Chilterns

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A designated area of rolling hills and countryside in southeastern England noted for its natural beauty and public walking paths
2. A region characterized by chalk hills and rural landscapes in southern England, often used for conservation and outdoor recreation
3. An upland area featuring gently sloping terrain and scenic vistas, popular for hiking and nature exploration in the English countryside

Etymology: The Chiltern Hills are less a single upland than a long chalk escarpment. They rise in a steep face above the Vale of Aylesbury and slope gently away on the other side. Their name is generally traced to Old English, but its exact meaning is uncertain, and scholars have suggested links to older Celtic words for chalk or hill without settling the question. The most surprising connection lies in Parliament. The Chiltern Hundreds were an administrative district, and the Stewardship of the Chiltern Hundreds is a nominal office of profit under the Crown. An MP cannot simply resign a seat, so they accept this stewardship, which disqualifies them from the Commons, and then give it up. The hills' name thus survives in a procedural formality that most walkers never encounter.