The Hertfordshire Way

Stage 2: Wallington to Willian

Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.

The Hertfordshire Way is a 166 mile long distance trail around the county divided into 14 legs, and beginning and ending at Royston. Bluetiger walked the second leg from Wallington to Willian, 12 miles, in April 2002.

The guidebook describes this stage as being similar to the first ("a gentle rural landscape of fields and hedgerows with gently rolling hills, so typical of Hertfordshire"), but with a first brief glimpse of urban settlement as the route passes within a few miles of Stevenage, goes under the A1(M), and finishes on the edge of Letchworth.

Shoulder high keck at Wallington

The interior of the church at Wallington. The writer George Orwell lived in the village for a few years, and was married here.

Bluebells in the woods near Clothall

Welcome to the countryside!

In the church yard at Weston is the grave of the giant Jack o'Legs, stretching between the two stones in the picture. The legend states that he was a robber of travellers, and the men of Baldock finally caught him near their town. Before they slew him they granted his request that they would bury him where an arrow, which he shot from his bow, fell. The arrow soared three miles to Weston and glanced off the church tower to rest where his grave can now be found.

Who stole the fence?

Colours of Spring - oil seed rape and blue skies

The ruined church of St Etheldreda at Chesfield.

Looking over the gate to Graveley church

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