Friday Walk Tring to Berkhamsted via Dockey Wood and Flat Isley - for a bluebell fest

Book 2, Walk 5c - Tring to Berkhamsted

Length: 21.3 km (13.2 miles) or 11 miles if finishing walk back at Tring

Toughness:  4 out of 10

London Euston: 10-24 hrs   West Midlands service to Northampton 

Arrive Tring: 10-58 hrs

Return: Tring to Euston: 15-56, 16-18, 16-27 and 16-57 hrs

Berkhamsted to Euston:  17-02, 17-23, 17-32, 17-48, 18-05, 18-25 and 18-30 hrs

Rail ticket: buy a day return to Tring

 Covid-19 Compliance: please note the current guidance on this website and observe social distancing. You should all come prepared to exchange contact details for track and trace purpose. You can either pre-register for this walk (not essential ) by e-mailing me at swc-marcus@walkingclub.org.uk  or, if you prefer, please write your name, e-mail address and contact 'phone number on a small piece of paper for handing to me on the train or when we assemble at walk start. Thank you.  

This walk is arguably the best bluebell walk in the SWC repertoire, so why post it on a Friday and not Saturday, you may well ask ? Answer:  1. it's not my turn to post this Saturday. 2. North-East London Ramblers will be on an Ivinghoe Beacon walk on the Saturday, probably following our Book 2 directions, and 3. this Saturday, Dockey Wood will be chocker with visitors - so it should be more relaxing to admire this bluebell wood the day before. 

Leaving Tring railway station the walk goes through woodland before following grassy meadows uphill to Ivinghoe Beacon. Climbing up to the Beacon's trig station is optional ! On then to Ward's Hurst  Farm, but just before we reach it, as we climb a steep bank towards the farm, we should find lots of wild garlic lining the bank at this time of year.  We walk through the farm and bear right across fields to Dockey Wood  one of the best bluebell woods in Southern England.  After spending some time wandering through this wood, admiring the bluebell displays, which hopefully will be nearing their best, even if in need of some rain, we leave it and walk beside the road into the hamlet of Ringshall, before following a pleasant route through light woodland to the village of Little Gaddesden where we stop for a  lunchtime picnic. Alas, the village pub, the Bridgewater Arms, is not planning to reopen until mid-May.

After our picnic lunch we re-enter the Aldbury Estate to soon walk through Flat Isley, a large expanse of bluebells. Onwards then to the Bridgewater Memorial and the visitor centre (an early tea option) to start the walk extension to Berkhamsted. The initial part of the extension takes us through more bluebell woods, to satiate our bluebell fix for the day. For those finishing their walk in Tring, there are two good pubs in Aldbury for post walk refreshments. Those carrying on the walk into Berkhamsted, the recommendation is we walk past the railway station to walk along the canal tow path to one of two excellent canal-side pubs for our post walk refreshments.

T=2.5

Walk Directions are here: L=2.5 

Bluebells in the Evening (V) - Oxleas Wood and Shooter's Hill (via Severndroog Castle)

COVID 19

Track-and-Trace: please provide email address or mobile phone number at the start

Rule of Six: from start to finish please, and up to May 16 including 

 

Through ancient woodlands up to Shooter's Hill with far views across the Southeast, on to Severndroog Castle Folly  

 

Length: 6.3 km, Ascent/Descent: 124m

Net Walking Time: ca. 1 ½ hours, Toughness: 1 out of 10.

Take the 18.15 Southeastern service from Cannon Street (London Bridge 18.21, then via Lewisham and Blackheath), arriving Falconwood 18.46. 

From Victoria take the 18.04 Dartford train via Denmark Hill, Peckham Rye and Nunhead, arriving Falconwood at 18.38. 

Return trains: xx.11 and xx.41 to Charing Cross, 20.28 to Cannon Street and xx.18 and xx.48 to Victoria (chg at Lewisham for London Bridge). Falconwood is in Zone 4.

 

This is an undulating route in the Royal Borough of Greenwich through several mostly ancient woodlands with a rich variety of plants and trees, up the southerly flank of Shooter’s Hill, past a large south facing meadow with far views across South East London (and a café) and on through more woods past remnants of a stately home’s gardens to the architecturally interesting folly of Severndroog Castle, with its tearoom.

The descent back to the station passes another terraced garden and drops along Oxleas Meadows to cross over into Shepherdleas Woods for the return to Falconwood station. 

 

Tea: The Falcon A Harvester pub right by the station. 

 

For walk directions, map, photos, height profile and gpx/kml files click here. T=short.44

Wednesday walk Shiplake Circular walk - bluebells, Greys Court and a walk beside the River Thames

Book 1, Walk 9 - Shiplake Circular (or Shiplake to Henley)

Length: 18.2 km (11.3 miles) or 9.1 miles if finishing in Henley, or with shortcut from Rotherfield Greys  - 6.6 miles

Toughness:  4 out of 10

London Paddington:  10-27 hrs   GWR service to Didcot Parkway   Ealing Broadway 10-35 hrs

Arrive Twyford: 11-07 hrs  Change trains

Leave Twyford: 11-12 hrs  GWR service to Henley-on-Thames

Arrive Shiplake: 11-19 hrs

Return:   Henley-on-Thames to Paddington, changing at Twyford:  15-57, 16-27, 16-59, 17-36 and 18-07 hrs

Shiplake: 4 minutes after trains leave Henley

Rail ticket: a day-return to Henley-on-Thames offers best flexibility for your return journey

Covid-19 Compliance: please note the current guidance on this website and observe social distancing. You should all come prepared to exchange contact details for track and trace purpose. You can either pre-register for this walk (not essential ) by e-mailing me at swc-marcus@walkingclub.org.uk  or, if you prefer, please write your name, e-mail address and contact 'phone number on a small piece of paper for handing to me on the train or when we assemble at walk start. Thank you.  

This is one of my favourite bluebell walks, and today I suggest we take the High Wood route in the morning to take advantage of the bluebells in this wood.  Onwards then to Binfield Heath, for an early lunch option at the Bottle & Glass pub, with its attractive, large pub garden. The route continues through Crowsley Park and then through a large stud farm before a short road section takes you into the pretty village of Rotherfield Greys for lunch at the usually excellent Maltsters Arms, with its outdoor dining areas.

Post prandial, you can continue with the main walk to Greys Court, with its magnificent bluebell paddock, or you can take a shortcut - a pleasant valley route back to Henley. Those on the main walk have to negotiate Lambridge Wood, where it is easy to wander off piste, so please take care when following the directions. After the wood you cross a golf course and then walk downhill beside George Harrison's grandiose property and on into the town of Henley. You can complete your walk here if you wish, first taking refreshments in the town at many takeaway options on offer, although the suggestion today is to continue the walk back to Shiplake, walking mostly beside the River Thames, then latterly inland, to  come to Shiplake railway station. Almost next door to the station is the Baskerville pub, which should be open for refreshments.  

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Walk Directions are here: L=1.9

Bluebells in the Evening (IV) - Highgate Wood and Queen's Wood (East Finchley to Highgate)

COVID 19

Track-and-Trace: please provide email address or mobile phone number at the start

Rule of Six: from start to finish please, and up to May 16

 

 

Meandering route through two adjacent ancient woods with very different character. Undulating.

 

Length: 5.5 km/3.4 mi with 144m ascent

Net Walking Time: ca. 1 hours 20 mins, Toughness: 1 out of 10. 

 

Meet at 18.30 hours on the platform at East Finchley Station on the High Barnet Branch of the Northern Line. Journey time from Bank is 24 minutes. 

Highgate is one stop closer to Central London. Both stations are in Zone 3. 

 

This is an undulating meandering route in the Borough of Haringey through a couple of remnants of the ancient Forest of Middlesex, in one of the highest parts of Inner North London. 

Both woods are very different in character and feel: Highgate Wood is only part ancient wood and has been managed for a long time, with several areas having been coppiced and others having been cleared, and it mostly has the appearance of a parkland wood. Queen’s Wood has a wilder, less managed and more challenging feel and consequently features a greater mixture of flora and fauna. 

And while Highgate Wood is famous for its bluebell displays in season, these are largely confined to the northeasterly corner of the wood. In contrast, Queen’s Wood displays a fine mixture of wildflowers in season, amongst which are bluebells, wood anenomes and daffodils.

Both woods feature ancient – possibly pre-historic – earthworks and they also boast cafés for refreshments.

 

Walk Options:

A Short Walk – of 3.7 km and with half the ascent – omits the more undulating Queen’s Wood. 

An Extension leads to Finsbury Park along the Parkland Walk, part of a dismantled railway line and now a very charming linear and raised Local Nature Reserve. This adds 3.5 km and is map-led.

 

Tea: See the pdf. The cafés are likely to be closed at that time, but The Woodman will certainly be open. 

 

For walk directions, map, photos, height profile and gpx/kml files click here. T=short.49