Pete's Walks - Circular walk from Royston (page 2 of 2)
Sandon church
As usual on this walk, we sat on a bench by the pond in the centre of Sandon to eat our packed lunches. There was then about half a mile of walking along a minor road, before we picked up a bridleway heading back north towards Therfield. This was a good clear track, running between mature hedgerows. The first section of the bridleway is actually used by all three of the long-distance paths I mentioned earlier. After a while we took a path on the left, that followed hedgerows through fields of stubble and cut a corner from the bridleway which we rejoined after a third of a mile. It was then almost a mile along the green lane until we reached Hay Green, a hamlet just south of Therfield.
Pond in Sandon (where we stopped for our lunch)
Bridleway from Sandon to Therfield
Bridleway from Sandon to Therfield
Footpath between Sandon and Therfield
Footpath between Sandon and Therfield
Back on the bridleway from Sandon to Therfield
We turned left along the road into Therfield, and took a path on the right beside the village pub. This ran between paddocks a short distance, then went across the corner of a field, before joining a wide bridleway that would take us most of the two miles north back to Therfield Heath. It had been a rather grey day so far, but now there were extensive patches of blue sky visible and it was soon much brighter.
The path out of Therfield
View north from near the start of the long bridleway from Therfield to Therfield Heath
The long bridleway from Therfield to Therfield Heath
Looking north-east from the long bridleway from Therfield to Therfield Heath
The long bridleway from Therfield to Therfield Heath
The long bridleway from Therfield to Therfield Heath
The footpath approaching Therfield Heath
View north from Therfield Heath
It was around 2.45pm when we returned to our cars, after walking for about four and a quarter hours. It had been a very pleasant walk as usual, a nice mixture of field paths, a few woods and green lanes, with some really splendid views. It had been a nice change to have a walking companion too - Stu and I had a good natter about old friends, old times, and former colleagues. And they say nostalgia's not what it used to be!