Download it here (PDF, 562 KB). The gravel was deposited by an ancient river, ancestor of our Thames, which - before the Ice Age - flowed up the Colne Valley on its way to join the Rhine. Bypass the car park by veering left and you come to a second stretch of water, Bury Lake, the focus of the campaign to restore public swimming. Some Trails are short and easy, others much longer, many have strong themes - they may follow a coastline, or traverse ranges of hills.More information, Self Catering & Cottage Holidays - Properties throughout the UK & Europe. The highlight is the string of great lakes that run along the Colne Valley. It is in Zone 7. Circular Walks from Batchworth with an introduction by Jillian Christensen The idea for a series of circular walks came from visitors to Rickmansworth, who regularly ask for this information at the lock centre. Approaching Rickmansworth Turn left down the road to the driveway to Pipers Farm at the bottom of the hill. Although this walk is within the M25, much of it feels like deep countryside. Discover the benefits of CBD for walkers and hikers. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); A Hertfordshire walk that explores the area to the east of Rickmansworth. Wild Swimming Walks, wildthingspublishing.com, © Copyright Double A Media 2021, All Rights Reserved, Rickmansworth Circular wild swimming walk, Hertfordshire, https://www.active-traveller.com/media/reviews/photos/thumbnail/650x433c/f7/b4/f1/5-rickmansworth-4-1467110801.jpg. The Chess Valley walk is just over 10 miles long and takes you past some stunning scenery and picturesque landscapes. Buses: Please go to www.travelinesoutheast.org.uk By Road: Rickmansworth Station is 1.5 miles from Junction 18 of the M25 Maps: Ordnance Survey Explorer Maps 172 + 181 and Chiltern Society Maps 6 + 17 +28 If you have enjoyed this walk, there are many Digital Mapping Guide - a simple guide of how to start using digital mapping. Rickmansworth is served by frequent Metropolitan Line and Chiltern Railways trains. This circular walk starts at the village of Marsworth and takes you around the reservoirs on a series of footpaths before returning along the Grand Union Canal. A GPS File is available for download (see walk description). The route uses a mixture of paths, lanes and canal towpaths following sections of the Chess Valley Walk and the Croxley Green Boundary Walk. Follow this path until you reach the River Colne, then take a path to the left (signed to Springwell and Inn Lakes) alongside the river, with Stocker's Lake on your left. Further along, it becomes deeper and slower but lacks a safe entry point as the banks drop steeply down, and the bottom is soft and muddy. It was a popular swimming place until the late 1980s (indeed one of us has still vivid memories dating back over 50 years of an idyllic day spent relaxing there after A level exams). You will now be walking along three separate lakes on your way back to the canal centre, formed from pits dug for sand and gravel in the first half of the 20thcentury, and now used for recreation. One of the best things about this hike is both Rickmansworth and Chesham are on the Metropolitan line. It is open all year and has tables outside overlooking Bury Lake. Later, however, the council decided to uphold the ban, and the sailing club that uses the lake remained opposed to reinstating swimming. Stay safe on the mountains with detailed weather forecasts - for iOS devices or for Android devices. Meet at station entrance. The Rickmansworth Historical Society was founded in 1954 on the initiative of Godfrey Cornwall, its first Chairman. 1 h 31 m A circular walk from Rickmansworth's Aquadrome running alongside the local waterways. Turn right along it for a short distance then go left over the bridge at Springwell Lock, joining the Hillingdon Trail (HT). The walk is a 10-mile route which can be undertaken from Chesham to Rickmansworth, or vice versa. Covering 100 acres, the Aquadrome Local Nature Reserve consists of lakes, grassland and woodland and is an ideal place for walks. This is the place where a dip in the Colne is possible. This 8.6 km (5 mile plus) circular walk from Chalfont St Giles has a 93 m (305 ft) ascent with a high point of 140m (459 ft). Wild Swimming Walks' Margaret Dickinson, and Liz Valentine plot a gentle walk easily reached from London yet with a truly rural feel, which includes a swim in the River Colne. Covering 100 acres, the Aquadrome Local Nature Reserve consists of lakes, grassland and woodland and is an ideal place for walks. Rickmansworth circular via Croxley Green and Watford . The distance by road may be further. Length: 3.3 mi • Est. Links: Rickmansworth Aquadrome, Rickmansworth, Ebury Way This week’s walk was a return to the source of some of our recent Colne Valley trips. They are flooded gravel pits, dug out originally to supply the construction industry building an ever- expanding London. Sign up today, and join us for the journey. NOTE! The walk should take 2.5 to 3 hours to complete. Whether you are experienced in map-reading, or have never used a compass before, this guidebook will sharpen your skills and have you exploring new areas in no time. All rights reserved. A three and a half mile circular walk from Rickmansworth’s Aquadrome running alongside the local waterways. Length 3.3 miElevation gain 282 ftRoute type Loop We'd love to tell you more Our newsletter is packed full of exciting updates and stories of how our work has helped local people and communities. Nearby Stocker's Lake is home to many waterfowl, especially during the winter months. Turn right over the bridge onto a little road. Download boundary walk map (1.3MB) Refreshed from your swim, continue along the path beside the River Colne, bearing right with the river after the weir, until you reach a road (opposite Willow Court). When we were there in 2013 the situation was unclear. Rickmansworth Aquadrome to Cassiobury Park. Putting this walk in the Ponds section of this book is a gesture of optimism because the ideal swimming place would be Bury Lake where, at the time of writing, the right to swim is contested.