Watlington Hill Walk

Those strolling along the Watlington Hill Walk in the Chilterns often leave the walk unscathed and in happy spirits! However, you will have to navigate some kissing gates, ascend one steep hill (the rest of the inclines are gentle and steady), and some areas can be muddy after rain. At one point, you will walk for a short distance along a country lane, so be mindful of traffic here.

The Watlington Hill Walk immerses you in the charming scenery etched across the Chilterns. Expect a compilation of gentle, steady ascents traversing through woodland, embroidered with yew trees and chalk grassland. Admire views of the countryside stretching across Oxfordshire as you walk! This is a great, short family-friendly walk.

To get to the start from the car park, you will need to stand with your back facing the vehicle entrance, giving you a view of two footpaths. Don’t take the one to the right, which snakes between two noticeboards, but embark on the one that heads straight ahead. Following this path, you will veer right, taking you by a tree marked with a white arrow pointing to a bridle gate. Right after the gate, you will come across an intersection. Go right (you’ll follow the white arrows). Continue downhill and enter a woodland, one that boasts of yew trees. Soon, you will reach a kissing gate.

Go through the gate and continue your descent, admiring the stunning vistas opening up in front of you. Keep your eye out for red kites flying above you! You will depart through a kissing gate following your descent, exiting out of the National Trust Watlington Hill site. Continue along the worn-down path, navigating two gates, before reaching a T-junction. Take a sharp left to meet up with the access track. Continue gentle uphill before reaching another junction. Go straight, and then about ten steps later, follow the path as it swerves right. This is the steep section of the hike. Follow the chalk slope until you get to a field gate. You’ll see a bridle gate to the right of the field gate. Go through the bridle gate and follow the steep grass slope.

Pause to catch your breath and to revel in the views unfolding around you, such as Watlington Hill’s collection of yew trees and Oxfordshire’s sprawling countryside. When you get to the top, go through the gate, walk 15 or so steps, and take a left to join a public footpath winding between fences. Look out for the mansion grabbing attention in Watlington Park to your right!

Continue straight, immersing in a different section of woodland: Lower Deans Wood. Admire the beech, oak, cherry, and sweet chestnut trees jetting out of the ground. Let the white arrows act as your guide! Pass through two gate posts, signaling the end of Lower Deans Wood. But that doesn’t mean you’re finished with walking through woodland areas! You’ll now start walking through Watlington Park Estate’s woodland. The white arrows will take you to a T-junction, take a left to eventually meet up with the intersection with the road in Christmas Common.

Take a left to go along the village road, being mindful of traffic as you walk. You’ll pass an old church and a village pub. Continue along the main road, where there’s a grass verge along the right-hand side for you to walk on. Eventually, you’ll meet up with a junction with a sign pointing to Watlington. Follow this sign by turning left to head back to the car park.

Other amazing walks in Chiltern Hills

Check out our guides to Wendover Loop, Wendover Woods, Dunstable Downs, Hurley Loop or The Rose and Crown Ivinghoe Beacon Walk. Or see all of our Chiltern Hills walks on 10Adventures.