28/12/19 - Chiltern Chain Walk - Stage 3 - Ivinghoe Beacon

Distance - 13.5 Miles
Geocaches - 12
Walk Inspiration
Pub - The Kings Arms, Tring
Previous Stages - Stage 1, Stage 2

The answer to the question "Where do Hertfordshire folk go for an Xmas Walk" is surely Ashbridge. It's a National Trust Area of Outstanding Beauty. Ample parking, although you need to be there early. Plenty of Geocaches and fine woodland, hillside paths.

I'm back on the Chiltern Chain Walk... a collection of 20 walks covering the area. I was meant to be doing 4 stages a year.   Its a symptom of too much going on and bad planning when I reveal that this is the first time I have made it in 2019. Must do better in 2020.

My start is Bridgwater Monument, a doric arch built in honour of a canal-man. Only on my return to a computer screen do I determine that you can climb the 107 internal stairs.   Again, I must plan better in 2020.

Bridgwater Monument

There's two main features for the walk.   I completed the Ridgeway nearly 4 years ago and this is the first time I have revisited it.   Heading north from Bridgewater Monument, I work my way over the broad tracks in Moneybury hill to pick up the final stretch of the Ridgeway at Incombe Hole.  December murk put pay to any decent views but even on a dull day, its an unbroken vista over middle England.

Incombe Hole, looking over Buckinghamshire

The final stretch of the Ridgeway

The remainder of the walk is nearly all woodland and common land.   Most of it on muddy forest tracks.   Makes for reasonable walking but there are only so many photos of tress that you can take.

Trees Everywhere

If the trees did become monotonous, there's a high amount of Geocaches in the area - with plenty of puzzle caches.   The Xmas period provided me with enough downtime to complete a crossword and a Sudoku to provide the co-ordinates for two and I was pleased to find the actual treasure, after making a diversion from the planned walk.  The final find of the day was a touch amusing... I could see a large group of adults and kids spread over a wide period.  They didn't look close enough to GZ to be caching but that was the only possible explanation for multiple generations turning over logs in woodland.   Making a walk up find in front of an audience is as heroic as my life gets.

Unless you include the relentless pursuit of Good Beer Guide ticking.   The walk, if you excluded the tea hut at the start, had no civilisation at all.   The nearest GBG pub was a couple of miles away down in Tring.   Of course, I was heading that way.   I'd just walked 13 miles and had a thirst on.

The Kings Arms is a handsome boozer.   I would describe it as "backstreet" but its really not far from the pretty town centre.

Regal, yet Back Street

Traditional inside, it was all wood paneling and beer adverts from yesteryear.   Separate rooms for the darts players, the drinkers and the diners.  But of course, the regulars all sit around the bar.  It wouldn't be normal if they didn't.

Wood Paneling and Bar Hangers

An interesting collection of LocALE hand pulls.   A first for me from the Leighton Buzzard Brewing Company.  A Restoration X, stuffed into a Marstons Deep 61 glass.  £4.20.

The Robin Hood is the 2nd Good Beer Guide entry in town.   I'm sure I will get there on the next leg of the Chiltern Chain Walk.  Hopefully before Xmas 2020.

Parting Shot