The club has done this walk on a previous occasion but this was my first visit to the Hadhams and what a fine walk it was. We started by taking the 351 bus for a 30 minute white knuckle ride through attractive half timbered villages before alighting at Little Hadham. The weather was overcast but pleasant for walking, with little wind. We passed through undulating farming country, with fields of wheat and oilseed rape. The fields were large, showing how farming has changed in the last 30 years and often our path across a field was clearly a previous boundary. We were struck how dry it was for May, with wide fissures in the ground and empty streambeds. After conversing with a friendly horse, we paused in the pretty 13th century church of St Andrews at Much Hadham and admired its contemporary kneelers. A plaque there commemorates Edmund Tudor,  born in the village and subsequently father to the 1st Tudor king, Henry VII. Continue reading Saturday 6th May, Little Hadham to St Margarets →

A respectable  16 of us assembled at Tottenham Hale station on a chilly and overcast morning. Our route followed  the Lea navigation, initially leafy and almost rural as it passes through Clapton. There was plenty of bird activity with sets of ducklings and coots with the occasional predatory heron on the lookout for a snack. Approaching the Olympic Park, things became distinctly more urban, with some interesting street art. We lunched at the attractive Timber Lodge café, which was doing good business. We sat outside, trying to convince ourselves that it wasn’t really that cold. Continue reading Monday 1st May Tottenham Hale to Limehouse →

A lovely walk yesterday following the Ridgeway long distance trail from Wendover to Tring.  Another good turn out of 17 walkers on a fine, if chilly, morning. We headed through the village of Wendover and past St Mary’s Church where a Spring fayre was being set up in the graveyard. The walk took us into Wendover Woods which were full of bluebells. We walked through a large field of cattle with their Continue reading SATURDAY 29th APRIL: WENDOVER to TRING (LINEAR): →

Fifteen PolyRamblers and one guest turned out for stage five of the Icknield Way on Saturday. Heading east from Royston, the weather seemed more promising than forecast and we were soon shedding waterproofs and fleeces. We passed the Greenwich Meridian line and then left the busy A505 to head across country, following field edges and green lanes. Soon we left Hertfordshire for Continue reading SATURDAY 22nd APRIL: ICKNIELD WAY: ROYSTON to GREAT CHESTERFORD →

On a sunny but chilly morning, twenty-two members assembled at Denham Station for a gentle walk in the Colne Valley. After visiting the quaint village and the grave of Sir John Mills, we headed through the adjacent Country Park and then joined the Grand Union Canal. We followed the towpath for around three miles during which we passed a group of new age campers protesting against HS2 . Some of us signed the proffered petition while others hurried by without stopping! Our lunch stop the Coy Carp awaited us at the end of the towpath and fortunately it was just warm enough to sit outside to eat our food. We then headed west between lakes accompanied by numerous midges before the only climb of the day through farmland and woods. Finally we skirted Denham Aerodrome before reaching the station for our return journey. A bag of Cadbury’s Mini-Easter Eggs helped to alleviate any aches and pains!

Danny

Photos by Pam and Gillian