Hertfordshire Way Day 5 - 22 August - Clothall to Therfield

Started walking 8.20am

Distance walked 7 miles
Finished walking 12.30pm

I chose a super wood last night. It was quite large and spacious with plenty of good leafy ground. I camped maybe 100 yards in from the edge; well hidden.

I was able to take my time getting away as I knew I had a short day. My first village was Wallington which I'd never heard of but what a gem. The Hertfordshire Way passes through the churchyard so I went into the church and I'm so glad I did. It was an education. Here's what Wikipedia has to say:

"The author George Orwell lived in a small cottage at no 2 Kits Lane, known as The Stores, in the village from 1936 to 1940, and at occasional weekends (when he was otherwise mainly in London) until he gave up the lease on the cottage in 1947. A commemorative plaque was placed there in 1989 by Hertfordshire County Council. This plaque is however not accurate, in that it refers to Orwell living at the Stores until 1940, whereas he had the lease until April 1947, and did stay at the house from time to time until at least the time of Eileen's death. He had married his first wife Eileen O'Shaughnessy at the village church on 9 June 1936. Orwell wrote his notable book Animal Farm in 1944 probably much of it while he was at the village and certainly drew on his experiences there for inspiration, especially Manor Farm and The Great Barn. The farm in the village is, as in the book, called Manor Farm."

In Animal Farm, the story takes place at Manor Farm, Willingdon. There was much to read in the church. 

Wallington church

Manor Farm, Wallington

I got rather muddled at Sandon where the waymarks I was following didn't accord with the route I had marked on my map. 

I met my friend Steve at Therfield and we went into the Fox and Duck where I had a pint of Greene King IPA; Steve had iced water, having just undergone surgery on his neck. He hasn't eaten proper food for three months but is slowly recovering. 

We went back to his home nearby, via Morrisons in Royston, and I'll get back on the HW tomorrow.

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