape since it includes parts of four counties, 11 district and unitary authorities and two regions. With so many authorities involved local people felt the best way to protect the area was to set up one body with responsibility for the AONB.

In 2004 the Chilterns Conservation Board was established. It is one of only two Conservation Boards in the country and has 29 members drawn from Chilterns communities. The members and small staff team are involved in many local projects and work hard to bring people together from across all parts of the Chilterns to tackle issues such as wildlife conservation, traffic management and improving access to the countryside. In everything it does, the Conservation Board is working to: protect and enhance the special qualities of the Chilterns AONB, and to increase public understanding and enjoyment of them. All of us can make a contribution to caring for this special area. Everything counts, whether it’s giving your time to help look after a small patch of it or simply getting out and enjoying it. You can find out lots more about the Chilterns, local events and attractions at www.chilternsaonb.org

Claire Forrest Information Officer Chilterns Conservation Board Images: Dunstable Downs (credit Natural England-Tina Stallard) Harlington Walk Walkers at Sharpenhoe Clappers Flying a kite at Dunstable Downs (credit Natural England-Tina Stallard) Ivinghoe Hills (credit- Steve Rodrick) Walkers on Ivinghoe Beacon at sunset (credit,Countryside Agency/Tina Stallard) Narrowboats on the Grand Union Canal (credit, Countryside Agency/Tina Stallard) Ivinghoe Hills (credit, Steve Rodrick)