Long Walk August 6th led by Corinne Symonds
13 walkers met in the Tring Natural History Museum car park on a very bright and sunny August morning. We walked up through Tring Park stopping to look at Nell Gwynne’s obelisk and the pavilion along the way. We enjoyed far reaching views of Tring and the Performing Arts School and as far as Waddesdon to the west and Mentmore to the east. Walkers expressed a desire to learn more about the history of the park and the references to Charles II, including the main avenue we walked which is named after him. Leaving the park we followed the Ridgeway through Hastoe village and Pavis and Northill Woods.
. Joining the Icknield Way we eventually arrived in Wendover Woods for a welcome refreshment stop at the cafe. We returned to Tring via Aston Hill and walked to the King’s Arms where we enjoyed a hearty lunch with Tring brewery beer. It was then just a short walk through the characterful ‘Rothschildshire’ streets back to the car park.
Strollers August 11th led by Elizabeth Rouse
Nine of us met on a beautiful sunny morning at Hughenden Church. We circumnavigated the parkland passing passing over the stream and under many beautiful old trees. The views were gorgeous. This took an hour. We then walked up to the Manor (NT property where Disraeli lived and Queen Victoria visited). The gardens (free to enter) were densely planted and look wonderful with very neat grassy paths. Rose and Brendon took advantage of one of the activities available! See picture.
Some of the group then went into the cafe for a drink. A lovely stroll for a hot day.
Medium August 15th led by David & Jenny Brown
Our party of 12 walkers agreed to start the walk at 9 am rather than our usual time of 9.30 am, given that another hot sunny day was forecast.
We set off from The Hampden Arms in Great Hampden. Initially we walked through the fields to St Mary Magdalene church and viewed the graves of the John Hampden family and the Ercolini family (Ercol furniture founders). Also close by was the impressive 17 C Hampden House, ancestral home of the Hampdens and more recently, a girls boarding school and the film location for House of Horror movies. From here we walked north, then on a footpath in front of the house and into the downhill path through the redwood firs and subsequent open field, until we reached Hampden Bottom. Here we joined the Chiltern Way uphill for a short way before turning onto a permissive path which eventually led us through the shaded woods to Buckmoorend Farm shop and café.
The café, very popular with walkers and cyclists, provided a welcome and convenient coffee break. From here we crossed the corn stubble field and joined the path up Pulpit Hill. However, we then crossed paths with a party of 18 walkers from Haddenham U3A and for a time had to walk a little faster, to disentangle our respective groups.
We were now on the way back to the finish and took a largely wooded route past Longdown Farm, to Solinger House, Knighton’s Hill wood and past Grimms Ditch before retracing our steps to Hampden House and onto the Hampden Arms pub. Again we had a warm welcome, speedy service and good food.