From the car park head along the ride cut through the trees of Chorleywood Common. Ignoring a cross-track, turn left at the next crossroad of rides. Keep straight on, the route eventually merging with a lane close to The Black Horse pub.
Turn right and at a T-junction turn right again, into Berry Lane. Go, under the railway bridge, then turn left on to a woodland footpath. Shortly take the right fork to climb out of the valley, then walk alongside the M25, crossing it via a footbridge.
Turn right on to a path behind garden fences, then turn left through a barrier to a housing estate. Turn right, then, at a T-junction, go left into Chiltern Drive. Next turn right into Coombe Hill Road, then go straight on along a path to a cul-de-sac. Turn right by No. 13, then cross another green and a further path between gardens. At a road go right and at the T-junction go left along Church Lane to the main road.
Turn left and, past the bus stop, go right at the footpath sign. Cross over a footbridge, turn left, then right, over the River Colne on a bigger bridge. Follow the footpath between large lakes (old gravel pits).
Go through a kissing gate, turn left on to the Grand Union Canal tow path and follow this to Rickmansworth. Under the bypass bridge No. 173 turn left up some steps to the road. Go right to the roundabout, carrying straight on into Church Street, via the parish churchyard.
Go straight over Rickmansworth's High Street's crossroads into Northway, which curves left. Turn right into Solomon's Hill between blocks of flats, then right again on to a footpath alongside the railway. Turn left at the road and cross the A412 on the footbridge.
Go to the path to the left of the Catholic church, and pass a barrier on to waymarked Chess Valley Walk to reach the banks of the River Chess. Continue on the west bank to skirt a wood.
Beyond some paddocks cross a road, continuing on the Chess Valley Walk. Bear right at a path fork, Troutstream Way, cross another road and go through more pony paddocks to merge with a narrow tarmac lane. At a bend continue ahead on a grassy path, still on the Chess Valley Walk, and through a kissing gate walk alongside the M25.
At the road turn left, over the M25, going right at a footpath sign on reaching some houses, still on the Chess Valley Walk. Just before the tarmac track bears right, go left to the path within the edge of woods. Follow the path uphill. Just out of the wood continue ahead and beyond a small car park, go left into a park and follow the road past the cemetery to the gates and the car park.
Terrain
- Field paths, footpaths, canal tow path and some town pavements
Landscape
- Common, river valleys and water-meadows
Dog friendliness
- Great dog-socialising on Chorleywood Common; some pavements and horse paddocks; take care along the canal and banks of the River Chess
Parking
- Car park off A404 Rickmansworth Road on Chorleywood Common
Toilets en route
- None on route
About the walk
Chorleywood Common is one of several commons in West Hertfordshire that survived 19th-century attempts at enclosure. Covering over 200 acres (81ha), it is a haven for dog-walkers (and golfers). The east side of the common has a rather good church - its distinctive spire is a local landmark. The... church is an 1869 rebuild by G E Street of an earlier one erected in 1845 when Chorleywood became a separate parish. Beside it is the church school, parts of which date back to 1853. Lines of transport To the west is 'Metroland' Chorleywood, which grew up around the railway. The station opened in the late 1880s and this walk passes under the Metropolitan Line which runs along the south side of the common. Going back a century, as you approach Rickmansworth you follow the Grand Union Canal. It was originally called the Grand Junction Canal. In 1796 it was opened from London as far as Batchworth Lock. On the left, between the canal and the winding course of the River Colne, is the Rickmansworth Aquadrome, in a former gravel pit which has been flooded. There are other similarly flooded pits here, such as Stocker's Lake, now forming nature reserves where you can see a wide variety of waterfowl. On the right of the canal a large Tesco's has been built on the site of Frogmoor Wharf. Here, canal boats were built and coal and building materials were traded – at least its stone name-plaque has been preserved. Church Street Rickmansworth has suffered from over-zealous redevelopment through its northern and western relief roads, leading to considerable architectural loss. However, Church Street retains much of its character and several older buildings of note. The early 16th-century, timber-framed Priory (north of the church) was never a priory, but was probably a church house or 'marriage-feast' house. The church itself looks good but is entirely post-medieval. The tower dates from 1630 but the rest dates from the 19th century. Further up Church Street, The Feathers pub is partly Tudor and the vicarage has late medieval timber-framing. To the west of the church stands the town's best building, The Bury, now divided into apartments. It is Tudor and 17th century, and was the manor house until 1741. North of Rickmansworth our route along the Chess Valley gives views of an apparent neo-Georgian town in parkland on the hill to the west – this is the Royal Masonic School, built in the 1930s.
From the car park head along the ride cut through the trees of Chorleywood Common. Ignoring a cross-track, turn left at the next crossroad of rides. Keep straight on, the route eventually merging with a lane close to The Black Horse pub.
1 of 9
Turn right and at a T-junction turn right again, into Berry Lane. Go, under the railway bridge, then turn left on to a woodland footpath. Shortly take the right fork to climb out of the valley, then walk alongside the M25, crossing it via a footbridge.
2 of 9
Turn right on to a path behind garden fences, then turn left through a barrier to a housing estate. Turn right, then, at a T-junction, go left into Chiltern Drive. Next turn right into Coombe Hill Road, then go straight on along a path to a cul-de-sac. Turn right by No. 13, then cross another green and a further path between gardens. At a road go right and at the T-junction go left along Church Lane to the main road.
3 of 9
Turn left and, past the bus stop, go right at the footpath sign. Cross over a footbridge, turn left, then right, over the River Colne on a bigger bridge. Follow the footpath between large lakes (old gravel pits).
4 of 9
Go through a kissing gate, turn left on to the Grand Union Canal tow path and follow this to Rickmansworth. Under the bypass bridge No. 173 turn left up some steps to the road. Go right to the roundabout, carrying straight on into Church Street, via the parish churchyard.
5 of 9
Go straight over Rickmansworth's High Street's crossroads into Northway, which curves left. Turn right into Solomon's Hill between blocks of flats, then right again on to a footpath alongside the railway. Turn left at the road and cross the A412 on the footbridge.
6 of 9
Go to the path to the left of the Catholic church, and pass a barrier on to waymarked Chess Valley Walk to reach the banks of the River Chess. Continue on the west bank to skirt a wood.
7 of 9
Beyond some paddocks cross a road, continuing on the Chess Valley Walk. Bear right at a path fork, Troutstream Way, cross another road and go through more pony paddocks to merge with a narrow tarmac lane. At a bend continue ahead on a grassy path, still on the Chess Valley Walk, and through a kissing gate walk alongside the M25.
8 of 9
At the road turn left, over the M25, going right at a footpath sign on reaching some houses, still on the Chess Valley Walk. Just before the tarmac track bears right, go left to the path within the edge of woods. Follow the path uphill. Just out of the wood continue ahead and beyond a small car park, go left into a park and follow the road past the cemetery to the gates and the car park.
Terrain
- Field paths, footpaths, canal tow path and some town pavements
Landscape
- Common, river valleys and water-meadows
Dog friendliness
- Great dog-socialising on Chorleywood Common; some pavements and horse paddocks; take care along the canal and banks of the River Chess
Parking
- Car park off A404 Rickmansworth Road on Chorleywood Common
Toilets en route
- None on route
About the walk
Chorleywood Common is one of several commons in West Hertfordshire that survived 19th-century attempts at enclosure. Covering over 200 acres (81ha), it is a haven for dog-walkers (and golfers). The east side of the common has a rather good church - its distinctive spire is a local landmark. The... church is an 1869 rebuild by G E Street of an earlier one erected in 1845 when Chorleywood became a separate parish. Beside it is the church school, parts of which date back to 1853. Lines of transport To the west is 'Metroland' Chorleywood, which grew up around the railway. The station opened in the late 1880s and this walk passes under the Metropolitan Line which runs along the south side of the common. Going back a century, as you approach Rickmansworth you follow the Grand Union Canal. It was originally called the Grand Junction Canal. In 1796 it was opened from London as far as Batchworth Lock. On the left, between the canal and the winding course of the River Colne, is the Rickmansworth Aquadrome, in a former gravel pit which has been flooded. There are other similarly flooded pits here, such as Stocker's Lake, now forming nature reserves where you can see a wide variety of waterfowl. On the right of the canal a large Tesco's has been built on the site of Frogmoor Wharf. Here, canal boats were built and coal and building materials were traded – at least its stone name-plaque has been preserved. Church Street Rickmansworth has suffered from over-zealous redevelopment through its northern and western relief roads, leading to considerable architectural loss. However, Church Street retains much of its character and several older buildings of note. The early 16th-century, timber-framed Priory (north of the church) was never a priory, but was probably a church house or 'marriage-feast' house. The church itself looks good but is entirely post-medieval. The tower dates from 1630 but the rest dates from the 19th century. Further up Church Street, The Feathers pub is partly Tudor and the vicarage has late medieval timber-framing. To the west of the church stands the town's best building, The Bury, now divided into apartments. It is Tudor and 17th century, and was the manor house until 1741. North of Rickmansworth our route along the Chess Valley gives views of an apparent neo-Georgian town in parkland on the hill to the west – this is the Royal Masonic School, built in the 1930s.
