Kriya Yoga UK Balashram Walk, Aylesbury Vale and Chequers

We will walk across rare chalk grassland, beautiful woodlands, the pretty village of Ellesborough and the Prime Minister’s country retreat at Chequers. You will taste the fascinating history of a part of the Chiltern Hills that has been inhabited by people for thousands of years.

Please make a donation according to your means for Balashram School on the day of the event by cash or card.

Practical details:

We will aim to start walking from the Wooden gates at the entrance to Coombe Hill at 11.30 am. The walk is dog friendly provided they are on a lead.

Difficulty:

Moderately difficult and with some steep hills - approx. 7km, approximately 4-5 hours.

Travelling by car:

The car park’s grid ref is SP 851062 , Butlers Cross, Aylesbury, 3 miles west of Wendover and 5 miles east of Princes Risborough. SatNav: The nearest postcode is for Lodge Hill at HP17 0UR and the google maps link is.

Travelling by train:

Nearest train station – Wendover/Chilterns Line, We can arrange a pickup outside the station entrance at 11.00am if people need it, please email me at [email protected] to confirm this.

Clothing:

Good walking shoes and outdoor gear.

Food and drink:

Please bring refreshments and drinks. At the end of the walk there are a couple of options:

• There is a small farm shop and café just a 5 mins drive away from the car park where we can finish our walk and take refreshments
• Karen and Simon invite kriyavans to finish the day at their home at Bishopstone – a 15 minutes drive away

Depending on the options chosen we will return walkers to Wendover train station or to Stoke Mandeville on the Chilterns line.

This beautiful walk will take in the Boer War Memorial at Coombe hill which is 260m (852 feet) above sea level; the highest viewpoint in the Chiltern Hills, affording panoramic views over the Aylesbury Vale. On a clear day you can see as far as the Cotswolds.

Rare chalk grassland habitats which provide habitats for many of the wildflower species.

Ant hills at Coombe Hill | © National Trust Images/Hugh Mothersole

Ellesborough and the parish church of Saints Peter and Paul.

Ellesborough Church from the foot of Beacon Hill | © Hugh Mothersole

Beacon Hill - home to the anti-aircraft gun emplacement, located here to protect Chequers in the Second World War.

The view to the top of Beacon Hill | © Hugh Mothersole

Ellesborough Warren - the largest of only three significant natural box woodlands in Britain. The Warren was used in medieval times for breeding rabbits or hares.

Pulpit Hill and Chequers Knap - home to many wildflowers.

The view from Chequers Knap | © Hugh Mothersole

The rifle butts - used for target practice by the British armed forces in the 1940s up and until the 1970s. The area was cleared of munitions in 2012.

Looking up at the Rifle Butts | © Hugh Mothersole

An ancient Pulpit Hill Fort - a place forgotten by time.

Iron age hillfort ramparts at Pulpit Hill | © National Trust Images/Hugh Mothersole

The grounds of Chequers - a 16th-century mansion (although there has been a house on the site since the 12th century) which was given to the nation as a country retreat for the serving Prime Minister in 1917. The mansion has been visited by numerous presidents, prime ministers, leaders and monarchs, from all corners of the world.

Chequers and Coombe Hill | © National Trust Images/Hugh Mothersole

Finally, we will return to the car park where we started the walk.

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