Jennifer kindly wrote this post for my blog so that I could have a day off from blogging on my birthday. And in fact I did have a day off from blogging on my birthday, but when I woke up the next morning it was looking rainy out and I was in no hurry to leave my comfy room in St Albans, so I did write a brief account of yesterday's walk.
I shall now publish Jennifer's version of the story!
Hi! My name's Jennifer. I've known Joanne since 1984. We've always kept in touch, even though we have lived in different parts of the world for most of the last 40+ years. When Joanne told me her walk would bring her past Berkhamsted (where I live!) we arranged to meet up.
Friday January 3 was a bank holiday in the UK and it was also Joanne's birthday! Along with my husband Matthew, we set off from the Ashridge monument at 8 am and walked towards Ashridge House, a 19th C granite building resembling a castle. It was built by a Victorian politician named Lord Brownlow. From there we walked along an abandoned train line past loads of wild garlic (mmm!)
We then walked through fields of blue barley to the tiny village of Frithsden (there's a winery there!), then on to Rumblers Farm Shop. Snack time. We downed a litre of apple & rhubarb juice. The next path we took went past a friend's house! I texted Monika and Danny, and when we passed their house, there they were, waving to us from their garden with Rosie the labradoodle. "We're going to St Albans!" we said. "We're going to the gym!" they said.
We continued to Piccott's End, then headed up a hill until we reached Cupid Lane, a gorgeous green corridor that cuts through Hemel Hempstead. This takes you to the Nickey Line, an abandoned railway line that is now a foot/cycle path to Harpenden. We walked through a tunnel under the M1 then turned on the first footpath on the righte, up a hill, through the Cleraune works yard, and then through more blue barley fields. We saw some beautiful old oak trees along the path.
We walked along the River Ver (home of some shy water voles) then continued following it across the A5183 then towards St Albans. No more barley but loads of blue dragon flies. The river led us to the Roman Ampitheatre at Verulamium. There was a bar there but we pressed ahead through Verulamium Park until we reached Ye Olde Fighting Cocks, reputedly the oldest pub in Britain. Ye olde wifi network in the pub was rubbish but Joanne managed to contact her good friend Krista who drove over with her lovely husband and daughter. We all ate burgers and drank ale, then Matthew and I headed back to Berkhamsted.
What a day! I learned more about the area I live in, joining the dots between places I had previously only been to by car. Joanne told us about some of her experiences and described how walking heightens your senses, making food more delicious and sleep more seductive. I can't believe how athletic she is, always setting the pace even though she had her backpack while Matthew & I puffed along with our little day packs. It was an awesome day. Happy birthday, Joanne!!
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