Hazards of Hang Hill
By Rudi Kalveks
This is another one of my favourite routes through the hills above Tring. An impossibly bumpy descent down to Hang Hill, followed by cardiac arrest on the climbs back to Hastoe. The rest of the route, which winds back to The Lee via Hawridge and Arrewig Lane, is tamer, but still offers the prospects of some delightful autumnal mud in places.
Route Finding:- Start at the Cock and Rabbit PH. Leave the green taking the lane past the church.
- Go straight across the crossroads at Swan Bottom.
- At grass triangle continue right to St Leonards.
- At St Leonards cross the road into Gilberts Hill.
- Turn left onto Bottom Road towards Leylands Farm.
- After the radio mast, turn right into the wood, then immediately bear left onto a bridleway heading downhill (blue arrows). Hold on to your helmet!
- Emerge onto lane and turn left uphill, then continue up steep bridleway.
- Emerge from ‘hole in hedge’ and turn right into Duckmore Lane.
- Near bottom of hill, turn right into bridleway past Stud Farm. Keep left at T-junction of byways, then on reaching wood turn right uphill. A difficult climb follows.
- At Hastoe, turn left and then immediately right onto long byway through Scrubs Wood and on to Shire Lane.
- On reaching T-junction turn left on Cholesbury Road, then after half a mile right onto bridleway ‘Tring Grange Farm’.
- Turn right on lane and head uphill to Hawridge, turning right into road opposite the Half Moon.
- At Ray’s Hill turn left downhill. Turn left at Brazier’s End, then keep right.
- Turn right onto bridleway by Cherry Tree Farm.
- At bottom of descent turn right into Arrewig Lane and continue uphill.
- Turn left onto bridleway just past Errewig Farm and follow this to Swan Bottom.
- Turn left into Chesham Road.
- Right at signpost back to The Lee.
Don’t forget: Helmet, puncture repair kit, water and go slow for horses.
Recommended: 1:25,000 O/S Map: Chiltern Hills North - Explorer 181.
Good cycling.