The Ultimate London Walk – Section 1: Hadley Wood to High Barnet  New Walk!

This is it. The start line of an epic journey across the capital – one foot in Hertfordshire, one in London. Move off  dipping down the Broadgate meadows with their Green Belt ‘mosaic of habitats’ to enjoy the pasture beyond. And pause. Is this where London’s green belt is too tight for its housing appetite? Might it be loosened? Diving into Hadley Woods, it’s easy leave that thought behind.

And as you emerge onto Hadley Common the Tudor tower of St Mary’s church heralds the village of Monken Hadley clustered round its green and village ponds. Really? In Greater London?  Yes really.

Imposing house fronts speak of centuries of well-to-do living –in touching distance of the city. The cottage clusters may have serviced Great North Road coaching inns  – one change of horses out from London. Then the view – a great vista of what’s ahead on this journey before the hill plunges towards High Barnet. To finish, you’re on the ground of the Barnet horses fairs, where Romany and traveller families bought and sold, where horses raced till the railway cut the course in half. This is a London like you’ve never seen it.

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE GUIDING