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This Week's Walks - Archive

Please see the Saturday Walker's Club This Week's Walks page.

This is an archive of walks done by the Saturday Walker's Club. You should only need to use this page if the SWC website is down.

Wednesday 5 August 2020

Wednesday walk Tring to Berkhamsted via Toms Hill [new walk] - Grand Union canal, Ashridge Estate, Berkhamsted Common and World War One trenches

SWC 366  (new walk) - Tring to Berkhamsted via Toms Hill 

Length: 15.5 km (9.6 miles)     (Note: longer than originally posted)
Toughness: 3 plus out of 10


Meeting point: outside Tring railway station, main (south-western) entrance at 11 am 

For those comfortable travelling on public transport outside of rush hour, complying with social distancing rules and wearing face covering, your recommended train is as follows:

London Euston: 10-24 hrs. Northampton service
Arrive Tring: 10-58 hrs

Return: Berkhamsted to Euston: four an hour, at or around 01, 23, 31 and 46 mins past the hour

Rail ticket: buy a day return to Tring


This is the inaugural posting of Elsa's latest walk,  modest in overall length,  and over varied countryside, woodland and open land, which should be attractive to those who enjoy a walk which incorporates plenty of variety with interesting sights without having to trudge mile upon mile - and with no steep hills to negotiate along the way.

Today's route through otherwise familiar south Chiltern countryside is completely different to our Book 2, Walk 5 Walk - Tring Circular or on to Berkhamsted, although after today's morning leg the walks do share the same recommended pub lunch stop, in the village of Little Gaddesden, The Bridgewater Arms.  The pub is due to re-open Monday 27 July, viz in good time to sort out their Covid-compliance before our arrival - and diners should be able to participate in the "Eat out to Help out" scheme and save a few bob.

After lunch we walk through the grounds of the impressive international business school, Ashridge House, and then we wend our way to Berkhamsted Common to appreciate a bit of history - the Berkhamsted WW1 Troop Training Trenches.  Soon after, the walk concludes at a canal-side pub, the Crystal Palace pub, which hopefully will be open to serve us post-walk drinks before our short journey, by car or train, back to central London.
T=swc.366
I think you will like Elsa's new walk.  Directions are here:  L=swc.366




4 comments:

Mike P said...

I'm hoping to do this walk, but will be arriving from the North and the hourly trains don't fit in well. What I'm wondering is if you could divide in to groups of 5, if numbers permit, so that I can 'latch on' after I start (at 11.18). Failing that I'll just turn up and see how it goes!

Marcus said...

Hi Mike, we will sort something out on the day.

Mr M Tiger said...

I accidentally deleted Marcus' report so I'm reposting it for him.
"Twenty assembled outside the railway station and two joined us later, so that is n=22. It was good to see the return of some regulars including SWC's resident "Rear Gunner"- welcome back !
We enjoyed a w=lovely-warm-summers-day with a pleasant breeze which prevented radiators boiling over: near perfect summer walking weather.
After the gentle introduction to today's walk - the stretch along the canal - we said hello to the lamas, who looked at us with quizzical expressions, before tackling Toms Hill, in pleasant shade. Onwards then through the Ashridge Estate and over the golf course and we were in Little Gaddesden where 10 of us dined in the garden of the Bridgewater Arms. With their participation in the 'Eat Out to Help Out" scheme and efficient operation of Covid-security the pub's management did their best to give customers an enjoyable and inexpensive experience.
It was warmer when we set off on the afternoon leg but again, several sections of the walk were in the shade, and the breeze was still with us. We walked through the WW1 trenches on Berkhamsted Common and enjoyed views of the town as we descended to complete the walk. Finding the Crystal Palace pub closed up and looking a bit forlorn we set off eastwards along the canal to the next pub, The Boat, where 10 of us enjoyed post walk refreshments on the pub's verandah.
I believe most of today's participants liked this new walk - perhaps one or two of you could add a comment to confirm or contradict this. Feedback is always appreciated - even negative vibes !
I conclude my report by sending my own thanks to Elsa for writing this new walk."

Mr M Tiger said...

The first bit was single file along an uneven section of towpath. When we turned off,I didn't spot the llamas, otherwise I might have dallied.
The ascent of Toms Hill was easier than I had feared. The Bridgewater wasn't too busy but Marcus had booked a table anyway. Service a bit slow but better than no service.
The directions were clear throughout - they felt slightly vague along the front of Ashridge House but did the job - and later, at point 21, someone had kindly mowed the field, rendering the 'clear path' invisible, but the directions got us through.
A grand day out.