Hertsmere Walks
The Round Bush Ramble
| Distance: | 5 km (3 m) |
|---|---|
| Time: | An hour and a half |
| Rating: | A gentle walk |
| Starting point: | The Round Bush Pubshow me on a map |
A circular walk passing through Round Bush, Aldenham and Wall Hall. The walk starts at the Round Bush Public House but could equally be started from outside the church. A bus service is available from Radlett, Bushey and Watford Junction Railway Stations. For details about public transport see HertsDirect (opens in new window) or ring Traveline on 0870 608 2608.
Illustration: Sarah Johnson
Walk Description:
The Church of St. John the Baptist
This impressive building dates mostly from the 14th and 15th Century and occupies the site
of a previous Saxon church built by King Offa of Mercia in 785 AD. The spire however is
quite new, the original having been destroyed by bombing during the Second World War.
Within the church tower, notice the presence of Hertfordshire Puddingstone, a rock unique to this area. In appearance it looks rather like concrete. This is a very young rock at just 54 million years old! Originally laid down as sand and gravel in a huge river estuary, silica percolated into the sand and set to form an extremely hard stone.
Due to its unusual appearance Puddingstone was frequently attributed strange powers in folklore. Its tendency to come to the surface led to the superstition that it actually grew in the fields, damaging crops and ploughshares. In more extreme cases it was thought to grow constantly, gathering in pebbles, fruit and unsuspecting children. Pieces of the stone were often placed on the doorstep of a house or carried around in pockets to ward off evil. A parish record of 1662 states that a piece was placed on top of the coffin of a suspected witch, to prevent her from escaping.
In 601 AD Pope Gregory issued a letter to all missionaries which decreed that pagan idols and myths should be sanctified by incorporating them into the teachings and the fabric of the church. Hence Aldenham’s unusual church tower, still standing long after these beliefs have disappeared.
Wall Hall.
Originally built in 1802 this dramatic building was used for numerous war time purposes, including a training centre for people who worked with the European resistance movements, and as a maternity hospital. It now forms part of Hertfordshire University’s Watford Campus.
While you are out you are also doing your health a favour. Regular moderate activity, such as brisk walking, is enough to keep you in shape. You don’t need to sweat and pant - feeling warm and breathing harder than usual will give you benefits and you’re never too old or too far gone to start!
If arriving by car, please note that the Golf Club have asked that walkers refrain from using their car park.
This is one of a series of short walks through the Hertsmere countryside sponsored by Hertsmere Borough Council and the Watling Chase Community Forest
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.
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