Ivinghoe Beacon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Ivinghoe Beacon |
|
|---|---|
Ivinghoe Beacon, looking north from the Ridgeway
|
|
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 233 m (764 ft) |
| Geography | |
 Ivinghoe Beacon
Location in Buckinghamshire
|
|
| Location | Ivinghoe |
| Parent range | Chiltern Hills |
| OS grid | SP961168 |
Ivinghoe Beacon is a famous hill in Buckinghamshire, England. It stands 233 meters (757 feet) tall in the beautiful Chiltern Hills. It's near the villages of Ivinghoe and Aldbury, and towns like Dunstable, Berkhamsted, and Tring are also close by.
This special hill is part of the Ashridge Estate. The National Trust looks after it. Ivinghoe Beacon is also important because it's where two ancient paths begin: the Icknield Way (going east) and the Ridgeway (going west).
Many people love to visit Ivinghoe Beacon for walks and amazing views. It's also a cool place for model airplane fans! They use the wind blowing up the hill to fly their unpowered planes, a trick called slope soaring.
A Look Back: History of Ivinghoe Beacon
Ivinghoe Beacon has a long and interesting history. Long ago, people used it as an ancient signal point. They would light fires on top to send messages over long distances, especially during emergencies.
Archaeologists have found signs of human activity here from the Bronze Age, which was thousands of years ago! The area has many Scheduled Ancient Monuments. These include several Bronze Age burial mounds (ancient graves). You can also see the faint remains of an Iron Age hill fort at the very top of the hill.
There's also proof of ancient farming. Deep channels cross the Beacon, which are thought to be paths used by cattle drovers (people who moved cattle). You can also see cross-ridge dykes, which are old earth walls. The prehistoric earthwork called Grim's Ditch also passes south of the Beacon at Incombe Hole.
Nature and Wildlife at Ivinghoe Beacon
Ivinghoe Beacon is part of the Ivinghoe Hills Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). This means it's a very important place for nature. The entire area is also part of the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).
The hill's special chalk grassland is home to many different kinds of wildlife. You can find rare wild flowers growing here, like certain types of wild orchid and the beautiful pasque-flower. These plants help support endangered butterfly species, such as the amazing Duke of Burgundy butterfly.
Ivinghoe Beacon: A Filming Location
Ivinghoe Beacon looks remote and wild, but it's actually quite close to big film studios like Elstree and Leavesden. This makes it a popular spot for filming movies and TV shows! Many dramas, especially those made by ITC in the 1960s, used the Beacon as a backdrop.
You might recognize Ivinghoe Beacon from four Harry Potter films! It appeared in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and both Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1 and Part 2. The Beacon was also seen in the 2012 BBC adaptation of Richard II. In 2018, film crews used Ivinghoe Beacon to shoot scenes for the Star Wars movie The Rise of Skywalker.
