I was wondering whether there was a Wednesday walk Christmas lunch on a Wednesday walk planned.

16 were on the slightly delayed train from Euston, to find the walk author patiently waiting for us after coming on the southbound train. One was on the next train and easily caught us up as it was held up less, so 18 on a day of mostly bright low sun , clouding over as dusk approached.

The first part of the route worked well in December but we encountered an unspeakable quagmire near Sale's Farm. Most got past it by clinging on to a barbed-wire festooned fence - not ideal - but one with the gumption to look at his map and found there was a lane running parallel to the field a couple of minutes further on: perhaps a better option for this route in winter. There was a bit more slithering before we reached Ashley Green at around 1.30. I think two had taken the shortcut and of the rest of us, about half tried the pub. It would be good to hear a report from someone who went in.

The other half picknicked in various shelters on the village green and pressed on through the pleasant woodland with mostly good paths and across the Christmas tree farm to the main road and the descent into Berkhamsted.

I had to catch an early train because of the strike so decided not to join some others who repaired to the furthest away canal-side pub; some of us grabbed tea and biscuits at the wine shop in the station before getting the 1550.

I think most of use found the pub's 'new menu' to be inferior to the old one. We were the only people there (from 1.35 to 2.40). Mainly a choice between very fancy rolls, hot pots and 3 course meals.

Sadly I have to agree with Mike that the lunch pub food offering was only a choice of a roll for £8 or one hotpot at £16 or a selection of cold starters. The new young owner who professes to be a chef has grandiose plans for bar b Qs in the garden next year but refuses to offer any pub lunch meals, the 3 course menu only on offer in the evening. Having been open for 6 weeks and not one other customer even for a drink all the time we spent there speaks volumes for the arrogance of attitude which I found condescending when I asked why there weren’t any pub meals on offer. I’m trying to be different he said.

It’s a lovely pub with beautiful decor but needs to stop trying to reinvent the wheel.

Dealys on the Victoria Line meant that I missed the train and arrived a good 15 minutes late, but 1 other walker was waiting for me, and we later crossed paths with the walk author who had already been out to investigate a modification of the main route, ie 3 under overcast skies.

The route works well as an evening walk, I'd say, as long as one is tolerant of noise.

The A41 is mostly in earshot once the town is cleared, and then along the canal the West Coast Mainline provides for ample aural distraction.

Else, scenically interesting, with frequent trains and three quite different pubs at the end, what's not to like? We settled at The Crystal Palace (same architect as THE Crystal Palace) for drinks and food, after 105 minutes of walking.

Indeed. Just be aware that the walk author is working hard at making it a touch longer than the current 13.6 km by including the delightful Pancake Wood into the main route (this is currently just an optional extension).

5 of us took a chance on the trains out of Euston, and the walk author Mike P did likewise for his journey from Northampton, so on meeting up we numbered 6 today to test drive Mike's new walk. The weather in Hertfordshire was similar to that experienced by SWC walkers on today's Balcombe walk: light drizzle turning to steady rain before lunch overcast but dry afterwards . The rain did not return until we were waiting on the platform of Berkhamsted railway station for our journeys home.

Apart from the starter leg of today's walk along the Grand Union Canal, Mike's new walk is completely different to all other SWC walks in the Tring-Berkhamsted area. Instead of high point Beacons and the vast Ashridge Estate, this new walk took us over farmland and along secluded bridleways and over vast fields, at times serenaded by noise from the A41, but nobody minded, as we made progress in now steady rain towards the village of Ashley Green, where we took respite from the rain at the Golden Eagle pub. All six of us dined and enjoyed the honest, unpretentious pub grub served to us with a smile by the new pub owner / landlord.

We set out after lunch, now in the dry, and soon found ourselves in the glorious Hockeridge Woods - probably the highlight of the walk. Leaf colour was good in these woods (elsewhere nothing to get excited about). After walking beside a row of Wellingtonia trees, with their soft, spongey bark, we came out into a large plantation of Christmas trees - some wee didlers, others soon ripe for "harvesting" for this year's market. On then through school playing fields to enter Berkhamsted. We timed the afternoon "to perfection !" Mike's train back to Northampton - the 15-41 - arrived a few minutes after we entered the railway station, and the London element had only a ten minute wait for our train - the 15-53 hrs service.

A well done and thank you goes to the managers and staff of West Midlands Trains for running their trains bang on time today, albeit to a restricted timetable. Providing train formations of twelve carriages also meant there was plenty of space for travellers.

And finally another well done and thank you goes to Mike P for creating another excellent walk for the SWC. His five companions today really enjoyed his walk - and the fact it rained all morning didn't matter at all.