Starting Over

Posted bynickletjogPosted inPreparation
Dining on ice

First of all, a belated Happy New Year to all those who have kindly followed my Blog over the last two years throughout my LETJOG and C2C treks and during my R&S journey around northern Scotland, and a very warm welcome to those new to these musings. Let’s hope that 2023 treats us all kindly!

I am currently looking at a couple of ideas for long-distance hikes this year, and in anticipation of this I have stepped up my outdoor activity, initially in an attempt to shed some festive pounds and to regain some walking fitness. In doing so I have completed some wonderful day walks in the Chilterns and in the surrounding area near to my home in Berkhamsted, west Hertfordshire. I thought I would share some of my photos, starting with a good walk yesterday mostly in some fine winter sunshine along the Grand Union Canal from Leighton Buzzard to Berkhamsted.

A clear winter sky, seen through the reedbeds of Grove Lock Marina just south of Leighton Buzzard

I recommend this trek as a great day out for anyone local: navigation is simple (as it has all been done for us over two centuries ago), and the walk takes around five hours plus any breaks. I try to do this canalside ramble at least once a year, taking the train to Leighton Buzzard and walking the 15 miles southwards back to Berkhamsted through three counties, the shires of Bedford, Buckingham and Hertford.

The walking route is shown by the dark blue line to the left of the image

Save for the gentle rise alongside the flight of lockgates at Marsworth the journey is by definition quite flat, as the towpath contours it’s way through some lovely countryside between the two historic towns. There are no shops but there are a number of pubs along the way, and a tea room at the Marsworth Reservoirs, so there are plenty of opportunities for refreshment and rest!

The Grand Union Canal was opened in 1798 and forms part of a wide national network of waterways, still navigable for narrowboats: milestones along the towpath give distances from Braunston in west Northamptonshire where the Grand Union and Oxford Canals meet and these can be followed southwards as far as Brentford in West London where the Canal originally terminated – Leighton Buzzard is home to the 46-mile marker, whilst my (eastern) end of Berkhamsted lies 62 miles distant
A great morning for a stroll by the canal . . .
. . . then at Horton Lock the mist descended . . .
. . . producing some ghostly scenes
Just a couple of miles further on, at Cooks Wharf near Cheddington, the sun broke through once more – at this point the West Coast mainline railway crosses the Grand Union Canal: these two arteries run generally parallel from the capital through the Chiltern Hills and northwards up to the East Midlands – there were many years when I travelled to Manchester weekly on this railway line gazing longingly at walkers on the towpath, and making crisp sunny days like today especially gratifying!
Marsworth Wharf, close to where the Aylesbury Arm joins the main waterway: another nearby tributary, the Wendover Arm, was constructed in 1799 as much to provide additional water to the main canal as for navigation, but was abandoned eventually, and ironically, due to excessive water leakage, an issue that despite restoration efforts continues to frustrate attempts to reopen the Wendover Arm to navigation
The reservoirs at Marsworth provide refuge for many species of water birds throughout the year
Looking back down at one of the six locks of the Marsworth flight, rising up onto the Tring Plateau as the canal begins its passage through the Chiltern Hills
Bulbourne Yard – a manufacturing and maintenance workplace for lockgates and narrowboats over nearly two centuries until 2003, now providing housing and a base for the Canal and River Trust
An icy grave for this small craft at Dudswell
Back in Berkhamsted, looking up the canal from the humpback bridge at Ivy House Lane

Over the next few weeks I hope to share some more walks from close to home, and from some UK travels: perhaps also from one of the longer-distance treks that I am just starting to plan. Winter walking holds many pleasures and I hope that we can enjoy following the routes together.

As before my Blog headings follow song titles, and this one by Chris Stapleton is the title track from his 2020 Grammy Award winning album “Starting Over”. The song opens with the words “Well the road rolls out like a welcome mat”, which seem a fitting beginning to a new year of walking. Of course there is also a John Lennon song titled “(Just Like) Starting Over”, with another potentially apt line “Let’s take a chance and fly away”, but that’s for later in the year!

4 thoughts on “Starting Over”

  1. Well done Nick – glad you did not come here – it poured and poured with rain, flooding everywhere and then we had ice everywhere and people even skating on the large cathedral ground on what looked like an ice rink – it’s usually just grass. Still utterly freezing cold.

    Like

    Reply

  2. Lovely your ‘misty pics ’ Nick. This country is so beautiful throughout the different seasons and we are so lucky to live where we do.

    Like

    Reply

  3. I agree with Linda’s comment. We are so fortunate to live in such a beautiful island.
    Looking forward to following your 2023 blogs, Nick……..this one is a great start!

    Like

    Reply

Leave a comment