British Walking Federation

THE  GADDESDEN  ROUND ORGANISED BY THAMES VALLEY WALKING CLUB

CONTACT:  Peter Tilbury, 116 Wykeham Road, Reading, Berkshire RG6 1PL     
Tel: 0118 966 6523   Fax: 0118 926 6303   Email: pntilbury@aol.com

DISTANCE:  10km
ENTRY FEE:  £1.00 per walker (Cheques made payable to Thames Valley Walking Club)
AWARD:  Cloth badge at £2.00 each
START VENUE:  Road by School (Church Meadow), Great Gaddesden  (Map: 166  GR: TL029113)   Approach from the A4146, Hemel Hemstead to Leighton Buzzard road.
DIRECTIONS TO START:  Great Gaddesden is approx. 5km north of Hemel Hempstead on the A4146. A limited bus service is available from Hemel Hempstead & Berkhampstead.

CAR PARKING:  There are no car parks in the village, but parking is available in a side road, Church Meadow, by the school.
PUBLIC TRANSPORT:  Bus service within 1km of start. Limited service from Hemel Hemstead and Berkhamstead.
TERRAIN: Minor roads, farmland and woods.
REFRESHMENTS:  Can be purchased on route

                       Route Description (updated 23 October 2009)

Proceed along Church Meadow with school playing fields on right. Where road bears left, continue straight ahead, leaving road, to reach kissing gate in right hand fence. Continue under power lines and bear right over boardwalk & bridges (over River Gade) to reach kissing gate and road. Cross road WITH CARE and go ahead on concrete drive. Follow right hand hedge straight on. When hedge turns right, continue ahead uphill across field to a gap in hedge leading to a kissing gate into the woods.

Q1:  What is reserved?

Bear right at fork to reach kissing gate proceed with wood on left to reach a rusty kissing gate by larger gate. Go through kissing gate & follow right hand fence straight ahead to reach house on right (The Hoo). At the house, bear slightly left to stile and gate. Cross stile and turn right to follow right hand hedge. When hedge turns right, go ahead across field, through gap in hedge and ahead to kissing gate on right hand edge of copse. Ahead and bear right to waymark/stile by tree. Do not cross stile but turn right, now with hedge on left to kissing gate, ahead between fences passing through 2 gates cross a stile and through 2 more gates to reach gate at road. Turn right on road and then almost immediately turn left through kissing gate. Go straight ahead passing 2 oak trees, to reach kissing gate in hedge. Continue ahead across field to reach gate, ahead and bear diagonally left to reach kissing gate by copse. Ahead and follow footpath between fences to reach driveway. Turn left on drive and ignore footpath on right, through kissing gate and ahead on drive to reach road. Cross road WITH CARE and ahead on Hertfordshire Way passing school. Ahead on track for 350m. At footpath sign, turn right and continue ahead for 450m with hedge on right to reach road. Turn right on road and after 80m turn left on bridleway. Follow bridleway with hedge on right to reach Upper Wood Farm.

Q2:  What is the large device on the left used for?

At gravel farm track, turn right and ahead for 550 metres to reach main road, turn left passing Old Chequers public house. Continue along road for 150m and just past Holly Cottage, (name by front door of house), turn right on footpath sign posted Bridens Camp. Keep ahead into field and after 180m keep on path as it passes through hedge. Turn right and follow well-defined track with hedge and later a wood on right for approx. 1000m. At end of wood follow track round to right and then left to reach gate.

Q3: How many bars are on the metal gate? 

Turn right and with woods on right, ahead to pass Crown and Sceptre public house at Bridens Camp. At main road, turn right and follow road with care round left hand bend, then right hand bend. At second right hand bend, turn left on concrete farm track towards Home Farm. After 125m turn left through kissing gate (3 yellow footpath arrows). Go slightly right to pass to right of a single large tree and continue ahead to wire fence, (Gaddesden Place comes into view). Through kissing gate and bear slightly right to kissing gate in middle of field, go through and bear half right downhill to gate at fence corner. Through and turn left and ahead downhill to old stile, ahead with fence on right, past large tree to metal gate and follow footpath downhill to far corner and gate to reach road at green bus shelter. Cross road and take the road opposite into Great Gaddesden. Follow road ahead past Garden Centre and turn right into Church Meadow.

When you have completed this trail please use the  Permanent Trail Entry Form

The organisers are not liable for accidents, thefts and/or damage to property.  Every effort will be made by the organisers to make this a safe, enjoyable and memorable event.

This trail is registered until 31 December 2010.