Cranborne Chase AONB/Chase & Chalke

Cranborne Chase is an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). AONBs are landscapes which are considered so precious that they are protected for the nation. The criteria for designating an AONB include valuable wildlife, habitats, geology and heritage, as well as scenic views. The primary purpose of the AONB designation is to conserve and enhance the natural beauty of the area, now and for future generations. Cranborne Chase AONB covers 380 sq miles of countryside overlapping the boundaries of Wiltshire, Dorset, Hampshire and Somerset. It is a diverse landscape offering areas of rolling chalk grassland, ancient woodlands, chalk escarpments, downland hillsides and chalk river valleys each with a distinct and recognisable character. The landscapes of the AONB today, as they were in the past, are extraordinarily rich.