National Grade: Moderate Distance: 12miles / 19.3km Leader: Barbara Macdonald Date: June 14th 2026
Seven of us joined Barbara for her “local walk for a summer Sunday”.
We set off at a brisk pace towards Ruislip Woods. We walked through Copse Wood and eventually found ourselves at Ducks Hill Road. Once that busy road was behind us we picked up the path which took us towards Bishops Wood. Once out of the woods we were walking across open pasture. The sun was shining in a blue sky with fair weather clouds. There was a slight breeze. Ideal walking weather, and so it remained for the rest of the day.
When we reached the Aquadrome at Rickmansworth we were happy to find some seats and have our picnic lunch. We had spent the morning without seeing many people, just the occasional dog walker and horse rider, but now we were surrounded by families enjoying the sunshine.
After lunch we soon left the crowds behind as we walked through the nature reserve which sits between and alongside the many lakes that make up this part of the Colne Valley. It was very peaceful and apart from a fisherman and bird watcher, we were, once again, on our own.
To add to the delight of our summer walk our leader had discovered, on the outskirts of Harefield, a house selling tea, coffee and cake in the front garden. It was very relaxing. Indeed it was a struggle for some of us to get going once again. The last part of the journey took us alongside the canal. Some of the cottages had beautiful gardens for us to admire. Eventually we climbed up from the canal into Harefield village. As we did so we turned to admire the engineering skill that has created the HS2 viaduct which sweeps across the Colne Valley. We also considered how the environment changed so much in the last century in this area as gravel pits were dug and then allowed to flood, a huge transformation to what had once been a patchwork of farms. Nothing ever stays the same, it seems.
Once in Harefield we thanked Barbara for a delightful local Sunday walk in summer sunshine.
We set off at a brisk pace towards Ruislip Woods. We walked through Copse Wood and eventually found ourselves at Ducks Hill Road. Once that busy road was behind us we picked up the path which took us towards Bishops Wood. Once out of the woods we were walking across open pasture. The sun was shining in a blue sky with fair weather clouds. There was a slight breeze. Ideal walking weather, and so it remained for the rest of the day.
When we reached the Aquadrome at Rickmansworth we were happy to find some seats and have our picnic lunch. We had spent the morning without seeing many people, just the occasional dog walker and horse rider, but now we were surrounded by families enjoying the sunshine.
After lunch we soon left the crowds behind as we walked through the nature reserve which sits between and alongside the many lakes that make up this part of the Colne Valley. It was very peaceful and apart from a fisherman and bird watcher, we were, once again, on our own.
To add to the delight of our summer walk our leader had discovered, on the outskirts of Harefield, a house selling tea, coffee and cake in the front garden. It was very relaxing. Indeed it was a struggle for some of us to get going once again. The last part of the journey took us alongside the canal. Some of the cottages had beautiful gardens for us to admire. Eventually we climbed up from the canal into Harefield village. As we did so we turned to admire the engineering skill that has created the HS2 viaduct which sweeps across the Colne Valley. We also considered how the environment changed so much in the last century in this area as gravel pits were dug and then allowed to flood, a huge transformation to what had once been a patchwork of farms. Nothing ever stays the same, it seems.
Once in Harefield we thanked Barbara for a delightful local Sunday walk in summer sunshine.
Report by Rob Jones-Owen