17/08/19 - London Countryway Stage 18 - Brookmans Park to Broxbourne

Distance - 12.6 Miles
Start - Brookmans Park
Finish - Broxbourne
Geocaches - 4
Pubs - Woodman and Olive, White Bear and The Bull at Broxbourne
Previous Stages - Stage 1, Stage 2, Stage 3, Stage 4, Stage 5, Stage 6, Stage 7, Stage 8, Stage 9, Stage 10, Stage 11, Stage 12, Stage 13, Stage 14, Stage 15, Stage 16, Stage 17


The London Countryway is taking me to some mysterious places.   I'm not exactly sure where Brookman's Park is, but the first observed bus "labelled Luton" provides a small clue.   If the walk doesn't pan out, I can always take advantage of public transport and see the Baggies who are playing there today.

Wherever it is, it's prime commuter territory for the City Big Wigs.   The long avenue to the golf course (say no more) is resplendent with massive houses, no two architecturally the same, with the only common ground found by the high end German cars parked on the two entrance driveways.

The walking is OK.   We're not hitting the heights of the Southern Section and you know when your blog is in trouble when the only things of interest to describe are a radio transmitter and a water tower.  There's some decent agricultural footpaths and the first village, Newgate Street or Ponsbourne (as the Church labels itself) is pretty enough.   Shame its only 11am, as the Coach and Horses looked much more promising than the pubs I did find open later.

Hertfordshire Agricultural Footpaths

Ponsbourne Church, Newgate Street

Coach and Horses remains undiscovered due to 11am arrival

Ponsbourne Park House

Wormley Woods is a pleasure to walk.   Ancient Woodland, boardwalks for the boggy bits and in August, home to an awful lot of dragon flies.   I'm following Dick Bowman's GPX Files and all I am going to say is he got badly lost.   There's a West-East stretch along what looks like a path on the OS Map but is actually a badly overgrown ditch.    Future London Countrway'ers should stick to the present Authority on the route - Des De Moor.  I survived and felt this should be rewarded with a pint.

Woodland Selfie

Lovely walking over the boggy bits

The OS Map shows a big blue cup of joy at Wormley West End.   My map is old and pubs are dying at an alarming rate, so this is no guarantee of refreshment.   But the building is there, even if its is now a Greek Restaurant.   I know this, as they have appended "& Olive" to the original name "The Woodman".

I hope the food is better than the beer.

Christmas is just around the corner.  It's August.

No ales on but you do get charged £5.10 for flat Italian Lager

Not to worry, I'll soon be in Broxbourne - where very early signage (I am at least 2 miles away) tells me it was the home of the Kayaking in the Olympics.  I simply have to navigate Baas Hill Common, cross the A10 and drop down to the village.   Really, I should be following the New River to the Station but a) I have this ear marked for a future walk and b) I need to see what Broxbourne has to offer the weary foot traveler.

The New River Path - for another day.

I am the only man in the White Bear who doesn't have a Ralph Lauren polo shirt on but I get away with it as they are all Arsenal fans and Arsenal are on the TV.   The only real ale on is Doom Bar but as the Cask Marque accreditation next the front door says "Expired", I join my Gooner friends in a Stella.

Dress Code, Ralph

Over the road is a McMullens tied house, the Bull.   I know really feel that I am in Hertfordshire.   A chainy pub but the County Bitter was pint of the day.

McMullens Bull

I'm rather looking forward to the next leg - where I will have my first visit to Waltham Abbey.   A place that I've wanted to visit since reading the first chapter of Iain Sinclair's London Orbital.