09/12/18 - Chiltern Chain Walk - Stage 2 - Studham Downs

Distance - 10.7 Miles
Geocaches - 3
Walk Inspiration
Pub - The Bridgewater Arms, Little Gaddesden
Previous Stages - Stage 1

I've adapted the 2nd stage of the Chiltern Chain Walk.   Rather than starting off at a non-descript country lane near Studham, I have chosen to kick things off from the only pub on the route.   I'm always thinking of post walk refreshment.

Straight from the pub car park and we're out on the Chiltern Way to the two highlights of this walk.

The first is the Golden Valley - a lush green ride, breaking up the woodland.   Nice views, easy walking and the majority of today's thin bounty of geocaches.

Chiltern Way from the Pub

The Golden Valley

The next highlight has no name but is a 1.5 mile yomp across a barren landscape of gently folding agricultural land, leading to Nettleden.   Nothing to interrupt the views, with just the red kites and an ever-changing cloudscape above.   Seemed somehow more suited to Yorkshire than Hertfordshire.

A lonely landscape, making for perfect walking

The edge of Great Gaddesden (possibly smaller than Little Gaddesden) is skirted.  Not much else of interest is passed - with the possible exception of a Buddist Monastry - but the paths are good and the views are often superb.

Looking down on Great Gaddeston

A Valley with the A4146 Hemel Hempstead Road at the bottom

Same Valley, looking North

Another enjoyable walk.   Just the pub to report on.

The Bridgewater Arms

A popular community pub that had one of my pre-requisites after a December walk - real log fires.  I mange to get through the diners to get a perch at the end of the bar, where surprisingly, there are a high number of drinkers.   This includes a couple of old boys who had overdone it on the Red Wine yesterday.   Others were keen to tell them of their indiscretions.

Beer wise, I never expect much from a Greene King.  There were the usual suspects and in an attempt to avoid a GK IPA I asked for a sample of a previously unseen beer called Pocket Rocket.   The pump clip had the picture of an elderly gentlemen on it, so whilst making up my mind, I asked if was a regular.   He was the landlord's recently departed father.

There was no way I could turn it down after this revelation.

Pocket Rocket