Two circular rides in Dacorum
Two circular rides from Tring and Berkhamsted, visiting Aldbury and the Chilterns: Part 2 – Berkhamsted
| Distance: | Part 2 (Berkhamsted): 12 miles/19km |
|---|---|
| Time: | around 3 hours |
| Rating: | Moderate with some steep climbs |
| Starting point: | Anywhere round the circuit, eg High St, Berkhamsted show me on a map |
Route description
This is the second part of a 'Cycle Hertfordshire's Countryside' leaflet covering two circular cycle rides from Tring (see part 1) or Berkhamsted (this page) town centres, both passing through the picturesque village of Aldbury. Whether you decide to follow all or part of any of the two routes, you will be riding through attractive scenery in the Chilterns Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and some of the prettiest villages in the County. The two rides total a distance of just under 30 miles (Tring 16 miles, Berkhamsted 12 miles) all of which is on tarmac roads. Each route can be cycled comfortably in half a day or less.
You can begin your ride at any point along the route following the waymark signs. Both routes may be hilly along certain sections, so take it at your own pace. Although both routes are based mostly on quiet country lanes, some parts of the route may be busy at times, so take extra care.
Please read the downloadable leaflet carefully. It is recommended that you consult the Ordnance Survey Landranger Maps number 165 and 166 or the Explorer Map 'Chiltern Hills North' to make the most of your ride.
Points of interest
Berkhamsted
Berkhamsted is said to be historically one of the most important settlements in Dacorum. In 1086 at the time of the Domesday Book, 500 people lived there, the largest community in what is now Dacorum. Berkhamsted Castle dates from the Norman invasion soon after the Battle of Hastings. Henry 11 once kept court there. The castle fell to ruin after it was abandoned in 1495. There . are still the remains of an inner and outer moat and a 45 foot high ~ motte (mound) on which the keep stood.
Berkhamsted Common
After a steady climb to the top of New Road, you will pass Berkhamsted Common, opposite the War Memorial. The Common is one of the area's largest expanses of relic heathland in Hertfordshire. At the turn of the century most of the Common was open expanses of heather. After the First World War fewer and fewer commoners continued to exercise their common rights. When the grazing of livestock ceased completely, the heath reverted to woodland and most of the heather was lost. The Countryside Management Service is now helping to restore much of the heathland under an agreement with Berkhamsted Golf Club, the owners of the Common.
Ashridge Estate
Further along from Berkhamsted Common and through beautiful Beech woodlands the route will enter and circle the famous Ashridge Estate, owned and managed by the National Trust and partly by Ashridge Management College. The mansion of Ashridge has housed the management college since 1959. It is on the site of a monastery which closed down in 1539. The house then became the home of the Bridgewater and Brownlow families. The present mansion was built in 1808 for the 7th Earl of Bridgewater. The famous Bridgewater Monument at the very end of the Prince's Riding was built in 1832 in memory of Francis Egerton, 3rd Duke of Bridgewater, pioneer of canal building. The National Trust shop and tea room can be found near the foot of the monument.
Little Gaddesden
The name of Gaddesden is thought to derive from the Saxon 'Gatesdene' meaning Goats Valley. Surrounded by the woods of the Ashridge Estate, Little Gaddesden is home of the Bridgewater Arms coaching inn, the earliest part is believed to be an 18th century farmhouse. Part of the inn was used in 1853-4 to house the village school. Children had to enter through a window as they were not allowed to pass through the licenced premises.
Aldbury
Aldbury is said to be the classic English village, with a village green, pond, stocks, timber-framed houses and a parish church. The stocks were built in 1773 and remodelled and still used in the late 19th century. The church of St. John the Baptist was originally completed in the 14th century. The pond is fed by rain and was a source of water for farms. The large lime tree in the village centre dates from Queen Victoria's jubilee of 1897.
Northchurch
Once leaving Aldbury village having crossed canals, railway lines and the recently built A41, the route leads through the quieter lanes running adjacent to the A41 and eventually past Northchurch. This settlement is believed to have at one time been centred around St. Mary's Church. St. Peters, Berkhamsted was built in the 13th Century and St. Mary's became North Church.
Refreshments
There are pubs in all the villages along the route, where food can be purchased, or why not take your own refreshments and enjoy a picnic in the open air. Tea rooms can be found in some villages along both routes, Tring has various small town facilities including banks and cycle shops. For further information about the local area visit Berkhamsted Library which is passed en route.
Waymarking
Signs like this are positioned to guide you round the route in anti-clockwise direction. This will make the majority of the turns left turns, thus your journey will be a little safer.
Safety
- This is not an off road route, you will meet cars and other vehicles on the roads during your trip.
- Wear a safety helmet.
- Ensure your bike is safe to ride.
- After dark you are required by law to display working lights.
- Wear brightly coloured clothes with reflective material.
- Treat pedestrians and horses with the respect you expect to get from car drivers.
- Get a bell and use it to warn others of your approach.
- Always ride in single file when roads are narrow or busy, and never more than two abreast
- Always follow the advice for cyclists given in the Highway Code.
Rights of Way symbols you might see
|
Yellow arrows indicate footpaths for pedestrian use only |
| Blue arrows indicate bridleways for horse riders, cyclists and pedestrian use only |
| Red arrows indicate Byways Open to All Traffic (BOAT) for horse riders, cyclists and pedestrians and may be legally used by other wheeled vehicles |
| Black arrows indicate Roads Used as Public Paths (RUPP) for horse riders, cyclists and pedestrians and may be legally used by other wheeled vehicles |
Maps
This map is based on Ordnance Survey material with the permission of Ordnance Survey on behalf of the controller of Her Majesty's Stationery Office © Crown copyright. Unauthorised reproduction infringes Crown copyright and may lead to prosecution or civil proceedings. Hertfordshire County Council 100019606 2004.
The Ordnance Survey mapping included within this web-site is provided by Hertfordshire County Council under licence from the Ordnance Survey in order to fulfill its public function to provide information relating to its activities, services and plans. Persons viewing this mapping should contact Ordnance Survey copyright for advice where they wish to license Ordnance survey mapping for their own use.
See the Ordnance Survey site for more information.
This cycle ride and leaflet has been produced with the support of Hertfordshire County Council's Environment Department and the Countryside Management Service.
This is one of a series of waymarked cycle rides throughout Herfordshire. Look out for others on this website, or for the leaflets in local libraries and cycle shops.