Ivinghoe Beacon is a popular spot for walkers and sightseers. Model aircraft enthusiasts also use lift generated by the wind blowing up the hill to fly their unpowered aircraft – a technique known as slope soaring.[4]
History
The hill is an ancient signal point, which was used in times of crisis to send messages across long distances. It is also the site of an early Iron Agehillfort protected as a scheduled monument.[5]
Archaeological evidence has revealed human activity dating back to the Bronze Age, and the area contains many other scheduled Monuments, including a number of Bronze Age burial mounds and the faint remains of an Iron Age hillfort at the top of the hill. There also exists evidence of ancient farming as the Beacon is also crossed by deep channels which are thought to be cattle drovers' paths and cross-ridge dykes. The prehistoric earthwork, Grim's Ditch passes to the south of the Beacon at Incombe Hole.
The chalk grassland supports a range of wildlife. A number of wild flower species grow on the Beacon such as rare types of wild orchid and pasque-flower, and these support endangered butterfly species such as the Duke of Burgundy.
Filming location
Ivinghoe Beacon's appearance of remoteness, yet relative proximity to the film studios at Elstree and Leavesden, has made it a popular choice as a filming location. It has been used as a location for many dramas, especially those produced by ITC in the 1960s.[citation needed]
^Those wishing to participate in model flying at the Beacon should review and comply with the agreement between the National Trust and the Ivinghoe Soaring Association.
