This is an easy walk through traditionally grazed meadows
Length: approx. 4km (2.5 miles)
Time: approx. 2 hours
Starting from Heath Lane by St. John's Church head right along Station Road over the canal bridge (No.1) and down the steps from the canal bridge on to the tow path. Turn left on to the Moor, through the kissing gate.
Walk through the avenue of horse chestnut trees towards the bridge (No.2). Cross the bridge and continue to the kissing gate opposite the Station. Turn right along London Road.
Pass under the railway bridge, turn right through the kissing gate on to Herdsman's Moor (No.3). Continue through these Moors via kissing gates approximately 500m apart.
After the second kissing gate, you will see Snooks Grave. Look over towards London Road to a flight of steps and further kissing gate on to the road. At this point, to make the walk circular, you will have to leave the Trust land. (If you wish to avoid the roads, return through the Moors or join Green Walk ).
Once through the gate, turn right and follow the pavement towards Bourne End (No.4), over the bypass towards the service station. Immediately after this, turn right into Winkwell. You will soon reach the canal (with the Three Horseshoes Pub which is open all day). Before the swingbridge, turn right on to the tow path.
Pass under the railway bridge and continue along the tow path (No.5) until you reach the bridge carrying Old Fishery Lane over the canal. Turn right on to the road, which you cross and enter the field ahead of you via a kissing gate. The railway embankment will be to your right.
(No.6) Cross a small ditch via an open bridge into a further field. Cross this diagonally to the left (No.7) towards the Fishery Road Bridge. Cross Fishery Road and enter Station Moor via the kissing gate ahead.
Walk through the Moor to the river bridge then retrace your steps over the canal bridge back to the starting point.
NOTES
Please note that distances are approximate and reference to metres can also be read as yards.
No.1- Meeting point with Red Walk.
No.2 - The original concrete bridge was constructed in 1906 and replaced in 1997. The avenue of horse chestnut trees was planted in 1902 to celebrate the Coronation of Edward VII.
No.3 - Herdsman's Moor - so called because it was the site of the original Herdsman's Cottage demolished to make way for the A41 Bypass.
These moors are the remnants of the open land that the Trust first acquired in 1594 now having been dissected by the canal, the railway and several roads.
Grazed in the summer by the Trust's own Belted Galloway cattle, they have a rich diversity of natural grasses.
The common thief, James Snook (often called Robert Snook the highwayman) is buried on the Moors. He was hung at the scene of his crime (robbing a post boy) in March 1802. The original gravestone marker was placed by the Trustees in 1904.No.4- Meeting point with Green Walk.
No.5 - These old watercress beds were once common along the River Bulbourne and supplied London with watercress. There were about 5 'farms' on the Trust land at one time. Over the river is Chaulden Meadow, owned by the Box Moor Trust and used by the Hemel Hempstead Rugby Club (also known as Camelot RUFC).
No.6 - Fishery Moor (formerly referred to as Harrison's Moor) is an old flood meadow that has now been designated a Heritage site. The wetland area in the second half by the canal has a wide variety of marshland flowers including lady's smock or cuckoo flower (Cardamine pratensis) and locally uncommon lady's mantle (Alchemilla vulgaris).
No.7 - The willows along this stretch of the river are grown as a crop for the cricket bat industry. Each tree takes approximately 15-20 years to mature before it is harvested and sold to the cleft makers.
It is along this stretch of the moor that water loving birds can be seen including the kingfisher, which nests in the bank of the stream and feeds off small fish along its length.
| File | Description | File size |
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 Blue Walk.pdf | 309 Kb |
