A Hilly Hike from Lilley (10.5 miles / 17km - Moderate, Booking Required)

This walk is for up to 25 people, including the leader.

This rural walk explores the northeast corner of the Chiltern Hills, visiting Hexton village and chalk pit, Pegsdon Hills Nature Reserve and Telegraph Hill, the highest point in the district of North Hertfordshire.

If you’d like to join this walk please ensure you have suitable footwear, ability and experience of country walking as the route includes a number of strong inclines (leading to wonderful views!).

Please also note that parking is limited so we recommend car-sharing or use of public transport.

From the village of Lilley (between Luton and Hitchin) we begin by heading uphill along a bridleway past Ward’s Wood, then turn north towards Hexton, passing Mortgrove Farm where we might see some lambs. We’ll climb up to Hexton Chalk Pit, a small chalk grassland nature reserve, and have a snack or early lunch. Here we can enjoy views over Bedfordshire, including to our west the wooded hilltop site of Ravenburgh Castle, said to be the biggest Iron Age hill fort in south east England.

We then continue into Hexton, where we can pop into the Country Matters shop inside the village hall to buy a snack or drink and use the facilities if needed. 

After this, we’ll walk round to the village of Pegsdon and have an excellent view of the Pegsdon Hills in front of us. We’ll pick up the Chiltern Way trail to Knocking Hoe then pass Tingley Field Plantation. A steep ascent to Deacon Hill will be rewarded with a snack stop and a chance to enjoy further wide-ranging views.

We’ll progress across the open landscape of Pegsdon Hills, recently one of the final ten contenders in a Ramblers competition to find Britain’s Favourite Path. We’ll dip in and out of the narrow valleys then leave the reserve and come to Telegraph Hill, at 184m the highest point in North Herts, and the site of a signal post during the Napoleonic Wars.

Finally we turn along the John Bunyan Trail towards Lilley, where at the end of our walk we have the option of a well-earned drink at The Lilley Arms pub.

Please note this walk is not suitable for dogs, as they are not allowed in the Hexton Chalk Pit nature reserve.

For information about walking with the group, including our dog policy, please visit the Stag Walkers website.

Booking your place: Please book your place using the free Meetup website/app. Join the Stag Walkers Meetup group and click the 'Attend' button on the event page.

Please do not turn up for a walk without booking, as places are limited.

If the walk is fully booked, please click 'join waitlist' then please check back regularly as you will likely get a place. The waitlist gives priority to single bookings so if you wish to bring a guest, we recommend booking separately.

Unless you opt in to further communications, we will only use contact information you provide to get in touch about the walk.