Sun 28th Feb 2010 - Leg 8 : Kings Langley to Shenley - 12.8 miles

I thought I had got out of writing this blog by delegating it to John Kelly but alas it was not to be, as both he and our illustrious president copped out at the first threat of adverse weather conditions. Cowards, wimps did I hear you all cry? Well the forecasters were threatening very heavy rain all day, temperature of 4C and winds of 25 mph. Despite the threat the intrepid three, Sandra, Jonathon and I set of at 8.10 am to meet our Hertfordshire Way guides John Ledger and Marion Wiseman at Kings Langley. There is no way sugar and spice and all things nice was going to be outdone by slugs and snails and puppy dog tails. As it turned out the adverse weather threat was way of the mark.
We had extremely light rain until 11.30, it then it eased off so we were able to have lunch in the great outdoors, temperatures were at least four degrees higher and winds were light to calm. As traffic enroute was light we all arrived early and set of at 9.20am. led by Marion Wiseman who is the warden for this leg. Those of you who plan to walk this leg later would be well advised to pull down the long list of changes to the leg from that published in the latest issue of the guide book, from the Friend of Hertfordshire Way web site.

We left Station Road, Kings Langley and joined the permissive path at Numbers Farm with the Ovaltine wind turbine on our right and walked over the hill to Bedmond walking roughly parallel to the M25. There was much evidence of the heavy overnight rain, the lanes whilst reasonably firm underfoot were being scoured by clean running water and inevitably where you came to an avoidable stile it was surrounded by a large pool of water. I manage to drop one my waterproof gloves into the first I had to cross much to the amusement of Jonathon.

We crossed to M25 into Abbots Langley and from then almost to Shenley one was aware of the constant hum of road traffic. I must congratulate the architects of the route we followed, for threading us through a dense conurbation of towns and villages whilst leaving you with the impression you were in the countryside most of the way. Immediately after crossing the M1 you pass BRE (Building Research Establishment) in Bricket Wood, which used to be the site for war time experiments for Sir Barnes Wallace's bouncing bomb. After crossing the lovely parkland of the gothic revivalist, Munden House and the swollen River Ver we were confronted by a lake. Sandra stepped forward in the epic mode of the an explorer crossing the Rubicon and we stood back expecting her to go glug, glug, glug and leave her cap floating on the surface only to find it was just ankle deep.

The next crossing was the River Colne. The bridge was still holding its own against the swollen waters so we passed on to Wall Hall a magnificent gothic revivalist mansion built in 1802 for George Woodford Thelluson, mentioned in Charles Dickens "Tale of two Cities". The grounds were extensively developed for an American banker John Pierpoint Morgan Jnr. who purchased the hall in 1910. During the Second World War it was the residence of Joseph Kennedy the US Ambassador to the UK and the father of JFK. In 1945 it passed to the local authorities and became a training college before becoming a part of Hertfordfordshire University. Between 2003 to 2006 it became an expensive private housing estate built by Octagon. We were then left with a short stroll through Aldenham, past the 800 year old Hertfordshire Spike Church to lunch at the a pub in Round Bush. Aldenham Church and the village were used in many Elstree Studio films including "The Confessions of a Window Cleaner" and the BBC TV series "The Pathfinders" to name but two. Fortified with a fine pint, we ate our lunch in a very nice garden attached to the very friendly Round Bush pub.

After lunch we walked on to the very picturesque and Hertfordshire's least altered village of Letchmore Heath where you will find the International Society for Krishna Consciousness at Piggott's Manor. Paul Harrison, of Beatle's fame, gifted this property to the Hindu sect that now reside there. It has I believe caused much controversy over the years and its development and attraction of so many followers is I believe not much liked by the villagers.

Skirting the edge of Radlett we crossed Watling Street the longest Roman Road in Britain running from Dover to Chester via London to find ourselves in a lane near Wood Hall Farm blighted by fly tipping and a busy stretch of road whose verges were blighted by empty high energy drink cans and other fast food rubbish. Oh the joys of living close to urban dwellers and the reluctance of some authorities to accept all rubbish at their tips.

Out into the countryside again onto the last part of the leg to Shenley where we crossed a wide foot bridge of timbers which were floating on a the very swollen stream. Despite Sandra practicing her dance steps we were disappointed as it held together and she failed to cause a splash. We need to feed her more than a half pint at lunch time.

Shenley is a 13th Century village with many historical connections. William Hawksmoor the architect and Wren's assistant during the building of St Paul's lived here as did Admiral Lord Howe, the First Lord of the Admiralty when Nelson was twenty. The Hospital Water Tower remains a constant reminder of the Mental Hospital founded by King George V and Queen Mary that used to be here. The walk was completed in Shenley Park at the car park and cafe where we said farewell to John and Marion. I would like to take this opportunity to thank them both for their help, guidance and friendship over legs 6, 7 and 8 of the walk.

Jim Webb

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

Sun 31st Jan 2010 - Leg 6 : Markyate to Tring - 9.8 miles

Brian Whitaker kindly transported President David, Sandra, Jim and me from Royston to Markyate this morning. Soon after 9.30 we were joined by Ray Munden and the Warden of the Hertfordshire Way Leg 6, John Leger, and the warden of Leg 8, Marion Wiseman. We were dressed for a cold and frosty morning we enjoyed a very pleasant walk. Apart from a couple of muddy stretches the walk was one of the best have so far.

The highlight for me was the stop for lunch at the Buddhist Temple at Great Gaddesden. As it was Sunday lunchtime the temple area was quite busy with visitors and was not the tranquil place I had expected. Nevertheless, it was an excellent lunch stop. After removing our boots we were able to go into the inner sanctum and see the shrine and the statues of Buddha.

In Ashridge Park we saw a small group of deer.

Ashridge House is a spectacular building with crenulated walls, towers and turrets. It started life as a monastery in 1276 and was turned into a home after the dissolution in 1535. Today it is set in a National Trust Estate but is not open to the public as it is now used as a Management School.

From the house to the Doric Column monument is a pleasant stroll of one and a quarter miles on a grassy path through beautiful woods. The café at the NT monument was very busy and we enjoyed our afternoon tea break under a grand old tree. We had a short snow shower to remind us that it is still mid-winter.

The village of Aldbury is delightful. President David was tempted to clean the mud off his boots in the village pond water but was unable to break the ice.

At 3.15p.m. we arrived at Tring Station where Brian was waiting to take us back to Royston.

It was one of the better walking days we have had. I am looking forward to Leg 7 on Saturday 27 February when we will be doing the longest stretch of the walk – from Tring to Kings Langley.

John Kelly

Sat 30th Jan 2010 - Leg 5 : St Albans to Markyate - 11 miles

Snow on the ground, temperature -3, northerly wind chill, It must be another day for a Rotary Polio Plus walk! So with some trepidation Liz, (dodgy foot) and I, (general decrepitation) prepare for the ordeal ahead. Excellent start being chauffeured from our door to the start point, with a small exploration of the backstreets of St Albans where we’re nearly rammed by an ice-blinded BMW.

All present and correct we set off in brilliant sunshine only to be immediately stymied by a closed country park gate. Oh dear, it seems that this may reduce our route by up to a mile. What a shame… (Honest). Never mind, a short road stretch leads to a path where we immediately come across a splendid country scene, an ancient mill and ponds jealously guarded by two white geese.

Further on a part -frozen brook is crossed, two Heron’s on display, the going much aided by part frozen ground. Wood End Farmhouse is passed and almost immediately we encounter the ancient Redbournbury house with a working bakery. Many of our party weaken, much cake is consumed, a short break is taken. Further on we encounter three ponies, closer examination reveals their condition to be sadly suspect, and a country person and lad are seen harnessing a pony to a trap. Something about his response to us suggests cameras may not be welcome…A small part hidden scrap yard is passed without comment. Further progress sees us on a disused railway path which we leave abruptly to pass a house garden that made mine look like Kew, to enter the picturesque village of Redbourn. Leaving the church till later we repair to a local inn for our lunch break taken in a sheltered garden, and still in brilliant sunshine.

The church, where curiously I had been recently present at my nephew’s son’s christening, was a splendid building with excellent facilities. A superb Rood Screen with rural carvings being much admired .Slightly uphill from Redbourn we became more aware of the dreaded M1 which we eventually crossed. The vision of all this bustling humanity contrasting sharply with the peace and tranquillity of our day. A longish mainly rising grade, interspersed with many ice bound puddles, (It was still freezing hard in the shade) took us up, passed friendly horses, to Flamstead where we sight another splendid medieval church. A signpost is spotted on the road “Markyate 2 miles.” Can we be that close already? I’m not even partially clapped out yet. Not quite, the” Way” map takes us off-road (as it should), so we make rural and peaceful entry downhill into Markyate cross the old A5 and in to the car park. Careful forethought by our trusty leader had ensured an earlier call to Julia, our taxi, so waiting was minimised.

Thus ended a splendid day, with no-one complaining of any bodily failures, and all feeling that we had had a privileged day, in good company, in rare and brilliant weather, in quiet and ancient pastures, seemingly rarely trod at this time of year.

David Beardwell

Wed 30th Dec 2009 - Leg 4 : Codicote to St Albans - 12.6 miles

The intrepid four of Sandra Scott, David Izod, John Kelly and Jim Webb set off at 8.00 from a very wet Royston to travel to St Albans to drop off a car and then on to Codicote to start what was to be the longest leg so far executed. The promised weather was rain with possibly snow later. By the time we reached St Albans the rain had stopped and from then to the end of the walk more rain came off the trees than from the overcast sky. Unlike the preceding day the walk proved to be good underfoot with mainly hard tracks on country estates, golf courses and meadows. As the latter had not been ploughed up by horses the result was a pleasant but long stroll.

The first 1.8 miles of the walk was through Codicote via Codicote Bottom Farm to Ayot House. On route we passed along an avenue of trees with a bird box on every tree on our left and were greeted by a large family of Long Tailed Tits. Ayot St Lawrence is a very interesting village with a lovely pub, the Brocket Arms, George Bernard Shaw's House, owned by the National Trust, and the summer house where he wrote many of his plays. The queen Anne style Ayot House in Tudor times was owned by William Parr the brother of Catharine Parr, Henry the VIII sixth and surviving wife. The old parish church shown was pulled down by Sir Lionel Lyde, a later owner of the house, and replaced with the classical building shown. We were closely attended here by a lovely tortoise shell cat as we took our morning break.

The walk through the Latimer Estate woods and fields and via a golf course, privately owned by a Japanese company, to Wheathampstead was particularly pleasant. See Photo 3. As you can see we had to negotiate the water at ford over the river Lee. (Photo 4) The Nelson pub is now closed so we passed on to Coleman Green via the prehistoric earthworks of Devils Dyke. (Photos 5 & 6) The earthworks is part of an iron age settlement of the Belgae tribe who ruled large parts of Hertfordshire and were conquered by Julius Caesar in 54 BC. If you walk through the bottom of the dyke as we did you climb the steps to exit and at the road turn left. On reaching Coleman Green we dropped in to the John Bunyan pub (Photo 7) for a warm by the fire and a welcome pint. Mine host and the locals were very hospitable and contributed to our Polio Plus funds and the food looked good. Just north of the pub is a house chimney stack where John Bunyan preached. The house was demolished in 1877.( 5.5 miles)

A short break was made on route to Sandridge for lunch. The stone church in the this village is the oldest in Hertfordshire and there are several interesting epitaphs to be found in the church yard (7.8 miles)

From here we walked onto Childwick Green. The gatehouse to the estate on the A1081 is a magnificent Victorian edifice (9.6 miles). (Photo 8) You walk through the gate and up the beautiful rhododendron drive to the model village of Childwick Green. The village which was built over 100 years ago for the farm workers is well worth exploring. See Photos 9&10.

The Childwickbury Estate and Manor House (Photo 11) has a very interesting history from the 13th Century when it belonged to St Albans Abbey to the present date it has passed through several hands. It went from monks to medieval knights, the Cavendish family, it had links through its owners to Ayot St Lawrence in Elizabethan times, the Toumlin's, a Victorian merchant shipping family built the village, the founder of Maples in Tottenham Court Road started breeding horses and Jack Joel a diamond and gold merchant built up a stud farm, which became one of the largest in the world. The stud farm survives to this date but the estate has been split up. One of the most recent owners of the Manor House was the film director Stanley Kubrick.

After a pleasant walk through the Estate we reached the brow of a hill to see St Albans and the cathedral, our ultimate destination, ahead. The last climb up the hill reminded us all how foot weary we were after the two day 24.4 mile hike. ( Photo 12)



Jim Webb