Having mentioned walks to the south and east of the town, time for one from the west. Yesterday I put up this link to walks around the Hadhams and I had several comments about changes on these, so just to clarify.
The Hertfordshire Way section from Hadham Hall to Wickham Hall is closed due to the construction of the bypass. A new temporary path has been put in place right next to the roundabout construction on the A120 some 200 yards from the "Tesco roundabout." This takes you through fields and to Hadham Hall, passing Connect scaffolding base.
Today, I had an email from David Harvey, farmer at Wickham Hall and in this he mentioned that he is having issues with people thinking they can wander wherever they like, over crop fields, into private woods etc. Consequently, he has closed of entrances to the woods. I am sure no one on here would be responsible for trespassing upon private land but do bear in mind, footpaths are well sign posted. If there is no sign post on a farm track it invariably means it is not public. I was also chatting with a local farmer in Little Hadham and he too, is having issues with people thinking a hayfield is an open grassy space for play and picnics. Please do stick to the footpaths as I am sure we all do. Thank you.
An ordnance survey map, or a copy on your phone will help. Sheet 194 in the Explorer series covers the area West, North and South of the town. Always worth taking when on a wander. The map at the top is also prinatable. Just click on it to enlarge, save and print. Alternatively, save the link below on to your phone.
Walk today is a circular wander from Little Hadham village hall. Park in the village hall car park where there is also a children's play ground and benches for a picnic. Turn left on to the road leading to the Nags Head pub, passing the old telephone box where there is a book exchange system. Do pop in to see if there is anything you like and next time, drop a few unwanted books off here.
Opposite the pub is a narrow footbridge and a kissing gate, so not good for scooters, I'm afraid. (However, if you carry on over the bridge there is, at present, an open gate on to the field but this may get closed at anytime, so perhaps checking in the car before setting off. Alternatively park opposite the pub to see if the gate is open.)
Once over the River Ash take the left hand path that goes diagonally over the field to an open gate by Bluebell Wood. Good flowers here at present. The path goes up a slight incline before bearing left along a ridge between 2 fields. Great views over the Ash Valley. Eventually you'll come to a hedge and the path follows this all the way to the back of the primary school whereupon it bears right towards Fiddlers Croft House and the farm near the A120. Usually alpacas in the fields here where you turn right. Red kites and buzzards are frequently seen here as well as possible kestrel or a circling sparrowhawk.
Follow the path up on to a large open field, Silver Leys polo club. The actual path, whilst not well marked out, follows the hedge line on your right. Good plants grow along here.
At the end of the field there is a track by a five bar gate and some posts that polo ponies are tied to. Turn right down Hoecroft Lane. Here there are a few pools under trees where you may see newts. This track, an official green lane, is full of wildlife: woodpeckers, treecreepers, long tailed tits, nuthatches, chiffchaffs, great tits, chaffinches, bullfinches etc. Also lots of plant species. After half a mile or so there is a footpath on the right opposite a bench. This goes across a crop field, the path is clear to see and then turns left to bring you back down to the pub. In a dip just before the final field where you can see the pub is a magnificent oak. I have aged this to be somewhere around 500 years old. If only it could tell us all it has seen in those years!
As always, do take photos and forward them to me to include and please let me know if there are errors so I can correct my detail.
https://www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/media-library/documents/environment-and-planning/countryside-management-service/walking-and-cycling-routes/little-hadham-walking-map.pdf
Also note, the tea rooms marked at Church End is no longer there and neither is Victoria's Vintage outlet.
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| Red kite |
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| Kestrel, the only bird of prey that hovers for more than a few seconds |
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| Red legged partridge |
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| Britain's smallest bird. Goldcrest. |
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