CAMPAIGNERS will be pulling on their hiking boots in a protest against the planned high speed rail link – with a sponsored walk along the proposed route.

The favoured route announced by the Government earlier this month will pass underneath Chalfont St Giles and Amersham before cutting through the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Several protest groups have been formed by angry residents, with one campaign group on social networking website Facebook so far attracting more than 7,000 members.

It was on the group's page the idea of the sponsored walk was put forward by Liz Williams from south Northamptonshire.

The 36-year-old mum-of-one hopes the 'positive action' event will raise awareness of the possible effects the proposed line will have on the countryside.

She said: “The idea is to publicise it along the entire route. People need to know about it and the effect it will have on the countryside.

“It's an idea I bandied around on the Facebook group and the response has been overwhelming."

Mrs Williams said plans to cut through the AONB were “absolutely appalling” - adding she was “horrified” when she heard the announcement of the planned route.

She said: “We want people to join in to show the strength of public feeling. Please join your local group and find out more about it. It will have a massive impact on this area of the country.

“It will be a positive action and will demonstrate the public feeling towards this route. It's going to be a lot of work but we don't want to rush things.”

Mrs Williams added the timing of the announcement was 'outrageous': “People won't be able to have their MP raise questions over the summer because of the election, which is disgraceful.”

But she said: “I don't want the political parties hijack it. It should be for the people, not for all the parties during the election build-up.”

To find out more about the planned walk, contact walkhs2@yahoo.co.uk.