Ivinghoe Beacon
| Ivinghoe Beacon | |
|---|---|
|
Ivinghoe Beacon, looking north from the Ridgeway | |
| Elevation | 233 m (764 ft) |
| Location | |
  Ivinghoe Beacon Ivinghoe Beacon shown within Buckinghamshire | |
| Location | Ivinghoe |
| OS grid | SP961168 |
| Coordinates | 51°50′31″N 0°36′21″W / 51.841985°N 0.605755°WCoordinates: 51°50′31″N 0°36′21″W / 51.841985°N 0.605755°W |
Ivinghoe Beacon is a prominent hill and landmark in the Chiltern Hills, standing 233 m (757 ft) above sea level.[1] It is situated close to the village of Ivinghoe in Buckinghamshire, the Ashridge Estate, and the villages of Aldbury and Little Gaddesden in Hertfordshire and is managed and owned by the National Trust. Ivinghoe Beacon lies between the towns of Dunstable in Bedfordshire, and Berkhamsted and Tring in Hertfordshire. It is the starting point of the Icknield Way to the east, and the Ridgeway long-distance path to the west.
Contrary to popular claims, Ivinghoe Beacon does not rise to 249 m above sea level. This is the highest elevation of the nearby Clipper Down, where a trig point of the same name stands at 249 m above sea level.[2] Beacon Hill, as it is formally known on OS Maps, actually rises to 249 m, although the precise summit height is ambiguous: The Ridgeway marker sits at the summit of the hill at 233 m, with a trig point sited a few metres away and slightly lower at 231 m.
While physically quite prominent, Ivinghoe Beacon is not the highest point in the Chilterns, which is a few miles to the west at Haddington Hill near Wendover. Despite this, there is an indication that Ivinghoe Beacon has a line of sight to Blue Bell Hill, a landmark in in Kent some 61 miles away to the south east.[3]
Ivinghoe Beacon is a popular spot for walkers, sightseers, and model aircraft enthusiasts, who use lift generated by the wind blowing up the hill – a technique known as slope soaring.
Ivinghoe Beacon's appearance of remoteness, yet relative proximity to the film studios at Elstree, meant that it was a favoured location for many dramas, especially those produced by ITC in the 1960s.
The beacon has a memorial on top of it.
References
External links
- Ivinghoe Soaring Association - Controls model slope soaring off Ivinghoe Beacon.
