You can over-think life and it's always good to get out and blow away the cobwebs. This walk is an easy stroll, the sort of walk where talking and thinking comfortably accompany walking but there are enough views to prevent self-absorption.
Hertfordshire
Flaunden
We've been walking our way through Hertfordshire countryside towards Chesham over the last few weeks and today we plan to fill in the space between Bovingdon and the Chess Valley. We park on the green at Ley Hill and walk across fields and down the lanes as far as Latimer. It's still early and most people are in bed as we skirt the village green and walk north along Flaunden Bottom.
Bovingdon
An end of year, early morning, walk. We park up in the car park on Chipperfield Common. It's grey today as we set out and doesn't get any better during the walk. Nevertheless, it's been a while since we were last walking and it's good to get out
Bulbourne
It's 8am as we pull into the car park at Startop's End, squeezed between the reservoir and the canal. We are squeezing things in this weekend, ourselves. David is due back at lunchtime to watch the Spurs game and this is our only chance for a walk. It has to be short and local. In no time we reach the Aylesbury Arm of the Grand Union. A narrow and also straight canal, the original intention was to connect up with the Thames but money ran out and railways arrived...
Berkhamsted
You've probably not heard of the Battle of Berkhamsted Common...it doesn't rank high on the National Curriculum. However, without it we'd not be walking on Berkhamsted Common today. During the 1860's wealthy landowners raced to enclose the common land on their estates. In February 1866 Lord Brownlow enclosed Berkhamsted Common, erecting a 5ft iron fence to keep out the great unwashed and infuriating the locals. Augustus Smith and George Shaw-Lefevre, local Liberal MPs, responded by chartering a train from Euston at midnight on 6th March. It left crammed with 120 'beered-up' Irish Navvies, rounded up from the East End. The train arrived at Tring Station at 1-30 in the morning and under cover of darkness the Navvies dismantled the fence, leaving it stacked in neat piles on the Common. The ensuing rumpus resulted in a legal battle that was finally resolved in favour of the commoners in a court judgment of 1870. Do you need a better reason to vote LibDem?
Brookman’s Park
Starting in the station car park at Brookman's Park, we skirt the Royal Veterinary College before crossing the A1(M) and entering Hawkshead Wood. The drone of motorway traffic is pretty much a constant background to our walk and there are plenty of others out enjoying the late autumn sun. We meet an agitated dad and distraught daughter who've lost the dog whilst having a sandwich. He's anxiously phoning whoever he can for advice and calling 'Stamford!'. There's another thing that makes me smile...Stamford?! The poor girl looks devastated and you get the feeling dad's life won't be worth living if he returns without the mutt. They disappear ahead, half running, calling at intervals. Anyway, 10 mins later a tiny, hairless terrier puppy crashes passed us, on a mission. From the sounds of rejoicing ahead it appears all are re-united and dad can return home, pride intact!
Ayot St Lawrence
Hannah's back for the weekend! That deserves to be celebrated...and in better style than an afternoon of turgid football at The Vic. So, Sunday mid-morning (after church), we're off to Wheathampstead. Compared to our walks earlier in the week, this is flat but far from boring. The company helps, of course it does...but then so does the weather! It's warmer, drier and sunnier than at any time in Devon.
Redbournbury
St Albans is awkwardly sandwiched between the M25, M1, Luton Airport and rail connections north...and yet it's still possible to leave it all behind. This is an easy walk along quiet lanes, crossing three secluded country estates...and all within a couple of miles of the busiest motorways in Europe
Ashridge
A Chilterns highlight-the Spring bluebells at Dockey Wood, Ashridge Estate. We got up early Sunday morning to catch the sun rise and the bluebells before church...and frankly, it was worth the effort! As we arrive at Dockey Wood it's clear we're not the only people with this idea, the car park by the Wood is almost full and it's 7-30am.
Nettleden
26th November It turns out that Little Gaddesden has more than it's fair share of the rich and famous; Motty (John Motson), Mark Webber, Luther Blissett, Tim Sherwood, Adrian Scarborough, Roger Bolton, Fiona Bruce and Ronnie Wood all live here...not bad for tiny village hidden away at the back end of Hemel and Berkhamsted. That … Continue reading Nettleden
Where Angells Tread! 