15th September According to Lemony Snicket “Morning is an important time of day, because how you spend your morning can often tell you what kind of day you are going to have.” Whether you believe such tosh or not, we're in Great Offley by 7-15am, mostly because we have a busy weekend and this is the only time for a walk. This will be the last of our walks in this part of Hertfordshire for the moment.
Hertfordshire
Kimpton
8th September A week later and we're back to Whitwell, parking in almost the same spot. The locals will be getting suspicious. Grabbing our stuff, we're off before anyone can challenge us. Compared to last week the weather is grey and overcast...and to tell the truth it sets the tone for our walk. There's nothing to dislike about this walk but we're learning that this part of Hertfordshire is just not very exciting...no good views or quaint villages, just countryside. That in itself is no bad thing but it doesn't make for much to write home about. This time we walk south from the village and follow tracks and paths as far as Ayot St Laurence.
Whitwell
1st September We've a series of walks in Hertfordshire planned for the next few weeks. It may only be the first day of meteorologic autumn but already you can feel the turning of the seasons . There's a thin mist in the Mimram Valley and the milky light evokes memories of walks last year...we spend a few minutes wishing we'd started out earlier...the dawn would have been great to see.
Great Offley
1st June This is a gentle stroll along deserted footpaths and quiet country lanes to the Delectable Mountains...well, Pegsdon Hills. By the time we reach The Pegsdon Hills Nature Reserve its lunchtime and, unusually of us, we pause for a quick lunch. To tell you the truth, lunch provides an excellent excuse for a break. The sun and lack of even a breath of fresh air has made the walking hard work...or we're just growing old! Certainly, there are fewer woods on this walk than others. The views from Deacon Hill today are worth the walk. Bedfordshire is stretched out like a map before us and we can see Milton Keynes, Flitwick and Shefford in the distance.
Frithsden
28th May The Gade Valley on a misty late May morning in Hertfordshire and we're up and out walking before the rest of the world is out of bed! For as far as Frithsden we're retracing our steps from various other walks and, to tell the truth, had we turned and headed back at Potten End, it would have been a good walk.
Gaddesden Row
18th May Another pub walk this evening. This time from the car park of the Crown and Sceptre in Briden's Camp. We were last here in September 2016..that does feel like an age away! There's not much to Briden's Camp...if the Romans did stop off here they didn't leave much behind...a couple of cottages clustered around the pub and a cricket club over the road...which, as if to disown its location, is named after Great Gaddesden...all very confusing!
Sarratt Bottom
17th May It's a open secret, amongst those who live in Watford...the best local walks are at Sarratt. So close to Watford, on the doorstep of the busiest section of the M25, and yet Sarratt inhabits its own tranquility bubble. An ideal destination on a warm spring evening, after work. We park in the car … Continue reading Sarratt Bottom
Berkhamsted Common
11th May A short evening walk. In spite of the dull weather, this walk is a pleasant mixture of Hertfordshire woods and fields and takes in Berkhamsted and Northchurch Commons which overlook the Bulborne Valley. We catch fleeting views of the valley through the branches of some of the most gnarly oaks we've seen for a while. The last of the bluebells brighten the darker corners of the woods...by next week the display will be over for another year.
Tewin
7th May It's May Day Bank Holiday...I always enjoy celebrating International Workers' Day and to do so this year we drive to a part of Hertfordshire where no worker can afford to buy a house. Around here a house will set you back a cool £1M. According to Rightmove- ...an overall average price of £955,534 … Continue reading Tewin
Whippendell Woods & The Grand Union Canal
4th May Discovery of the week! If you get home early from work, at the moment there's enough daylight for an evening walk! From Cassiobury Park we cross the Grand Union Canal at Iron Bridge Lock (#77) and head up through Whippendell Woods, Lees Wood and Harrocks Wood...
Where Angells Tread! 