Chiltern Chain Walk 2:
Studham and Little Gaddesden
30 May 2009
The Chiltern Chain Walk is a series of 20
circular walks which link together to create a chain across the Chilterns,
running from the northern edge near Dunstable to the Thames at Goring. After a
nine-month break since doing the first, today Stephen and George returned to
Studham to continue with the second link.
George on Studham Common
Looking across Studham Common to Studham
The route then skirts Great Bradwin's Wood along a field margin
Cattle watching us
Sheep not watching us
Walking through Hob Wood
Descending the hill towards the village of Great Gaddesden
An extended double bridge takes us over the infant River Gade, whose waters join
the Grand Union Canal in Hemel Hempstead
Climbing away from Great Gaddesden
A couple of monks from the Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in Nettleden
There is then a long (over two kilometres) plod through this field, with only
the lone tree and later a few bushes round a small pond to break up the walk.
George by those bushes
Children playing in a playground on the edge of Cromer Wood
Golden Valley, in the huge National Trust Ashridge Estate.
Deer in Golden Valley
Ashridge House, now a management college
The impact of the contractors doing some thinning of the woodland is rather
untidy at present, but no doubt will produce an improvement in time.
The Bridgewater Arms in Little Gaddesden
A buttercup-filled meadow as we head east from Little Gaddesden
One of the diminutive beneficiaries of the meadow
Little Gaddesden church is outside the village: the bells were being rung
Descending back into the Gade valley - we have come far enough up from the
crossing over that bridge earlier that there was no water to be seen.
Reaching Studham Common once again and we are nearly back at the car.
Total distance 17.2 km in 4 hours 16 minutes with 381 metres of ascent.
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