Sat 27th Feb 2010 - Leg 7 : Tring to Kings Langley - 15.0 miles

When we left Royston Golf Club in what seemed like the early hours of Saturday morning, several of us were under the misapprehension that we were in for an idyllic walk along the side of the Grand Union Canal - an idea that, it would appear, had been put about by Mr Webb…in fact we only walked some 475 yards alongside the canal. Our walk took a different turn altogether as you will see.

Our party for the day, fourteen in number, met at Tring station, consisting of Jim Webb, David and Simon Izod, David Beardwell, John Kelly, Guy Garfit and Ginny, Chris Hardy, Sandra Scott, Paul Walker (Secretary of the Dacorum Masonic Lodge), Peter Berman (President of the Hemel Hempstead Rotaract Club), Richard Jackson-Bass (Hemel Hempstead Rotary Club), Brain McCann (VP of HH Rotary Club) plus our Hertfordshire Way guides John Ledger and Marion Wiseman.

Setting off, we turned right onto Station Road heading towards Aldbury, however, within a hundred yards we turned off into the fields which took us across country, to the south of Aldbury and into the woods on the Ashridge Estate. Looking at Google Earth one finds names like Bluebell Woods and Thunderdell Wood; too early for bluebells and despite the weather we didn’t hear any thunder. As we entered the woods it began to rain, the heaviest of the day and, luckily, it didn’t last too long. The ground underfoot was waterlogged and muddy as it would be for most of the walk!


Sometime around eleven o’ clock we stopped for a break at the edge of the woods. As we variously drank coffee and ate snacks, Ginny, Guy’s dog, was wondering around longingly hoping for a morsel or two.

We moved on. Some of us walking in the field alongside the wood because the going there was much easier. We soon had to re-enter the wood. Shortly we came across fairways of Berkhampstead Golf Course and had to watch out for stray golf balls as the various signs suggested.

We eventually came out of the woods opposite Bullbeggars Lane on The Common road near Potten End. We walked towards the centre of the village, crossing over the road to walk past both Martins Pond and the Martins Pond pub (we passed a pub, unforgivable). We were now to walk on firmer ground for awhile as we followed the road from Potten End down through Little Heath (National Trust) to the village of Little Heath. On the way we crossed the Bullbeggars Lane which was marked by a large sign which John Kelly insisted he be photographed beneath.

As an aside, a bullbeggar is something used or suggested to produce terror, as in children or persons of weak mind; a bugbear. Mountfort in 1691 defined one as an ill-looked fellow, having a pension from the church wardens for being Bullbeggar to all forward children in the parish.

We followed Little Heath Lane down to the railway and the Grand Union Canal. We crossed the canal and walked for a short distance (475 yds according to Google Earth) along the towpath to Bourne End - this was the only glimpse of the canal that we would have until we crossed it again in Kings Langley at the end of the walk.

At Bourne End we stopped at the Anchor pub to down a well earned pint and eat our packed lunches. Ginny was on the prowl again for titbits.

As seems to be the pattern with these walks, no sooner do we set off after lunch, when the muscles have stiffened a bit, than our path turns upwards. This took us to a footbridge over the A41 and onto another golf course and potential danger. We crossed over the golf course and into the village of Bovingdon entering at the back of the churchyard. A brief stop to view the church of St Lawrence. Through the churchyard and out to Chipperfield Road where we turned left. After a short stretch we reached Austins Mead. A surprising move, we entered this small housing development and left by a small path between two houses at the back. The path was almost like a stream for the next hundred yards or so.


Our way eventually took us to the woods adjoining Chipperfield. The woods contain a number of 350 year old sweet chestnut trees planted for the delight of Isabel of Castile. We stopped for a break at the side of the ancient Apostles’ Pond, a fishpond for the monks of the Dominican Friary at Kings Langley.

We moved on, our goal mentally in sight. After some time we reached a footbridge over the A41, the second of the day, then, downhill all the way to Broadfield Farm on Watford Road. It was then but a short walk passing over the Grand Union Canal to Kings Langley Station and a lift home.

Thanks to our guides John Ledger and Marion. Thanks also to our drivers Brian and Julia.


It should go down on record that Paul was sponsored to the tune of £160 by members of his Lodge. In all, our guests from Hemel Hempstead expect their sponsorship for the day to exceed £300. Brian tells me that their Club’s tin collection on Saturday raised £423.59 plus 2 dimes + 10 Australian cents.


Chris Hardy