berkhamsted town council audio trail dacorum borough

BERKHAMSTED AUDIO TRAIL

The trail explores

footpaths mainly to the

south of Berkhamsted.

After following the canal

towpath both routes

take you up a steady

slope to a a wooded

ridge with views towards

open country. After

following the line of the

ridge, much under

trees, your return route

takes in playing fields

and Castle Street, one of the town’s

most historic neighbourhoods.

A sketch map

complements the walk

description, marking

points of interest

featured in the audio

commentary.

To download the

commentary go to

www.berkhamsted.gov.uk

and follow the links.

Cover photos by Norman Cutting

Berkhamsted Audio Trail

Distance: 6 miles (optional 4 miles) circular

Route: Railway Station - Grand Union

Canal towpath - Sugar Lane or

Garden Field Lane - Long Green -

Sandpit Green - Kingshill Way -

Butts Meadow - Castle Street -

Railway Station

Maps: OS Explorer 181, Chiltern

Society Footpath Map No17,

Berkhamsted Citizens Association

Footpath Map

Parking: You can park in the station car

park or there is public parking

nearby at public car parks off

Lower Kings Road

Public

transport: Berkhamsted is on the London

Midland Euston to Birmingham

line. For information ring National

Rail Enquiries: 08457 48 49 50

Berkhamsted is regularly served

by buses. Contact Hertfordshire

Intalink on 0300 123 4050 for

bus times and routes

Conditions: Mainly follows well drained

footpaths and bridleways but

Long Green may be muddy

Boots or stout walking shoes

recommended

Refreshments: Berkhamsted is well served with

cafes, restaurants and public

houses but once you leave the

canal-side pubs behind there are

no facilities until you reach the

town centre on the return leg.

Take drinks along

Acknowledgments

Berkhamsted Town Council

Dacorum Borough Council

Hertfordshire County Council

and, in particular,

Herts Biological Record Centre (HBRC)

Countryside Management Service

Dacorum Environmental Forum Water Group

Parish Paths Partnership

Berkhamsted Citizens Association

Berkhamsted Local History & Museum Society

St Peter’s Church Parochial Church Council

Ashlyns School

Sheil Land Associates Ltd

for extract from

Richard Mabey “Flora Britannica”,

Chatto & Windus

The Guardian of Saturday 29 July 2006

for extract from a memoir about Richard Mabey

David Higham Associates

for extracts from Graham Greene “A Sort of Life”,

Random House

Nick Potts

for extracts from Percy Birtchnell “A Short History of

Berkhamsted”, The Bookstack

This audio trail was produced by Berkhamsted

Town Council and the local community as part of

the Parish Paths Partnership, a programme

delivered by the Countryside Management Service

and funded by Hertfordshire County Council

© Berkhamsted Town Council 2011

www.berkhamsted.gov.uk

Berkhamsted Audio Trail Audio points along the way

� � � � Leave the railway station by way of the

pedestrian subway at the platform 4 exit. The

entrance to Berkhamsted Castle is across the

road, directly facing you.

Audio point 1: Castle

� � � � After the castle, keeping the castle to your

left and the railway to your right go under the

next railway bridge and cross the road to join the

canal towpath at the Crystal Palace public house.

Audio point 2: Canal - Crystal Palace

pub to Ravens Lane Bridge No 142

� � � � Turn left towards the east (Hemel

Hempstead) direction. As you follow the

towpath various aspects are described

in a series of audio points:

Audio point 3: Canal - Ravens Lane Bridge No

142 to Lock No 55

Audio point 4: Canal - Lock no 55 to

Bullbeggars Lane Bridge No 144

Audio point 6: Canal - Bullbeggars Lane Bridge

No 144 to Sharpes Lane Bridge No 146

� � � � Leave the canal at Bridge No 146 and follow Sharpes Lane

south to the A4251, taking care as there is no footpath.

About half way along the lane you cross the River Bulbourne.

Audio point 5: River Bulbourne.

� � � � At the A4251 turn right and follow the footpath along the

A4251 for 200 yards, where you cross the road to Sugar Lane.

Take special care when crossing and use the traffic island.

Your view of approaching traffic is restricted by bends in the

road in both directions.

Audio point 7: Sugar Lane

� � � � Now there are no longer bridges and locks to divide the

walk into sections, natural breaks have been chosen as audio

points to describe the key features that lie immediately

ahead of you.

Audio point 9: Long Green � � � � Walkers who have chosen the

shorter 4-mile circuit rejoin the trail here.

Audio point 10: Swing Gate Lane

to Chesham Road via Sandpit Green

Audio point 11: Bourne Gutter

Audio point 12: Brickhill Green

Audio point 13: Chesham Road to

Berkhamsted Town Centre via Playing Fields

& Butts Meadow

Audio point 14: Ashlyns School

� � � � At the bottom (north side) of Butts Meadow take the

path to the left of Victoria School and continue in the

same direction along Prince Edward Street to its junction

with the High Street. Cross the High Street and turn right

to St Peter’s Church.

Audio point 15: St Peter’s Church

Audio point 16: Castle Street

� � � � At the end of Castle Street cross the bridge over the

canal and the railway station is in view to your left.

Anyone wishing to shorten the walk

further at this point, turn right and follow

Swing Gate Lane, downhill all the way, to

its junction with London Road (A4251).

Turn left and follow London Road to St

Peter’s Church, where you rejoin the

route at

Audio point 15: St Peter’s Church

If you have chosen the shorter 4 mile circuit,

just before bridge no.144, take the narrow

path to bring you out into Bullbeggars Lane.

Turn right and keep the small parking area on

your right as you go over the River Bulbourne

at Bank Mill Lane Bridge.

Audio point 5: River Bulbourne.

Continue up the slight slope and cross the

A4251 to Garden Field Lane

Audio point 8: Garden Field Lane.

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