Part of the Chilterns Walking Festival 10 May to 1 June 2025, organised by Chilterns National Landscape. 

From the organisers Chiltern National Landscape (formerly Chilterns AONB).

“Please come and join us on this walk around part of the ancient Parish of Chesham as we celebrate the old custom of Beating the Bounds.

The first section of the walk will make its way to Tylers Hill and then follow the old parish boundary as it winds its way back to Chesham. The route will take us through some beautiful Chiltern scenery and alongside the lovely River Chess.

Beating the Bounds, Saturday 10 May. Starts at Christ Church, Trapps Lane, Chesham HP5 1NX, Chesham.

A free guided 5-mile walk as part of the Chilterns Walking Festival for 8 years and up. Places are limited  Book via Chilterns National Landscapes website.

What is Beating the Bounds?

An extract from Wikipedia:

“Beating the bounds or perambulating the bounds is an ancient custom still observed in parts of England, Wales, and the New England region of the United States, which traditionally involved swatting local landmarks with branches to maintain a shared mental map of parish boundaries, usually every seven years.

These ceremonial events occur on what are sometimes called gangdays; the custom of going a-ganging was kept before the Norman Conquest. During the event, a group of prominent citizens from the community, which can be an English church parish, New England town, or other civil division, will walk the geographic boundaries of their locality for the purpose of maintaining the memory of the precise location of these boundaries. While modern surveying techniques have rendered these ceremonial walks largely irrelevant, the practice remains as an important local civic ceremony or legal requirement for civic leaders.”