Hertfordshire Way Day 3 - 20 August - Sandridge to St. Paul's Walden

Started walking 7am
Distance walked 13 miles
Finished walking 6.15pm

A shorter day today. Generally, the path is very clear although the waymarks are sometimes not obvious, not helped by me not wearing my glasses. I prefer not to now, particularly when it's raining. I get used to the slight fuzziness quite quickly.

Near Wheathampstead, I left the Hertfordshire Way, taking the Ayot Greenway (the course of the old Luton, Dunstable and Welwyn Junction Railway which finally closed in 1966) to Ayot St. Peter where my cousin lives and I was expected for breakfast. We had a good family catch up. Her parents' ashes are buried there which I hadn't known. The church looked interesting, an Arts and Crafts building built in 1875. A service meant I couldn't look around.

The churchyard of the earlier ruined church at Ayot St. Peter

I cut across fields to Ayot St. Lawrence to rejoin the HW. Having time to spare, I had a choice - the Brockett Arms or Shaw's Corner. The pub was heaving, it being Sunday lunchtime so George Bernard Shaw won the day. The house (National Trust) is well worth a visit. There was a performance of an act of one of his plays in the large garden which I felt I didn't have time for (although probably did, in retrospect).

The HW next went through Codicote which I know of old. Late afternoon, I started to assess likely spots to spend the night. At St. Paul's Walden it started to rain which concentrated my mind. I went off route just a little and am hidden away in Walk Wood and the rain seems set for the night.

The last two nights there have been planes going in to land at Luton Airport, during the evenings and starting again spot on at 6am. I now seem to be directly below the flight path. It is very noisy but should quieten soon (I hope).

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