For future walks in 2011go to our Walks Programme for 2011

9th October  A walk around Arkley
18th September Ridgeway Part 2
17th July Festival Walk  Commons Weald Bentley & Stanmore
26th June Roughdown Common
22nd June NE corner of Hertsmere
21st June Finch Lane Fields Midsummer
12th June Merryhill and Grimsdyke
8th May Heartwood Forest
27th April Wippendell Woods Bluebell
10th April Ridgeway & Icknield Way
13th March Chenies, no photos
13th February Wheathampsted Snowdrops
23rd January Attenborough's Fields
1st January Abbey Flyer to How Wood

Sunday 9th October – 11.00am.  4 miles. Bring a picnic.
A walk around Arkley
Met at the Harvester Pub at Stirling Corner by kind permission of the manager.  Post code  WD6 2RN
Leader: David Bearfield.
A farmland walk including the source of the Dollis Brook.

At least 18 came. Weather very comfortable. Two deviations from route cancelled out and we went just under four miles.

Moat Mount Open Space

Lake at hilltop with swans and aeration

Source of Dollis Brook

Is this the straight way back?

Distant Harrow on the Hill

Most of the participants

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Sunday 18th September - 10.00am. 10 miles. Bring a picnic.
The Ridgeway and Icknield Way – Part 2,  Mongewell to Watlington
Leader: Ray Abel
Along the Chilterns in Oxfordshire through Nuffield and Ewelme Park. We should see some red kite before reaching Watlington.

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Sunday 21st August – 11.00am.  8 miles. Bring a picnic.
Scots Hill to Sarratt Bottom
Meeting point: Car park off Scots Hill, Rickmansworth.  The post code for Sat. Navs. is WD3 3AD
Leader: David Bearfield
A walk along the River Chess to Sarratt Bottom

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Sunday 17th July – 10.45am for a prompt 11.00am start. 5 miles. Bring a picnic.
Bushey Festival Walk
Meeting point: The car park on the corner of The Rutts and Bushey High Road opposite St Andrews Church.  The post code for Sat. Navs. is WD23 1HZ.
Leader: David Bearfield
We will enter Harrow Weald Common then go into Bentley Priory Open Space to see the deer park.  We will return via Stanmore Ponds and common.
 
About thirty came, despite the weather forecast of heavy showers. Only two showers materialised both quite heavy, one, annoyingly, at the picnic spot at Stanmore Common ponds. We inspected to huge old oaks, fed the deer in the Deer Park, picnicked near Stanmore Ponds, and viewed the Pillow Mound on Stanmore Common.

The picnic - panorama

The start - taking the names

The start - the participants                                                      

The start - using the crossing

Harrow Weald Common    photo Patrick Forsyth

Near Bentley Priory    photo Patrick Forsyth

Under the biggest, oldest, oak                   photo David Bearfield


The lost hat    photo Patrick Forsyth

Feeding the deer           photo David Bearfield

The picnic ends

The hard-to-see Pillow Mound               photo David Bearfield

In Stanmore Common I

In Stanmore Common II

Stanmore Common - Oak Mead I

Stanmore Common - Oak Mead II

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Sunday 26th June – 11.30am.  around 6 miles or 1 mile.  Picnic see below.
Orchids on Roughdown Common
Meeting point: Park in Stratford Way which is 100 metres before the road to the common on the left.  The post code for Sat. Navs. is HP3 9BA. Parking in Roughdown Road, Hemel Hempstead is restricted because of its proximity to the station.
Or if you want to walk less than a mile just to see the orchids then you are welcome.
Bring a picnic or eat in a pub.
Leader: David Bearfield.
A walk around Boxmoor and Bovingdon taking in a section of the Chiltern Way as well as the Grand Union Canal.  The orchids usually bloom in profusion here 

Eleven came, six did the one mile orchid special. Weather glorious.

The old Chalk Pit Box Moor Common


The one milers and the six milers (plus cb of course)

See the fly shapes on the detail below

The river Bulbourne near the end of the walk

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Wednesday June 22nd – 10.30am. 7 miles. Pub lunch, see below.
Exploring Hertsmere's North-East boundaries
Meeting point: South Mimms village; turn sharp left at the White Hart pub and park along Blanche Lane, opposite St Giles Church.
The post code for Sat. Navs. is EN6 3PE
A pub lunch is planned at the Woodman Inn at North Mymms.
Leader: Keith Latham (07901 804843).
The walk climbs up towards North Mymms Park, with excellent views to the north-west. It returns near the site of a Norman Motte and Bailey castle (strategically placed next to the A1(M)!) and built by one of William the Conqueror's right-hand men, the Earl of Essex.

Keith writes:  "Five stout-hearted BADFA walkers turned up for this walk despite a wet weather forecast. The dry start quickly gave way to steady rain which was only relieved by a pleasant lunch stop at the Woodmans Inn at Water End (where else!)Sustained rain during the return trip stopped, inevitably, just as we reached the cars." 

The Start                               photo Keith Latham

Half way                          photo Keith Latham

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Tuesday June 21st 2011– 7.00pm.  2 miles. No picnic.
Midsummer's walk through Finch Lane fields
Meeting point: The end of Finch Lane by the allotments.  For Sat Navs WD23 3AL  is nearby.
Leader: David Bearfield.
A pleasant evening stroll through the fields of Bushey
A short, informal, easy walk suitable for our less active members

15 came, fine weather.

Police have been obstructing our path

Our 'Greenway' done by Herts Highways to an unsatisfactory specification, but better than it was.

David not yet fully recovered, but still led the walk.

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Sunday June 12th – 11.00am.  5 miles.  Bring a picnic.
Merryhill and Grimsdyke
Meeting point: Next to the pond at St James Church, Bushey High Street (for Sat Navs WD2 1BG is nearby).
Leader: Richard DeBoise (at short notice since David was ill).
Walk from the centre of Bushey into the countryside and along ancient Grimsdyke.

7 people on walk, see photo below.
It was quite wet and muddy. Vertical picnic in the gardens at Grim's Dyke.
Back by the pond just after 13:30.


The start

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Sunday 8th May - 11.00am. 6.5 miles. Bring a picnic.
The site of the Woodland Trust's proposed new Heartwood Forest.
Meeting point: Sandridge village, park in House Lane, off the High Street.  The road is opposite the Rose and Crown pub about 100 yards from Sandridge church.  The post code for Sat. Navs. is AL4 9DJ
Leader: Keith Latham (07901 804843).
The walk explores the area of the proposed new Heartwood Forest (not much sign of it yet). It also follows the ridges around the village from which it got its name - providing some excellent views.

Keith writes: Heavy overnight rain gave way to a clear, sunny but windy day by the time of the walk. 11 members set off by climbing the hill from Sandridge village up to Langley Wood and beyond, where the proposed woodland areas of the Heartwood Forest to the east, and to the railway in the West, were indicated. Skirting the Northern boundary towards Round Wood showed that tree planting was still patchy but the cumulative areas of juvenile woodland were starting to build up. The route turned towards the North-West of the forest and West of the railway line before returning along the Southern border of the forest. A picnic lunch was taken in the pleasant surroundings of the Bamville Cricket Club Pavilion where we received the most cordial hospitality. A very enjoyable day, helped by the perfect weather. 
 

Photo Keith Latham

Photo Keith Latham


Photo Keith Latham                                           Viewing a recent area of Heartwood Forest tree planting.



 

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Wednesday 27th April – 6.30pm,  2 miles. No picnic.
An evening Bluebell walk in Whippendell Woods
Meeting point: The car park at the far (north) end of the southern part of Rousebarn Lane, Croxley Green, just past Little Green Lane.  The post code for Sat. Navs. is WD3 4NA
Leader: Monica Shelton.
Enjoy the sight and fragrance of the bluebells.  A short, easy walk suitable for the less active. Bluebells don’t bloom to order, so we had to change the date. 

10 Came. Cool but sunny.

Bump on a tree

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Sunday 10th April - 10:00 am.  8 miles.  Bring a picnic.
The Ridgeway and Icknield Way – Part 1,  Streatley to Mongewell
Meeting Point: Bushey Country Club car park, High Street, Bushey.
Post code for Sat Navs is WD23 3DJ
Minibus – travel cost £5 per person. 
Leader: Richard De Boise.
The first part of the next BIG walk after the Thames Path. We start on the Thames opposite Goring and follow the edge of the Chilterns along one of the oldest tracks in England. We start in Wessex and in about five years time we should have covered just over 100 miles and reached Great Chesterfield in Essex. 

13 came. Nice weather.

Photos R DeBoise

The start at The Bull, Streatley                                                                               Photo Richard DeBoise

Striding out towards South Stoke                                                               Photo Richard DeBoise

By the Thames opposite Moulsford                                                                            Photo Richard DeBoise

Lunch at the Perch & Pike, South Stoke                                                   Photo Richard DeBoise

After lunch, through South Stoke                                                                               Photo Richard DeBoise

End of the walk at Wallingford                                                               Photo Richard DeBoise

Sunday 13th March – 11.00am.  2.5 miles. Bring a picnic
Chenies and Latimer and the Chess
Meeting point: Chenies Village.  The post code for Sat Navs is WD3 6EG
Leader: Monica Shelton.
A pleasant walk from Chenies village along the River Chess and past Chenies Manor.

15 came, rain held off (it rained in Bushey at the time).

Sunday 13th February - 11.00am.  5 miles. Bring a picnic.
Jenny’s Snowdrop Walk, Gustard Wood, Wheathampstead.
Leader: David Bearfield.
We did this walk last year and the snowdrops were stunning.  So we thought we’d repeat it.

The hidden gate

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Sunday 23rd January – 11.00 am.   2 miles.   No picnic.
Attenborough's Fields. A pleasant stroll through Bushey fields.  No stiles so suitable for all levels of ability.
Leaders: David Bearfield & Chris Beney

Seventeen people came.
Weather overcast but dry.

Points of interest, swallow (sink) hole, flood barrier kissing gate at Hayden Road, 23 metre wide footpath at Bushey 17.

A rather muddy bit at the allotments despite 2009 hardening. A little mud at Chris Archer's field. Will be raised with Friends of Attenborough's fields.

About one hour.

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Sunday 1st January
London Overground and Abbey Flyer trains to How Wood then walk from
How Wood to Bricket Wood via lakes and return by trains.

The weather forecast let us down a bit and fine light drizzle surrounded us most of the time from Hyde Lane onwards.
 

20 people on the train, five joined at How Wood.

Snow all gone, three days ago this was all slippery snow.

David took us round within a few yards of Watling Street and then along the river Ver where the swans showed up and we discussed the injury to one of them with a man in one of the houses with curious gardens on the other side of the river. On past the still slightly iced-up lakes

Where has all the water gone?

Mulled wine and warm Mince pies appeared at Hyde Lane

Mulled wine & Warm Mince Pies

The timing for the walk was tight and a glitch near the M25 meant abandoning the picnic stop. The car ferry plan from the Drop Lane bridge swung into action and four at a time were whizzed up to the station. Chris Beney, the chauffeur, realising time was tight, was somewhat over-peremptory about walkers getting in and out of the car and he had forgotten people had rucksacks, but walkers mostly realised that the alternative was a one hour wait for the next train. Only the next day did Chris realise that in the heat of the moment he hadn't ensured seat belts were fixed.  Both things naughty, but lessons learned and apology made. Just in time the last person was dropped at the station with only two minutes left before the train was due.

In the rush the pack of return tickets were not with the train travellers, but the conductor recognised the friendly and honest faces, so all travelled to Bushey without having to show tickets.