22.9 km (14.2 miles), shortenable to 11.75 miles
Toughness: 4 out of 10
A stile-free walk. Stretches of the River Ash in the morning and the Stort Navigation near the end. In between there’s tracks, green lanes and quiet country roads. The walk passes the Henry Moore sculpture park (see below).
Trains: 09:57 Cambridge train from Liverpool St (Hackney Downs 10:03 Tottenham Hale 10:10) arriving Roydon 10:27. Get a return to Sawbridgeworth. Return at xx:05 and xx:34.
Lunch: The Hoops Inn (01279 843 568), a charming pub in Perry Green, next to The Henry Moore Foundation’s sculpture park. Open 12.00-18.00. Food served all day Sunday
The Henry Moore Foundation Outdoor sculpture grounds with many monumental works by Henry Moore in 70 acres of Hertfordshire countryside. Some are visible from the walk. For a better look you’ll have to pay (£12.25). The website advises advance booking but tickets are usually available at the desk. Details here
Tea: Plenty of choices in Sawbridgeworth – see notes
Walk Directions: here
t=swc.164
2 comments:
N=5 at the station. Dire weather had been predicted but we had a w=sunny-start-increasingly-cloudy with only the faintest sprinkling of water near the end.
Your correspondent had been keeping up but the others managed to shake him off at Halfway House (old print-out, new route, and NOT signposted). I then had trouble finding shortcut 1. This again due to the old printout. When will I ever learn? I don’t like to use the L word but I was off-piste most of the way to Widford, following what turned out to be bridleway 20. Near Perry Green, the others finally caught up with me. (I don’t understand it either – something to do with space and time). All was OK at the Hoops apart from they were missing a cider delivery :( Luckily they had some bottles. Those who ate liked what they got. Looked posh.
There was a little bother leaving the pub (down to both sides looking like they could be the front). Once sorted the others shot off. They had heard from the landlord (who has a dog called Poppy) that torrential rain was expected. But it never came, just a few drops here and there. Mostly there.
So again, yours truly was left to his own devices, idling along, slow and dependable, whistling a happy tune and smiling at everyone he met. He never saw the others again. Maybe they’re still wandering the Stort.
Yours truly didn’t find Shortcut 2 either. There is a crucial but easily overlooked left turn in the sentence directing you to Shortcut 2. (I say ‘easily overlooked’ because I remember overlooking it before). But I found the station ok and got the 17:05.
Smiling? Breach of Trade Descriptions there. Great report, as ever. Unmissable.
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