Via Cassiobury, Sarratt Church End and Croxley Green. We made use of Watford station before its threatened closure by 2020. Undulating West Herts with some flat stretches. Lunch at Cock Inn, Sarratt Church End. Distance: 10 miles.
photo of Almshouses, Church End Sarratt by Nigel Cox
A longish walking day for late January as we tackled two sections of the loop from Chigwell to Havering atte Bower and then on to Harold Wood, 10.3 miles in total. In spite of engineering work on the Central line and the threat of mud, fourteen members turned out. After a sharp shower at the start it was dry for the rest of the day but the mud persisted all day. This is one of the most rural sections of the loop with the first 6 miles taking us though open country, farmland and woods. We passed Hainault country park with its lake Continue reading LOOP 14 – CHIGWELL to HAROLD WOOD 30 JANUARY
Just back from a very enjoyable long weekend in Bavaria based in the town of Fussen, less than two hours by train from Munich. The snow was late in coming this year but there was a significant fall just in time for our arrival and more during our stay, so there was plenty for us enjoy, All twelve of us stayed in a very modern, well appointed guesthouse only a few minutes walk from the station. Continue reading Snow-Walking Weekend in Bavaria
The valiant walkers who turned up for the Ingatestone walk were rewarded with sunshine, skylarks and snowdrops, after a pleasant early lunch at the Prince of Wales in Mountnessing where we succumbed to the temptation of a delicious apple crumble! We were pleased to see Geoffrey at lunchtime but his ankle didn’t allow him to venture very far into the rolling green fields in the afternoon. It was just as well he turned back because the terrain continued to be very slippery on the muddy paths between the bright new shoots. We were on the domain of Lord Petre (pronounced Peter) and passed Ingatestone Hall, his dark and gloomy baronial seat. We were more interested in two weathervanes we had seen earlier. One, over a kennels, which appeared to be a hunting dog missing a rusted front leg. The other, above the golden ogival cupola of a house also commissioned by a member of the Petre family, appeared to be a lady in a voluminous skirt battling a storm with her umbrella and preceded by a dog. Continue reading INGATESTONE (Essex) (CIRCULAR): 24 JANUARY
