Sarratt Walk 03

The river Chess looking south to Chorleywood

This is a 4.5 mile circular walk starting & ending at Sarratt village hall.
It's one of the more strenuous walks in this collection but I would still grade it as easy to moderate and suitable for families as the paths are generally wide and provide for easy walking, but please remember to keep any accompanying dogs under control at all times, This walk meanders through woods and fields and crosses (twice) the lovely River Chess where the last remaining commercial watercress beds are at Valley Farm, whose shop is open for purchases.
This walk took me a little under 2 hrs. on a glorious day in mid June 2012.
A map of the walk is attached HERE

Lovely Oak tree on The Greem

With your back to the Village Hall go left up the Green, keeping to the left hand side and passing the shop. Notice the beautiful oak trees, each one so symmetrical, just lovely, down the centre of the Green. Continue onwards past Dawes Lane on your left and The Boot PH on your right, then just past the old Victorian post box there is a footpath on your left by Morton's Cottage

Lovely tree lined path from the Green

Turn left down the beautiful avenue of trees between the houses and then pass through a kissing gate and into an open field.
Continue on, keeping to the left hand side along by the hedgerows until you come across another kissing gate which you continue through and into Dawes Common.
Continue along the footpath in a Southerly direction. There are many little footpaths here and which one you take is a matter of choice so long as you proceed to the South (or to your left) as they all come out onto Dawes Lane, which is where you want to be.

Exit from Dawes Common onto Dawes Lane

If you've kept to the "main" path through this small common then you arrive at this signpost - but don't worry if you appear somewhere else on the road - all you need to remember is turn right and proceed down the hill.

Bottom of Dawes Lane before turning right along Sarratt Bottom

Towards the bottom of Dawes Lane you should pass Cakebread Cottage on your left.
I only include this little marker as I just love the name, I wonder if they were bakers, or maybe they just used to do a lot of cakemaking in days gone by?
One day I will knock on their door and very politely ask about the history of their lovely cottage, in particular why it is called so.

Road going down to Valley Farm and the watercress beds

At the bottom of Dawes Lane turn right along Sarratt Bottom proceed onward for about 400 yards and then turn left upon a concrete road to Valley Farm and on your left along this driveway are the last commercial cress beds on the River Chess.
Normally lots of horses in the fields on your right and on my particular walk I encountered an avid bird watcher who said he was having a bad day but that there were normally many less common species around these part with the river and the woods on the far side. Unfortunately I omitted to ask him what they were!

"The Splash" A ford across River Chess at Valley Farm

At Valley Farm there is a farm shop where you can purchase cress.
Just past the farm entrance you come to "The Splash", an old ford across the river where I'm told Kingfishers abound, but I haven't seen one yet, so who knows how "abound" they are?
Cross the ford and follow the narrow road called Holloway Lane upto the point where it bends to the right and you will see on your left, the footpath leading into Mount Wood.

Entrance to Mount Wood

Go through the kissing gate and proceed onwards through the wood.

The main path through Mount Wood

This is a lovely part of the walk especially in summer when I went through, with the sun shining through the trees and all the birds singing.
This is a straightforward, broad path through the woods with no offshoots, just keep going until you reach the kissing gate at the far end - about 15-20 minutes.

Small concrete bridge across River Chess

As you emerge from Mount Wood turn left through the rivers flood plain and cross a small wooden bridge before arriving at the main concrete bridge which crosses the river proper.
Look around and enjoy the views, the beautiful willows now just behind you and of course the river.

The river Chess looking towards Chorleywood

Path from River Chess to Holy Cross church - note Goldingtons top left.

Proceed just past these two cottages and then turn left up the hill towards Holy Cross church.

Note in the picture towards the top left is "Goldingtons", a rather nice little country house that was reputedly used for the wedding scenes in the film "Four Weddings and a Funeral".

The Cock Inn, Sarratt

On reaching the top of the hill follow the path heading towards the church.
With the church on your left and the Almshouses on your right, cross the road and proceed forward about 50 yards to The Cock Inn on your right in Church Lane.

Footpath leading from Cock Inn towards Sarratt Road

Go diagonally to the far corner of the Cock Inn car park where a footpath is signposted to Micklefield.
Take this path through the trees and onward until you emerge into open fields.
Go through the stiles and walk diagonally uphill across the field. Cross another stile and keeping to the left follow the hedgerow onward to the Sarratt Road,.

Footpath turns sharp right BEFORE Sarratt Road

Do not cross the road at this point but turn sharp right staying in the field beside the hedge and walking parrallel to the road.
About 300 yards on there is a stile in a small opening in the hedge which gives you access again to Sarratt Road.

Cross Sarratt Road and follow this path opposite

At this point cross the road to the path directly opposite.
Please take great care here as there is no pavement and the traffic is frequent and fast.
Once across the road proceed along the opposite path until you reach a broad track (about 50-100 yards) where you turn left.

Broad track leading to Newhall Farm

This is a wide track flanked by hedgerows and eventually leads to Newhall Farm
Goldfinches are very common along this stretch and can frequently be seen flitting from hedge to hedge.

Take left footpath towards Sarratt past the pylon

Stay on this track for about 800 yards until you reach a footpath on your left which crosses a field that has an electricity pylon in the middle of it.
Take this path and proceed to its end where you go through a stile into Deadmans Ash Lane.

Junction of Deadmans Ash Lane with Sarratt Road and Dimmocks Lane

Turn left at Deadmans Ash Lane, then immediately right at the corner of Sarratt Road Dimmocks Lane and this will return you to the Village Hall, on your left after about 400 yards.

I hope you enjoyed your walk, that the weather was kind and the paths up and down the Chess valley were not too onerous.

If you found any errors, spelling or otherwise, or difficulty with my directions then do please let me know, I'm always looking to improve my information.

Suggestions are also always welcome.

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