BOXMOOR would do any town proud, in 1574, this land was presented by Elizabeth I to her favourite, Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and in the 1790s the Grand Junction Canal was driven through it, followed by the London to Birmingham railway.

Enough was enough: in 1809, 12 trustees were appointed by law to look after the moor, a situation happily prevailing today. There are grazing rights here, and the strange black and white striped cattle are Belted Galloways, in case you wondered, as I had for years.

An avenue of handsome horse chestnuts provides a grand start to the walk. I made my way to the Fishery Inn, on the Grand Union. There was stabling and a blacksmith's here in the old days, when horses towed barges. Today, there was plenty of activity on the canal bank, and men fished in silent contentment, despite the cold.

The towpath leads to Winkwell, were there is a mechanised swing bridge, unusual on a canal, and another inn, the Three Horseshoes which dates back to the 16th Century. In the summer months, the patrons of the inn take their lunches al fresco, but today they were tucked up indoors. I couldn't blame 'em.

Further along the towpath, at "bridge 145", I turned for Bourne End. Most people drive through the village, but they should know that the Church of St John the Evangelist was consecrated by the Bishop of Rochester in 1855, and they might care to reflect that the trickling River Bulbourne we see today was once a much greater water course. There are pretty cottages in Bourne End Lane, after which a map is useless unless it shows the modern bypass, directly ahead. Beyond, a quiet farm road leads to a footpath sign directing hikers across open country. It leads to HM Prison, The Mount. Best behaviour, please: you may be on CCTV.

The prison occupies a corner of what was Bovingdon aerodrome. Today, you may hear the sound of a distant jet, bound for Luton, but 60 years ago you would have heard other aircraft taking off and landing here. In 1942, Flying Fortresses of the USAF flew from Bovingdon's three runways, bound for Germany. At over 500 feet and generally flat, this area was well suited for such missions. Indeed, Bovingdon's name derives from the Old English, Bufan Dune, meaning "above hill", presumably because of its high position.

You might have had a glimpse, too, of one or two of the men who would later become Hollywood celebrities. Clark Gable, James Stewart and William Holden flew from here as airmen, while Glen Miller and Bob Hope visited American forces on the base. Today, this vast expanse of open ground is silent, except when put to use as a Saturday market and for banger racing.

In the village, straw-plaiting once thrived. The straw was brought from Luton, and worked in people's homes. The ages of two of the pubs are unclear: the Bell may be 18th Century, the Bull a little earlier. Similar names may be the cause of confusion. It seems the Bull may have been the hideout of a wartime spy, following the discovery of a radio transmitter in the attic in 1985.

In the centre of the village is the Old Well, "dedicated in loving memory to Ye Hon Granville de Ryder", whose family provided the village with water. It's over 100 years old. Even older are the foundations of nearby St Lawrence's Church. A church stood on the site around 1200, but the present building was opened in 1846. It has an extensive, well kept churchyard, with neatly trimmed lawns.

An ancient lane leads through woodland and across Sheethanger Common. Now, I'm not one who favours graffiti on public walls, but the artistic "quotations" on the concrete walls of the bridge carrying the bypass are worth anyone's time, 19th Century on one wall, 20th on the other. My favourite was: "You might as well fall flat on your face as lean over too far backwards". Worth remembering, next time you have to take a risk.

Approximate distance: 7 miles

Start and Finish: St John's Church, Boxmooor

Route

Boxmoor, Grand Union Canal, Bourne End, Bovingdon, Sheethangar Common

Abbreviations

l.=left; r.=right; n. s. e. w.=north, south, east, west; br.=bridge; r.o.w.=right of way; PH=public house; m.=mile; s/post=signpost; f/post=fingerpost; b/way=bridleway; ch.=church; f/p = footpath; r/way=railway; cont.=continue; FM=farm

Directions

Go to canal, cross moor (not canal) to children's playground, Cont. Kingsland Road to The Fisheries PH. Take towpath via Winkwell to Bridge 145, then Heath Lane to Bourne End (Church). Take Bourne End Lane to roundabout, under bypass, take farm rd. past Vale Farm to public f/p sign. Head s.e. on r.o.w. Negotiate path around The Mount (HM Prison) to Bovingdon. Proceed to St Lawrence's Church. Leave churchyard by lych gate, cont. n.e. on bridleway, 0.75m., take r.o.w. across fields and woods/golf course across Sheethanger Common to The Swan PH on old A41. Under bypass to canal, take towpath to Boxmoor

Pubs

Boxmoor: The Steamcoach, The Fisheries Inn

Winkwell: Three Horseshoes

Bourne End: White Horse, Anchor

Bovingdon: Halfway House, The Bull, The Bell

A41/Box Lane: The Swan

Reproduced from Limited Edition magazine, exclusive guides to living in Hertfordshire, Middlesex and the London Borough of Barnet (01923 216295).

For a printable map of the walk, please click the image below.