Tring to Berkhamsted

On Sunday Maija Roberts led eight Hampstead members on a 10 mile walk from Tring to Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire.

The weather was showery to start with but improved gradually through the day.


Wood Anemone was in bloom.

The walk covered some hilly terrain...



We stopped for a quick cuppa by the canal at the strangely named Cow Roast.


Apparently the area was originally called Cow Rest, and was in fact a staging post for the cattle drovers coming down from the Midlands to the London markets.

Cattle were not the only animals around- we passed a llama farm en route...



The high point (literally) was at the Bridgewater Monument just above Aldbury...



We all made it to the station a couple of minutes before the train. Many thanks to Maija for an enjoyable walk in some varied terrain.

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Bramble Ramble

Last Sunday saw Maija Roberts leading 11 other Ramblers on a 9 mile circular walk around Balcombe in West Sussex.



The Blackberry bushes around Ardingly reservoir were incredibly tempting, and we actually stopped for a Bramble break!

There were some kingfishers about too...



Lunch was taken at St. Peter's churchyard in Ardingly. We received a wonderful welcome, all of us being offered a hot drink. The parishioners even lifted up the mats in the nave to show us the memorial brasses below...

This couple had 18 children, 10 sons and 8 daughters!

The stained glass was splendid too



The afternoon found us having tea at Wakehurst Place, where we spotted this handsome stag...



I end this post with a group photograph with a message for all motorists...

Walk Leader Maija is pictured above 5th from left.

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Gerald Colton Way, Part 2: Kentish Town to Mill Hill

This morning saw 21 Ramblers gather at Kentish Town station for the second leg of the Gerald Colton Way. This walk was devised by Gerald, the first Walks Organiser of the Hampstead Group. It goes from the South Bank of the Thames at Waterloo and travels all the way to Wendover in the Chiltern Hills. Originally named The Mandela Way, we have re-named it in memory of it's creator to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Hampstead Group which Gerald did so much to promote.

Today's walk was 8 miles from Kentish Town to Mill Hill, led by Maija Roberts, pictured below, centre.


The walk went from Hampstead Heath, up through the Heath Extension, and onwards to the Dollis Hill Brook Green Walk.

On route we saw this memorial:




The ARWS stands for Associate of the Royal Watercolour Society, and Walter was a leading light in the Nineteenth Century. The RWS is still going strong, and a link to its website can be found here.

Walter would certainly have appreciated this view, almost Japanese...



The moist banks of the Dollis Brook were lined with Ramsons, wild garlic.



Hampstead Group member Lorri with some of the plentiful Wild Garlic to be found...



Another walker who appreciated the exercise was Tess, who brought her owner Harriet along as well!



Walkers on both four feet and two are welcome to join us for the next leg of the Gerald Colton Way on Sunday 24th May, when we walk Mill Hill East to Radlett, (11 miles), leaving Mill Hill East Station at 10.30.

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