Length: 19.6 km (12.2 miles) Option to reduce by 3 km by returning from the local railway station
Toughness: 4 out of 10 No steep hills, mostly flat, with one gentle ascent soon after leaving Ashwell on the main walk
Travel
Thameslink service from Three Bridges to Cambridge, with stops at:
East Croydon: 9-09 hrs
London Bridge: 9-25 hrs
Blackfriars: 9-32 hrs
St Pancras International: 9-41 hrs
Finsbury Park: 09-48 hrs (for connections to LT Piccadilly and Victoria lines)
Arrive Baldock: 10-22 hrs
Note: the slightly early start is to accommodate South Londoners connecting at East Croydon
Return
Ashwell & Morden to Kings Cross: 21 mins past the hour Thameslink service to Kings X
Ashwell and Morden to St Pancras International: 47 mins past the hour Thameslink service to Three Bridges To East Croydon takes 1hr 20 mins
Baldock to Kings Cross: 26 mins past the hour Thameslink service to Kings X
Baldock to St Pancras International: 52 mins past the hour Thameslink service to Three Bridges To East Croydon takes 1 hr 15 mins
Rail ticket If planning to return from the local station buy a day return to Ashwell & Morden. Otherwise, buy a day return to Baldock
For a number of years now we have posted our Baldock Circular walk on the Sunday when the village of Ashwell holds its "Ashwell at Home" open day and family day out, with open gardens, music and performances, walks and talks - and home-made lunches and teas. It makes for a delightful stop at lunch time, two hours into a relaxing walk over Hertfordshire countryside, flat but not featureless. The open day had to be cancelled in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid, so it is lovely to see it return this year.
Of the three pubs in the village, all survived Covid - The Bushel & Strike pub, and The Three Tuns Hotel - with Greene King's Rose & Crown pub now back open and trading with a new tenant in-situ.
If you choose to spend most of the afternoon visiting the village attractions - and do please include the village church - you can return home from the local station - Ashwell & Morden. Otherwise, the walk continues back to Baldock. On the return route you pass a little church in the hamlet of Caldecote which has been restored by the splendidly named "Friends of Friendless Churches" organisation.
Bluebells: if by now you have had a basin full of 'bells this is a walk for you: the only ones you will see today are in the front gardens of houses in Bygrave and Newnham. There should be plenty of cow parsley, though, along the route.
This makes for a lovely day out - with a good length, enjoyable flat walk for the day's exercise.
Recommended !
T=swc.91
Walk Directions are here: L=swc.91
1 comment:
N=8 on a w=sunny day. Big fields, big skies, lashings of cow parsley.
Mr Tiger was slightly behind by the time we reached Ashwell. He did eventually find the others in the Three Tuns but only after a tour of the other establishments and the consumption of some cider. Only a half mind you. Three had split off to connect with folk-dancy chums. But the remaining four had ordered food which they seemed to enjoy. The two with carbonaras were unable to finish. Too generous? Too heavy? You decide. Mr Tiger considered taking some back with him to glue his boots back together. (He himself did not eat but was fed chips by a kindly benefactor).
After a brief look at the plague graffiti in the church, it was time for some entertainment. First, the Historical Dancers. Mr Tiger was itching to jig about with the Tudors but, sadly, his attire was considered too modern, too contemporary. The others might have got away with it, though. Then cake. Then Morris dancers. Then off.
The second half was more big fields, the abandoned church, and the return along a permissive footpath that, judging by a sign at the far end, is not as permissive as it used to be. Through a nature reserve and into the Engine. An alarmingly noisy pub with a limited range of drinks. We sought respite in the garden. At the station, a long wait on the platform thanks to a broken down train but, otherwise, a grand day out.
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