Chinnor – Hollow Way

These paths may have started off as surface paths but over time, have been worn down by human and animal passage and water run-off, turning in this instance into a very steep-sided valley.

The date of origin is uncertain – perhaps they might originally have been used as ways up to the barrows on the ridge in late prehistory or for moving animals around the Roman and Saxon periods. There are also stories – unsubstantiated – of this track being used by troops in the English Civil War and of skirmishes nearby – hence the local nickname of Blood Valley. This route is the longest and the most extensive sunken way above Chinnor and runs from the end of Hilltop Lane (the car park) to cross the Icknield Way (an ancient trackway) near Wainhill. It then continues downhill past old chalk pits into Upper Wainhill.

Drover’s roads often linked smaller villages and farms to larger market towns or ports, where animals could be sold or traded. These roads were essential for the economy of the time, facilitating the movement of cattle, sheep, and other livestock, which were driven over long distances to meet the demand for meat, wool, and hides.

Note the yew trees along the high tops of the slopes: yew trees and other natural features have long been used as waymarkers along ancient drover’s roads, helping guide livestock drivers on their long journeys across the countryside. Yew are slow-growing and long-lived, and their distinctive shape and evergreen nature made them easily identifiable from a distance, marking key points along the droving routes. In addition to clearly identifiable trees, other natural markers, such as large rocks, prominent hills, or unusual tree species, were also used to help guide drovers. This was not only practical but also tied into the cultural landscape, with these markers becoming embedded in local folklore or placenames.