Natural England - Aston Rowant: how to get there

Aston Rowant: how to get there

Aston Rowant NNR is on the Oxfordshire/Buckinghamshire border. It sits on the north western scarp of the Chiltern Hills, within the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB)

Aston Rowant NNR © Robert Barbour

We encourage the use of sustainable transport whenever possible.

On foot and by bicycle

The reserve is bordered by The Ridgeway National Trailexternal link and Swan's Wayexternal link, and is well linked in to the Public Rights of Way network in the area. Walking routes from the reserve into the surrounding area can easily be found using the interactive Oxfordshire County Council Countryside Access Mapexternal link.

The reserve is also easy to access by bicycle and features in the Chilterns Cycleway Cookley Green to Stokenchurchexternal link route. There are bicycle racks in the car parks at Beacon Hill and Cowleaze Wood.

By bus

Red Rose Travel runs a regular bus service between High Wycombe and Oxford that stops near to the reserve at both Stokenchurch and The Lambert Arms at Aston Rowant. The Stagecoach Oxford Tube runs a frequent service between Oxford and London which stops at Lewknor village, a short walk from the reserve. The bus stops for this service feature informative maps of the area which show you how to get to the reserve and other local features of interest.

By train

The nearest main stations are Princes Risboroughexternal link, 8 miles to the north-west by road, and Cholseyexternal link, 14 miles to the south-east. Visitors travelling by train would need to travel by taxi from the station or are advised to travel to Oxfordexternal link or High Wycombeexternal link station in order to continue their journey by bus to the reserve.

By car

The reserve is also easy to access by car and is signposted from the A40 near Stokenchurch, just off junction 5 of the M40. Thousands of visitors pass through the site every day, as it is bisected by the M40 motorway between junctions 5 and 6.

There are two car parks with cycle racks and notice boards, one at Beacon Hill (signposted from the A40 near Stokenchurch), and one at Cowleaze Wood car park (shared by permission from the Forestry Commission).

Post codes for satellite navigation systems

The nearest post code to the Beacon Hill car park is HP14 3YL and for Cowleaze Wood you can use OX49 5HX.

Accessibility

There is an “Easy Access” trail which starts opposite Cowleaze Wood, for visitors with limited mobility including pushchair and wheelchair users, the path also offers stunning views and is especially good for bird life. The Cherry Tree Walk is also a flat route, suitable for sturdy mobility vehicles, but the surface is fairly bumpy in places.

Public houses and shops can be found in nearby villages within 3 miles of the site, including Lewknor, Stokenchurch and Christmas Common. There are also several pubs, a cafe and a delicatessen in the attractive market town of Watlington, just 4 miles away, which also has public WCs at the end of the High Street. Neighbouring Field Farm is available for hire for large groups and has toilets, catering and IT facilities, visit their websiteexternal link for more information.