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Photos 1st February 2009
Today was my 6th time as the fearless leader. Thanks to the 7 people who came and joined me today on another pleasant if rather cold JWalk. If you wish to see a map of the planned walk route then please click here.
It was a cold day today, barely above freezing, quite breezy and getting colder as Siberian air pushed in. The early clouds broke up just as the walk started. The sun made the walk a lot more pleasant, and I felt quite cosy as long as we kept moving, especially in the more sheltered spots.
The Ayot Greenway was a pleasant walk along what used to be a railway line. I couldn't help but imagine what it must have been like to travel by train along this stretch. The landscape was pretty enough either side and varied too. Eventually we turned off the Greenway and headed into the golf course near Lamer Park and Lamer House. With the sun shining the golf course looked very green and well manicured. Once through there we passed Lamer House before passing some horse paddocks to get to Shaw's Corner. Here we turned off the route and entered Ayot St. Lawrence, passing Bernard Shaw's house on the way.
Ayot St. Lawrence was a very pictoreque place. There were ruins of an old church and other more modern pretty buildings. Unfortunately the pub was indeed closed as feared. A passing horse rider explained that the pub had changed management and will hopefully open after being done up later in the year. By the church ruins there were a couple of sunny benches where we sat to eat. Off to the Northwest was the modern church in the distance - a large imposing building that looked roman in design. After a long and very cold wait for the girls to find a loo stop we carried on.
The walk back was fairly straight forward. Past Hill Farm, back over Codicote road and then a pleasant wander past Fish Wood and the amusingly named Bladder Wood to get back to the Ayot Greenway. (We had a light snow flurry near Fish Wood.) From there it was a simple case of doubling back to the start point.
After the walk we drove over to a pub in nearby Kimpton where we had hot chocolates, teas and nosh before returning back to Mill Hill.
Now feel free to enjoy the photos I took below. If anyone else wants to submit pictures then please do send them to me and I will add them and credit you accordingly.
External links: Wikipedia: Ayot St. Peter | Wikipedia: Phoenix Trail - a cycle route including the Ayot Greenway. | Wikipedia: Ayot St. Lawrence | Wikipedia: Shaw's Corner | Wikipedia: Kimpton
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| The road and the church at the start point. | JWalkers on the Ayot Greenway. | ||||
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| JWalkers on the Ayot Greenway. | A view from the Ayot Greenway. | JWalkers on the Ayot Greenway. | Looking back the way we came as we turn off the Ayot Greenway. We headed left in this pic. | The clouds decided to let some lovely sunshine through. | Entering the golf course at Lamer Park. |
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| Scarecrow. | Pictures from the golf course. By now the sunshine, shadows and colours in the cold crisp air were very atmospheric. | ||||
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| Passing through woods as we exit the golf course. | Crossing a soggy field towards Lamer Lane. | JWalkers crossing a style on the far side of the field. | The path between Lamer House and Harepark Spring. | Harepark Spring. | A small pony as we approach Shaw's Corner. |
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| Horse paddock as we approach Shaw's corner. | Shaw's Corner. | The old ruined church at Ayot St. Lawrence. | JWalkers invade Ayot St. Lawrence! | Alas the lunch stop pub was closed. Good job we all had sarnies and there were two nice benches near the old church. | |
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| War memorial by the old church. | The new church on the other side of a paddock. | Looking around the old church. | Snowdrops and ancient graves in the old church yard. | ||
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| Old phone box. | Clouds starting to get lively. It was the cloud hoop top left that caught my eye. | Big cloudstreets and snow showers start to move in as we pass Hill Farm. | Stocking Springs nature reserve. | The view after crossing Codicote road. Threegroves Wood and Scratching Grove visible left hand side. | |
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| Arty silhouetted cloudscape shot. | Walking past Fish Wood. | Another arty silhouetted cloudscape shot. | Walking through Bladder Wood. Who makes these names up??? | |
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| 2 shot panorama of the Ayot Greenway as we return to it. | Hunter's Bridge. Thanks to Abigail for taking this pic of me. That Russian style hat was needed in the cold! | JWalkers on the Ayot Greenway seen from below. | 'The grass is greener on the other side'. Looking South from the Ayot Greenway as we approach the end of the walk. |