4. Buzzards View

The seats on this crest were created by local wood sculptor Tom Smith. He used a branch with a diameter of 1.3m from one of our oak trees. This 450+ year old oak tree is situated near the main drive. The branch fell during high winds last summer.

The benches provide an incredible view across the countryside to the south and are an excellent spot to watch the buzzards and red kites circling overhead. If you are lucky, you may also see the resident kestrel as it hovers and swoops over the hillside and fields.

Look down the hill, and see the native hedgerow running along the left-hand side of the Cherry Garden Vineyard. This was planted for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. You will learn more about this later. The hedge forms a valuable part of our wildlife and pollinator corridors. This is part of a program to join the estate with other sustainably managed areas across the North Downs escarpment.

The fallen oak branch from which the benches are made

For Children: 

Q: How fast do buzzards fly? 

CLUE: It is much slower than you might think 

A: Up to 28mph. 

A soaring Red Kite

Navigation: 

Carry on up the hill with the vines on your left until you reach row 51, then turn left and walk between the vines. The next stop will be straight ahead of you at the end of the row where you will learn about the Duchess of Marlborough and her lasting influence on Chilworth Manor.