Hillingdon

Despite it being a relatively cold and grey day, Amanda’s walk from Chorleywood encouraged a very impressive 27 of us plus Ronnie, Jane’s four legged companion, to meet up either outside the train station at Chorleywood or in the car park by the cafe on the common. The briefing over, we set off through the grounds of Chorleywood House and headed down to the River Chess whose waters were flowing clear and fast. Our route took us up hill towards Sarratt but we turned off to walk around Micklefield Green Farm and noticed a very new and tightly strung fence all around the farm land. A brief walk beside the M25 and we were back in peaceful countryside and heading towards Great Westwood. It was clear all day that the landscape was alive with autumn colour but unfortunately without sunshine the colours did not really burst through. As always, the views were much more spectacular, even on a great day, in real life than appear through the lens of a camera phone. Arriving at a country lane everyone lined up to let cars pass. It was a good moment to catch our group picture for the day. As we continued along we met the gaze of a very fine pair of sheep who posed for the camera. Mr. and Mrs., we presumed.

Before long we arrived at Chipperfield Common where we stopped for our lunch. Some went to the cafe and some sat on the benches dotted around the green. The cricket square was looking a little worn after a year’s use during the hot summer and had been spread with large amounts of grass seed. Assembling outside the cafe before we set off again, we learned that a local family, the Blackwells, of Crosse and Blackwell fame, had owned the cafe and other parts of the village and bequeathed (well - sold for the princely sum of 5 shillings) the village green to the local council for everyone to enjoy. Walking on we arrived at Belsize and dived off through a tiny gap in the hedge to pick up the Chiltern Way heading south. This route also was locally known as “The Coronation Walk” to mark the coronation of King Charles III. Passing through a kissing gate our attention was drawn to a young rabbit who was sitting in the foliage by the gate. Quietness fell as we all watched but his braveness finally was overcome by fear and he pushed his head into the ground. If he can't see us maybe we cant see him! We tip-toed along and left him in peace. A little further along, we came to a hillside which was being used as a film set. We have seen this on previous walks. On this occasion, it appeared that quarry scenes were being created in fibreglass with scaffolding back support. There was also a derelict farm house with a large rocky scene to its side. It was unclear exactly what was going on and all seemed quiet at the time. After stopping to deliberate on the scene we continued on, crossing the River Chess on our favourite narrow concrete footbridge. The group was so long and strung out that another bridge picture was not going to happen. We soon found ourselves back at Chorleywood House and the end of the walk. Amanda dropped off here so we thanked her for a good walk and said our goodbyes as the remainder of us strolled back across the common to the station for our train home.

The day had come for Simon C’s twice postponed walk from St.Albans to Harpenden. Not an area that we walk in regularly and 18 of us assembled at St.Albans station on what promised to be a dry and pleasant day. We set off through the streets and soon were in the picturesque heart of St.Albans before walking beside the cathedral and out into Verulamium Park. No sign today of the kingfisher posing for his photograph beside the River Ver and we walked on to the cafe in the park for a brief coffee and toilet stop. Refreshed, we carried on past the Waffle House and out heading across gently rolling hills and farm land towards Childwickbury. The area had a very prestigious feel to it. We stopped to hear about Childwickbury Manor House and how it is owned by the Stanley Kubrick family and was used in the production of his films, many of which were actually shot at Elstree. The massive estate had a significant horse racing area too and a large horse box squeezed past us as we walked along one of the estate roads. Arriving at the entrance to the estate, the gate house made an impressive backdrop for our group picture, taken by Mariella.

Our route then took us north along paths through fields of young crops and grassland where sheep were grazing in places. Autumnal colours were very evident in the landscape although a burst of sunshine would have helped bring them out. Heading westerly again to the outskirts of Redbourn we came to Redbournbury Mill, which was our lunch stop. Picnic benches in front of the Mill House made for a comfortable stop. We noticed that the Mill house door was open as workmen were in the vicinity seemingly putting up a simple gazebo. Mark approached the open door for a sneaky peep inside but no sooner had he emerged, little the wiser, it was abruptly closed and locked from the inside. Clearly curious visitors were not welcome today. We could see the stream running slowly alongside and the mill wheel which was stationary so not much milling was being done today. We commented on the gazebo whose legs were at odd angles and agreed that we could probably have done a better job!

Continuing on, we passed a fine herd of pale yellow coloured cattle by the river and then a farm house with fresh eggs outside and realising he was out of eggs, Gordon bought a dozen although we had to scrabble around for suitable cash to put in the honesty box. Hopefully he didn’t forget about the delicate produce in his back-pack as the rest of the day went on! For a while we joined the Nickey Line, which had been a railway line between Redbourn and Harpenden. The remaining trackbed is now a walking and cycle route. Before its closure in 1947 its only passengers some days were six school children. The reason for the present name has never been established although several all equally unlikely suggestions have been made. Cutting off the Nickey Lane and through Rothamsted Research estate on our final leg into Harpenden, we arrived onto the green and said our goodbyes to several who had driven to Harpenden at the start.  The remainder went to the station for the train home. We met Denise at the station who had walked a little of the route independently. It had been a relatively long walk but quite easy and we thanked Simon for introducing us to pastures new and arranging this for us.

Ten of us plus Barbara and Nick’s dog met at the Penn Street War Memorial on a lovely sunny, autumn day for an 11.5 mile “undulating walk”.   Our group was an eclectic mix of Hillingdon regulars, plus Ramblers from Hertfordshire, Capital Walkers and South London. 

Leaving Penn Street, we passed the “Works” site where components for the, largely wooden, De Havilland Mosquito fighter bomber were made during WW2 at a furniture factory. We passed through lovely woodland and sunny pastures, pausing briefly at Penn to take on fluids.  We noticed that the pasture land was quite green and lush - seemingly recovered from the dry summer, even if most of our gardens have not.

Despite the recent heavy rain and storms, paths were remarkably dry and mud free until we encountered our first water hazard.  Barbara, Nick and the dog (reluctantly) tip-toed through, while many of us took a detour along a field, with some good teamwork to safely negotiate a barbed-wire fence.

It was very windy at times, peaking as we passed on a footpath beside Wycombe Heights golf course where golfers were struggling in the conditions – we heard many shouts of “fore”, directed at other golfers as far as we could tell.  Our lunch stop was at Knotty Green – Nick left us here as the dog was flagging. After lunch we passed by elegant homes, then through more beautiful woodland and arable farmland.  We paused to verify the young crop – apparently oil seed rape, which is a member of the brassica family.

We continued our loop back towards Penn Street, through more lovely woodland, via Winchmore Hill to our walk’s conclusion at the Penn Street War Memorial.  We all thanked Barbara for a lovely autumn walk and a chance to blow off the cobwebs.

Being in the programme a long time since the hot and dry summer doesn’t guarantee fine weather as Mark discovered despite his recce being in warm sunshine a few days earlier. It was a day for only the most determined of us to turn up for the walk from Aston Clinton. By 10:15 the rain was teeming down but in the end, remained persistent drizzle for much of the day. The walk started from Aston Clinton Park where there was a most welcome cafe even if only as a place to put on all the rain gear needed for the day. Mark’s briefing over, we set off and were soon admiring the beautiful autumn colours that were appearing on the trees despite the gloomy skies. Our route headed south-east, picking up the Outer Aylesbury Ring. We crossed the Wendover arm of the Grand Union Canal and the well manicured Chiltern Forest Golf Club and headed towards West Leith. Mark explained how a local man, Lionel Martin had built his own sports car along with his partner Robert Bamford and practiced driving on the woodland tracks here. His creation went on to become the Aston Martin car that we know today and for which James Bond, of course, had a particular passion! Further along the way we were greeted very enthusiastically by a Bernadoodle - a charming cross between a St. Bernard and a Poodle. He was very eye catching and was guarding a pen of chickens and ducks. We suspected that he would most likely lick an intruder into submission. The same small holding also had a small herd of Alpacas. Moving on it became clear that there were hills on this walk and some of them quite steep. With the paths slippery in the rain, going was tough in places. We arrived at a historic water works which Mark explained was constructed in 1866 as a steam powered pumping station which, along with it's inovative filter beds, provided fresh and clean water to the Rothschild estate. The Grade II listed building and the filtration ponds and surrounding grounds are now operated by Thames Water. Not much has changed other than the original steam engines are now replaced with electric motors and the chimneys were removed. The pumping station sits within the Dancers End Nature Reserve. This is a particular old reserve and developed by the Rothschild family. It is currently a Site of Special Scientific Importance (SSSI). The damp conditions seemed to have encouraged fungi in the woods and some particularly interesting and colourful specimens were seen today.

As the walk went on and we all got damper, we were much encouraged by the prospect of a warming hot drink and sit down at the cafe in Wendover Woods. That did not disappoint us at all but to the young ladies polishing the floor as we all entered dripping water and mud all over the place, they must have been a little disappointed although they certainly didn’t show it. Our enthusiasm, rekindled by hot drinks and cake, seemed to make the remainder of the walk pass quickly. It was also mostly down hill and the rain had stopped. We all agreed that we should repeat this walk in better weather as many of the views were stunning and the drizzle and grey skies couldn’t hide the beauty of the area.

Thank you Mark for arranging the walk and getting soaked with us!