13 Jul 2024: Great Gaddesden Hertfordshire July Walk

This walk was a circular route from Great Gaddesdon, NE to Jockey End, NW to Studham Common, SW to Hudnall, SE to Great Gaddesdon.

The usual stats:

Event led by Tom M.
Attendance 9 people.
Distance: 8.73 miles (14 km).
Altitude per GPS: low 544ft (165.8m), high 820ft (249.9m), climb 478ft (145.7m), descent 354ft (107.9m).
Time: start 11:09, end 15:25 (sunset 21:15), lunch 38 minutes.
Speed: moving arithmetic average 2.41mph (3.9kph).
Terrain: track, field edge, field, pavement on footpath, bridleway, byway, highway in open fields and woodlands.
Weather: perfect for walking, overcast, temperature range between 17°C and 21°C, north-westerly wind 7mph (8.73kph) with no wind chill.
Number of sewage works: 0.
Number of churches: 1.
Number of golf courses: 0.

This walk was a deeply satisfying stroll though the rolling countryside of the Chiltern range of hills, within the Chiltern National Landscape, the new informal name for the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB is still the legal designation). The whole route lay within the AONB (or NL).

The main features of the walk were:

middle-distance views of the endless sensuous curves of the landscape.
a balance of open field-walking and enclosed woodland walking.
woodlands in full dark-green leaf, plush from all of the rain earlier in the year.
the glorious sight of the front of Beechwood Park School (a private preparatory school for children aged two to thirteen), a forrmer manor house and now a grade I listed building (there are eight additional listings on the same site).
lunch at Studham Common with lots of details to observe while eating.
Hudnall Common, publicised by the Woodland Trust (somehow taking two pages to do so), part of the Ashridge Estate
the Amaravati Bhuddist monestary, currently under re-development.

Churches:

St John the Baptist Church, Great Gaddesdon, a grade I listed building.

Further reading:

British History Online: Great Gaddesdon parish.
National Landscapes have their roots in the same legislation that brought about the National Parks, i.e. the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, consolidated by the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000.

There was no pub stop on this walk. Instead, walk leader Tom brought some hot and cold drinks and a large cake for us to celebrate GOC’s 50th anniversary.

For more pictures, see https://bit.ly/GOCHertsJuly24More .