Dunstable Downs and the Whipsnade Estate lie in The Chilterns, an extensive chalk and grassland Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. There are outstanding views over the Vale of Aylesbury and Chiltern Ridge and it’s the highest point in the East of England making it a kite-flying hotspot! The area is also frequented by gliders and paragliders, and Whipsnade Zoo has cut an enormous lion into the side of one of the hills which can be seen for miles. The chalk grassland offers a wildlife haven and there are a number of countryside walks; details at the National Trust Countryside Centre.