Difficulty 3/10 17.6 km (10.9 miles)
Through commons, a newly created Woodland Trust forest (Heartwood),and into Sandridge for lunch, then a quaint country estate (Childwickbury) and finally ye olde St Albans, with its Abbey, Roman remains and, most importantly, the ‘oldest’ pub in England.
Lunch
There are 3 pubs in Sandridge.
The 17th century Queens Head (tel 01727 855069) in Church End . Booking ahead is advisable. The churchyard beside it would suit picnickers.
The Green Man (tel 01727 854845) at 31 High Street.
The 400 year old Rose & Crown (tel 01727 859739) at 24 High Street A country pub with a beer garden. It specialises in cask ales.
Tea
The suggested tea place is the Cathedral Cafeteria, just inside the Cathedral, which is open daily until 4 pm .
An alternative is Abigails (tel: 01727-8560039) in the Village Arcade in the Cathedral precincts, which is open daily until 5 pm. But..…..before you climb to the cathedral, Ye Olde Fighting Cocks (tel: 017227 865830), is one of several pubs claiming to be the oldest in England. It hit the rocks during the pandemic but has miraculously re-opened. Good for beer.
Trains You want a return to Harpenden.
Get the Thameslink Bedford train at St Pancras at 10:21 arriving Harpenden at 10:51.(Sarf Londoners can catch it at East Croydon 9:48 or Blackfriars 10:12. Norf Londoners can too at West Hampstead 10:29).
There are about 5 trains an hour returning from St Albans City.
There is also one train an hour from St Albans Abbey station (xx:29 changing at Watford) but this requires a separate ticket.
St Alban's Abbey (the Cathedral) is worth a look. Open till 5. If you're really lucky, one of the volunteer guides might give you a spiel. There are two medieval shrines - to St Alban and St Amphibalus See if you can find a modern addition to the latter. (A head wearing a face-mask was added to remember the pandemic).
Verulanium Museum is closed Sundays but there are sections of the Roman wall in the park. And ducks. t=swc.351
Sunday, 24 July 2022
Sunday Walk: Harpenden to St Albans
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Mr Tiger arrived at Harpenden and waited a while for the others..And waited. There were no others. Mr Tiger was the only n=1
Wiping away the tears, he set off, boldly going where others didn't seem to want to go.
The day was w=sunny-with-a-refreshing-breeze. The walk's terrain offered a mix of sun and shade. Not that this was of particular concern. Not to a sun-seeking basilisk like Mr Tiger.
The wildflower meadow in Heartwood was going through a white phase. A whole sea of wild carrot..The tame ones wouldn't have stood a chance. Not with those forky bracts. On past the grumpy wooden frog. And into the Queens Arms (it's a pub).
Guess what Mr Tiger had. That's right, cider.
A quick look round the church then on.
Eventually. St Albans was reached. First port of call, Ye Olde Fighting Cocks. Doing a brisk trade. Still doing real ale but maybe not as interesting a range as before. And veering a bit too much towards the pale types. So no dilemma for Mr Tiger. Cider. it was.
A quick look round the cathedral, then home.
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