Hula-HOOP Hoof - 24th September 2026
Leader: Ritchie Lawrence
A dozen walkers joined Ritchie Lawrence for his maiden walk as leader, on this joint E&H/BBN walk around Hitchin following the Outer Orbital Loop.
Pirton Social Club is a great venue to meet up as it opens from 8am on Thursday for breakfast refreshments and toilets. And the car park is free!
The weather at the start was overcast and cool, but by mid-morning the sun was out and temperatures started to rise. Time to take off a layer and put a hat on.
We headed off to Ickleford and then up to Wilbury Hill where we stopped for a quick break and to admire the views across the countryside. We then headed south skirting the edge of Letchworth for our lunch at the picnic tables in Wymondley Woods.
After lunch we headed southwest, keeping south of Hitchin, and crossed the River Hiz at Charlton, before heading north, dropping into the heart of Hitchin Town Centre. Afternoon break was at Grey’s Lane Play Area. An opportunity for some walkers to revisit their childhood. The final stretch took us through Oughtonhead Common but we avoided the path along the River Oughton as Ritchie advised that the path underfoot was very uneven with tree roots. Before long, we were back in Pirton.
Well done and thank you to Ritchie for organising the walk. The route was excellent and all the stops were well planned, with plenty of seating for us all. Look forward to joining you on the next one.
Jim Blakelock
