Length:20km (12,4 miles). There is an option to shorten the walk by 3.3km to 16.7km.
Difficulty: 2 out of 10
This walk is in the rolling hills of rural Hertfordshire.
Trains: The national rail website suggests taking the Victoria line to Finsbury Park to catch the 10.22 Stevenage train to Watton-at-Stone, arriving 11.05.
Return trains from Watton-at-Stone are at 15:07, 15:35, 16.05, 16.37, 17:05, 17.35. with later trains following a similar pattern.
Lunch: The Boot pub in the village of Dane End ( 7.8 km from the start of the walk) (077 2508 5693)
Tea: The Bull 113 High St, Watton-at-Stone, SG14 3SB (01920 831032) or
The George and Dragon 82 High St, Watton-at-Stone, SG14 3TA (01920 830285)
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5 comments:
You can also get a Thameslink train to Finsbury Park
The best interchange is Highbury and Islington across from the Victoria line platform
Platform 8 Finsbury Park
N=12 arrived by train at Watton-at-Stone and set off in w=sunshine which lasted for the duration of the walk apart from a some light rain which caught the late finishers near the end. This is a very pleasant walk with lots of refreshment options along the way and a lunch pub with vegan cakes. The landscape of gently rolling hills and big skies made a nice escape from London. We passed a hazelnut tree full of nuts not yet ripe enough to pick. We stopped to browse through books in a disused bus shelter near the first pub which we didn't visit, holding out until reaching the Boot for lunch. Most had a drink there, four had lunch, two had cake. The service was slow due to another walking group arriving before us. Eight set off ahead of four who were late being served and who tackled the afternoon stretch at a leisurely pace. We stopped to admire fields of wild flowers, full of bees and butterflies. We sampled broad beans, fields of which were blighted with a brown spot disease. We took the shortcut which went through Woodhall park where there are lots of unusual trees dotted in pleasing arrangements around the extensive grounds and used an app to identify some of them. Close attention was needed to stay on the correct path and we lapsed at times and had to retrace our steps. There is an interesting project in progress in the park, managing the rare chalkland river that runs through it and the habitats associated with it. We eventually reached Watton,lingered in its allotments and just missed the 18.05 train. It was raining heavily by the time we caught the 18.37 back to London. A most enjoyable day.
Lunch at the Boot was disappointing as it only serves sandwiches and cakes. It’s only a licensed tea room with no hot food and the coffee was seriously underwhelming. We were offered a pasta dish which arrived after 45 mins with no sauce- just a few veggies on dry penne. Had to ask for mayonnaise and cheese. The mother and daughter owner were really helpful but they can’t cope with walk ins that haven’t booked. Our fault for not phoning ahead to check on food availability so best to just call in for drinks.
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