After the snow of the previous walk this leg (which I walked back in March) was warm and sunny (with the odd brief shower) and the signs of spring were everywhere.
The walk started beside the Grand Union canal and boat owners were out fettling their boats ready for the season. This stretch of the canal has nice houses running down to the water, must be very pleasant to be able to step out the back gate of your garden and to have the canal to sit by or walk along. Lots of waterfowl out as well, ducks, moorhens and swans making their serene way along the water and bulbs flowering in the hedgerows and willows starting to bud and give that lovely lime green colour to the woods.
The walk goes past several large man made lakes with several pairs of crested grebes on the water and goldfinches and chaffinches in the trees all making a lot of noise. The noises are likely to change in the future if the planned HS2 train route goes through this region as planned, and not for the better.
The route moves away from the canal briefly and passes a rotted barge amongst the wood, it reminded me a bit of the dragon cocoons in the Robin Hobb books as it sat amongst the moss covered trees.
As the canal goes through South Harefield a new development of canal side houses have been built with their own narrow boat docks which must make parking easier!
Soon after the path leaves the canal for the last time and enters a completely different landscape. A steep and pretty climb leads you through woodlands which when spring arrives will be carpeted with bluebells, only the green leaves showing at the time of the walk but will probably look spectacular later in the year.
The way gets excessively muddy as you go through the wood and the path is a little unclear in places before you leave the Loop and climb towards alongside the tracks towards the tube station at Moor Park.
One of the better legs of the walk with a nice variety of landscapes and plenty to occupy the eye as you go along.
