IVINGHOE appears in the Domesday Book as "Evinghehou", meaning "hill-spur of the family", which is appropriate given the village lies in the lee of the famous beacon, of which there was no sign on a grim Chilterns morning. Ivinghoe stands at the junction of the Upper and Lower Icknield Ways, and once held market town status. A place of history, this.

St Mary's Church has two clockfaces, each driven by a hanging weight. Wound once weekly, it takes 20 turns for the clock and 80 for the chimes. The clock was donated in 1845 on the strict understanding that one face was turned towards Ashridge so that its benefactor could see the time, the other to face the fields for the benefit of workers.

The ancient track leading from the village was deserted. Many who would walk are dissuaded on cold, dank mornings, which is a pity, for there is much to enjoy, no matter what the weather. Out in open country, there was still no sign of the Beacon, barely half-a-mile off, but shrouded in mist, reminiscent of higher hills in England's other places. No views, but plenty to reflect on, for to walk along this old byway is to follow in the footsteps of one's ancestors.

Rights of way have been strictly preserved hereabouts, where the Two Ridges Link leads uphill. Today, there's still no sign of the Beacon. Even the low-lying fields to the north were lost in the gloom. Yellow arrows on fingerposts lead one unerringly to the Dunstable road, following which a steep scramble up the scarred hillside takes one to the beacon.

Ivinghoe Beacon is 757 feet above sea level, an excellent viewpoint, they say. It would have been if the cloud had lifted. It didn't, but this did not dampen the enthusiasm of the lone model aeroplane enthusiast, preparing for take-off despite the conditions. I wondered how he could control his aeroplane, as within seconds it would be invisible. Perhaps he had radar. I didn't wait to find out.

From the viewpoint one should normally be able to see, eastward, the Whipsnade White Lion, a huge 483-feet long carving in the Chiltern hillside. It was built in 1933 to mark the position of Whipsnade Zoo (as it was, it's a wildlife park now), the biggest chalk hillside figure in the country. So big, in fact, they covered it up during the war to prevent German pilots working out exactly where they were. Eastward is Pitstone windmill, the oldest of its type in Britain, dating from 1627.

The beacon marks the eastern extremity of the Ridgeway long distance footpath. The western is at Overton Hill, Wiltshire, 85 miles away. The original ridgeway is an ancient route that follows the Wiltshire and Berkshire Downs, and some of the Icknield Way. Walking it would be a good way of getting away from it all. Today, I would follow it for a few miles, along the obvious wide scar on the chalk hillside.

This is grand country, with much to look forward to, namely Aldbury, in Hertfordshire, across the open hillside and through glorious woodland, aiming for the distinctive church directly ahead. Aldbury is a special place, with a village pond, quaint cottages, ancient stocks, and the Church of St John the Baptist, granted to Missenden Abbey around 1200. The oldest parts of the present church are 14th century.

Aldbury is a place to linger, either by the pond or in on its two pubs. In times of accelerating property prices, you might care to reflect that workers' cottages here were once sold off for £50 each. Straw-plaiting was a once-flourishing industry, and film-makers are ever keen to visit.

Retracing one's steps, a footpath leads through more woodland. Beyond I crossed the railway, the so-called Tring Cutting, excavated by labourers specially "imported" from the Midlands for this huge task. Further on, the right of way follows the Grand Union Canal along the top of the embankment, and then across the fields via Pitstone to Invinghoe.

Inside St Mary's the list of incumbents dates back to 1221, when Humphrey de Midliers was rector. A place of history, as I said earlier.

Approximate distance: 9 miles

Start and Finish: St Mary's Church, Ivinghoe

Route: Ivinghoe, Ivinghoe Beacon, The Ridgeway, Aldbury, Grand Union Canal, Pitstone, Ivinghoe

Abbreviations

l.=left; r.=right; n. s. e. w.=north, south, east, west; br.=bridge; r.o.w.=right of way; PH=public house; m.=mile; s/post=signpost; f/post=fingerpost; b/way=bridleway; ch.=church; f/p = footpath; r/way=railway; cont.=continue; FM=farm

Routefinder

Take Vicarage Lane to Rose & Crown PH, turn r. into Wellcroft, cont. n.e. on byway to rd. Take Two Ridges Link f/p, follow r.o.w. (yellow arrows) to the Dunstable rd., turn r., then l towards Ringshall. Climb to Beacon summit.* Follow Ridgeway for 2.5 m. At far end of wood, head s.e. to Aldbury (aim for ch.). Retrace steps to Ridgeway, which leave at once, n.w. to rd. Cross railway. Take r.o.w. along canal (high) embankment & fields to rd. Turn r. to new bypass. Turn l on r.o.w. to Pitstone, and across fields to Ivinghoe.

*The climb to the Beacon is short but excessively steep.

Pubs

Ivinghoe:Kings Head (restaurant), Rose & Crown

Aldbury: The Greyhound, Valiant Trooper

Pitsone: The Bell, Marsworth Road

Note

Pitstone Windmill, the oldest post mill in Britain, is open to the public from June to August, 2.30pm to 6pm.