My last attempt at this stretch resulted in a failure when I failed to prepare for the biblical rain I encountered just a few miles in. I decided to start at Rickmansworth cutting out a mile of the route from where I finished off but there was a mike walk from Rickmansworth to join the LOOP. I got up early to a very frosty start, and headed to Wendover station to get the 08:23 train to Rickmansworth.
Although frosty the sun was low and the views from the train of the Chilterns was stunning at times. I need an app that would allow me to quick record locations with date and time as a list of places to return to and take a picture at some point in the future. I digress the point is that the weather was looking great for photo’s so I had my camera bag with me so I could carry DSLR and extra layers so I am prepared for all weathers.
Chiltern Trains are very posh I must say, I sat down and had to look around to check that I was not say in first class. At e table I was sat at there was two power outlets and as small sign indicating that WiFi was available. I connected up, the speed was not great but it was better than no internet at all. The table it self had pull it sections to allow passengers to get to their seats but then have room to get a kind of desk effect.
The start of the leg was quite urban, but I was loon in a country park with some lakes known as Batchworth lakes, I had also crossed the Grand union. I walked along a road and left the houses behind and eventually found a sign for the LOOP opposite a pub.
I missed a turn walking across Sandy Lodge Golf Club along the way but did not lose too much time, as the golfers were only too happy to point out that I was no longer on the designated footpath. I eventually came to a main road and a convenient petrol station had a Starbucks so I grabbed a coffee and a snickers then crossed the main road and walked until I found a convenient bench to have a rest and some sustenance. The wood were really showing their colours.
As I got towards Hatch End I caught up with a guy named Paul who was also doing the loop. We got chatting for half a mile or so and we swapped notes about the LOPP and other walks. He had done the London Ring which I may make my next walk. He wa retired and was able to walk during the week too. He said that he sometimes joined walkers clubs on their trips out to the Chilterns from London. I might give that a go one day, but I do enjoy the me time I get ding these walks.
After crossing another main road I came across a load of fly tipping, it is something that is really unnecessary. Through Grins Dyke golf club not clear signing toward the end but again some golfers pointed me in the right direction. Stanmore is quite a posh neighbourhood with substantial houses.
I walked through Bentley Priory which according to their website is “where the Battle of Britain was won” there is a museum and stuff about that. I made a mental note to put it on the list of places to visit. I stopped for a rest in the adjacent nature reserve and fond out that the batteries on my phone were dead. I also found out that the cable for my power bank battery was also no good. Luckily I had looked at the map a few moments before and had memorised where I needed to go, and I eventually found a bus stop to get me to Stanmore station.
From Stanmore I gfot the tube to Wembley Park then changed and did almost a U turn to get to Harrow on the Hill. As I exited I was asked to do a survey about my journey and I consented! I then had a bout 20 minutes to get the train back to Wendover, so I checked out the shopping centre and managed to haggle for a cable to charge my phone. I grabbed a bottle of wine from the Tesco express then a coffee in the Station and then only had a 2 minute wait for the train.
I was back reasonably early 15:30 and was quite tired. That evening we went to a Music Quiz organised by the local church and manged to win.