Saturday Walkers' Club

Time Out Country Walks near London Volume 1

Walk 7 : Garston to St Albans

River Ver, Moor Mill & Verulamium

Length13.6km (8.4 miles), 4 hours 10 minutes. For the whole outing, including trains, sights and meals, allow at least 6 hours.
OS Landranger MapNo.166. Garston, map reference TQ 118 999, is in Hertfordshire, 5km north of Watford Junction.
Toughness1 out of 10.
FeaturesThis walk, although not the most beautiful in the book, is surprisingly unspoilt by twentieth-century 'civilisation', despite being close to London, squeezed between Watford and St Albans, the M1 and the M25. From Garston - (on Sundays, there is no train to Garston, but you can go the short distance from Watford Junction by bus) - the walk is through Bricket Wood Common to Lord Knutsford's park and manor at Munden, passing the impressively converted Nether-wylde Farm, to go along the River Colne and River Ver to Moor Mill Inn, the suggested lunchtime pub. After Lunch the walk is through woods and blackberries, beside lakes, up to a mobile home park, and then along the River Ver and into the Roman town of Verulamium (which derived its name from the river) - and so to St Albans Cathedral and its cloisters; then either back into the cathedral grounds, down to the Roman walls and Abbey Station, or through the old town to the Thameslink station.
Shortening the WalkYou could order a taxi from any of the pubs mentioned in the lunch details below. Or take a train from Park Street Station. Or, at the asterisk [*] in the book's walk directions, near the end of the walk, you could go to Abbey Station without sightseeing in St Albans.
History

Munden House is owned by Lord Knutsford.

Moor Mill, built in 1762, was a working mill until 1939. A mill has stood on this site for over 1,000 years, know as Moremyll in Norman times. For 500 years, it was under the control of the abbots of St Albans and was rebuilt in 1350 for £11. Its giant revolving waterwheel has recently been restored.

In its heyday, the River Ver once powered 11 waterwheels and sustained the Hertfordshire watercress industry. Steps are being taken to increase its flow once more.

The Catuvellauni tribe, in the Ver Valley, were defeated by Julius Caesar in 54BC. Boadicea destroyed Verulamium in 61AD, while the Roman legions were in north Wales. In 209AD, the Roman Alban was beheaded for refusing to sacrifice to the Roman gods, on the orders of Geta Caesar, son of Emperor Severus, during the latter's visit to Britain to put down a rebellion.

St Albans Abbey and its monastic buildings were completed in 1088 with bricks from the Roman town (dismantled because it had become a hiding place for robber gangs). In 1381, its Great Gateway was besieged during the Peasants' Revolt - it was later used to imprison the rioters. In 1455, during the War of the Roses, Henry VI was wounded in the neck by an arrow and took refuge in the abbey, while drunken Yorkists ransacked the town. The abbey, now a cathedral, is open daily to 5.45pm in summer, 6.45pm in winter; or you can enter for evensong at 5pm weekdays, 4pm Saturdays, 6.30pm Sundays.

LunchThe suggested lunchtime pub is Moor Mill Inn tel 01727 875 557). It serves bar or restaurant meals from midday to 2.30pm daily. A later alternative is the Overdraught pub, on the A5183 at Park Street, which serves meals midday to 3pm daily (tel 01727 874 280). Or near the start of the walk, there is the Old Fox pub, which serves meals midday to 8.30pm daily (tel 01923 673 083).
Saturday Walkers ClubThe Saturday Walkers Club do this walk each February.
Travel by Train
  • Out:
  • Back:
Warning

The route out and back are by different train companies. It is possible that you will have to buy 2 singles rather than a "off peak day return" ticket.
Travel by Car

Start: Garston (Hertfordshire) Station is near : WD25 9QG [gmap]

Finish: St Albans Station is near : AL1 3TF [gmap]

Return to your car by train:

  • (park at the start) at 4pm
  • (park at the end) at 10am
OS Explorer Map

173 : London North [Amazon]

182 : St Albans & Hatfield [Amazon]
Downloads

Download and print the PDF file. Tip: In the Print screen, select Page Scaling : Multiple Pages per Sheet. Try 2 pages.

Updates

Many changes - download the PDF [details]
Other Hertfordshire Walks Bow Brickhill to Woburn Sands, Bow Brickhill to Leighton Buzzard, Harlow Circular, Welwyn Circular,
Warning

This text on this page is from an older edition of the book, and is a little out of date. Please check the updates for this walk.

Walking Instructions

For a map and detailed walking instruction, please see Time Out Country Walks near London Volume 1