Beacon Hill, Juniper Bank and Aston Wood Walk, Central Chilterns

Starting and finishing in the village of Lewknor at the foot of the Chiltern escarpment, this 7.5 km circuit climbs steadily onto one of Oxfordshire's finest stretches of chalk downland. The route threads through Grove Wood and the beech-clad slopes of Aston Wood before topping out on Beacon Hill, where the ground falls away to reveal a sweeping view across the Oxfordshire plain.

The going alternates between shaded woodland paths and open grassland, with a total ascent of around 253 metres spread across the loop. On clear days the distinctive silhouette of Stokenchurch Tower is visible to the east, and the higher ground brushes the edge of Aston Rowant Nature Reserve, a well-known pocket of chalk grassland and juniper scrub.

Allow roughly two hours at a steady pace. The return leg drops gently back down the scarp towards Lewknor, passing close to Little London Wood and Sadler's Wood before rejoining the village lanes. It is a satisfying moderate outing that packs a lot of classic Chilterns scenery into a short distance.