Lea Valley U3A

Leader : Sue and Barrie Spice

The group which was reformed in January 2006 has since regularly held successful short walks with between with 14 and 34 people taking part each time.

It is intended that, in as far as is possible walks will take place on the 3rd Sunday in each month and be between 2 and 3 miles in length. Weather permitting the group meet at the chosen venue at 10.15am with the walk starting at 10.30hrs. The start/finish point is somewhere where it is easy to park vehicles and normally where there is a place to obtain at least tea or coffee at the end of the walk.

Whilst the routes chosen will normally be restricted to well marked footpaths, boots, trainers or other sensible shoes are the recommended footwear. 

At this stage it is felt a group size of 40 is probably the maximum for any particular walk.

Next Short Walk:-

The next Short Walk will be on Sunday 19th June and will start from the Public Car Park in Stanstead Abbotts, Main St. Meeting time will be at 10.15hrs as normal and the walk will start at 10.30hrs.

2012 Olympic Year Challenge:-

Herts Regional Network of U3A's are planning to present a special challenge for 2012, aimed both at our Walking Groups and individual U3A members. The idea is that approximately once a week over a 4 month period, starting in April 2012, we will plan to walk one of the listed sections of the "Hertfordshire Way" long distance footpath. Sections of the walk are each around 11 miles in length making a total distance of 194 miles. It is hoped the county's various U3A's will agree to take on the responsibility for organising the walking of one of the sections.

It is already known that there are some U3A members who wish to take on the challenge of walking all sections of the Hertfordshire Way between April and July next year. There are also some people who have said they would like to walk one or more complete sections and some individuals have indicated they would be happy to walk part of one section, perhaps as part of a relay effort.

We will also be looking for people who don't wish, or are unable, to walk to act as supporters.
Hopefully some of these folks can help provide transport and others might staff refreshment points on route.

Lea Valley U3A Short Walks Group members will be kept fully informed as the plans take shape.
At present it is likely we will be asked to take responsibility for Leg 10b of the Hertfordshire Way which runs from Broxbourne Station to Hertford.

A10 Footbridge and local footpath NEWS.

In November 2010 it was reported that the new footbridge across the A10 by Theobalds Lane, was completed and open to the public. It was noted that additional construction work was being done to provide linked footpaths and cycle-ways on the A10 to the south of Theobalds Lane and that Hertfordshire County Council have been asked to take action to ensure the footpath by Oyler's Farm was returned to a useable condition.

It is good to be able to report that the footpath by Oyler's Farm has now been cleared and a new footpath direction sign placed at that point. The footpath itself is quite narrow and a little uneven underfoot but it enables a nice circular walk starting at Cedars Park continuing over the new A10 footbridge to the New River by St Mary's School. Turning south along the New River Path the walk continues to a point just north of the M25 where you turn left through a pedestrian gate onto the cleared footpath to Oylers Farm. Continue straight ahead on the track past the farm outbuildings until you reach the A10. Turn left and cross the road at the pedestrian lights.

You can then either continue north along the A10 until you get back to the footbridge and return to Cedars Park or, take the road behind the News Print Factory and then the bridleway leading to the railway crossing and on into Park Lane, Waltham Cross. At the end turning left takes you back along the High St. to Theobalds Station and left into Theobalds Lane back to Cedars Park.

Cleared Footpath - Photographs.

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