A circular ride from Kings Langley
A Circular Ride in Dacorum from Kings Langley visiting Felden, vingdon and Flaunden
| Distance: | 20 km (13 miles) |
|---|---|
| Time: | around 3 hours |
| Rating: | Moderate with some steep climbs |
| Starting point: | Langley Hill, Kings Langley show me on a map |
Route description
This ride starts in Kings Langley taking you up a steady climb onto the edge of the rolling Chilterns. You will ride past farms and then up into the quiet villages steeped in centuries of history. You can begin your ride at any points of the route following the waymark signs. This ride can be comfortably completed within half a day but does include some steep climbs in places. The ride covers a distance of about 13 miles all of which is based on tarmac roads. Certain sections of the route may be busy at times, so extra care should be taken. Please read this leaflet before starting your ride and follow the safety tips below.
Points of interest
Kings Langley
The largest village in Dacorum, Kings Langley's name is thought to derive from the word 'Langelel' meaning long clearing in the thick woods that covered all of the valley when early settlers arrived. The actual name Kings Langley came about during the 14th century when King Edward 1 gave the Manor to his wife. A large palace was built on the top of the hill, where the royal family spent much of their time. By the middle of the 16th century Kings Langley was a growing agricultural community. The area became more industrialised with the completion of the Grand Union Canal in 1799 and the construction of the London to Birmingham railway in 1837. The arrival of the canal and railway saw the growth of the area's paper making industry, with many of the old flour mills along the valley being converted for this purpose.
Felden
Originally a small agricultural hamlet Feiden rapidly expanded after the coming of the railway to Hemel Hempstead in July 1837 when houses were built for the first railway commuters. London business men were offered the inducement of a year of first class travel to move to the area.
Bovingdon
This attractive village on the edge of the Chilterns once had a thriving straw plaiting industry supplying the hat making trade in Luton. As you turn left in the village at 'The Weil' you will see 'Bovingdon Docks'. This is a spring fed pond which was said by villagers in days gone by to be a place where boats could dock. The well itself was built in 1881 in memory of Granville Dudley Rowe, Lord of the Manor. Once through Bovingdon you will pass the idyllic Bovingdon Green.
Flaunden
This is the most southerly village of Dacorum standing on the Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire border. Flaunden has changed very little over the past 100 years, retaining a sleepy village atmosphere with its flintstone cottages. The crossroads or 'Crossway' was always the focal point of the village and once had a village shop, bakery and Post Office with a blacksmith and butcher's shop at Hog Pit Bottom. The village itself used to be surrounded by cherry orchards, pig farms and wells. It was not until 1903 that piped water reached the village. There are pubs in the village where you might want to stop for refreshments.
Refreshments
There are pubs in all of the villages along the route, where refreshments refreshments can be purchased, or why not take a picnic and enjoy a meal in the open air? Tea rooms can also be found in some villages. Kings Langley has all of the facilities of a small town, with ample car parking, making it an ideal starting point for your cycle ride.
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.
