Back to school time and many of you may be returning from holidays but your Secretaries are just heading off on their trips – Tracy to Denmark and the Baltics and I’m off to China and Japan, so there may be no mid month update in September, as I’m not sure how connected I’ll be whilst in China. However, for those of you who are here there are walks to keep you busy, including a weekday one. If any of you would like to pen an article for Strider you’ll see from Graham Smith’s message below, which he asked we share with all members, that he’d love to hear from you and this update closes with a reminder about the cosy neckwear competition.

September Walks

Sun 6th Sep 2026 Pelham High Tea walk
Group Walk - 18ml. 9am From Maggie’s house, SG9 0LL. w3w ///appoints.nearing.pacifist. (GR TL436277). Figure of 8. Elevenses in Clavering after about 6 miles. Lunch stop in Maggie’s garden with tea/coffee and cakes provided at 12 miles. Short afternoon walk of 6 miles. C: Maggie Stevenson T: 07752 35246

Sun 13th Sep 2026 Essex Walker Marshal’s Walk
A chance for those who are volunteering on the Essex Walker challenge event on 25th October to walk the route (18 or 26 miles), testing the Route Description and GPX file.

Sun 20th Sep 2026 Village stroll from Hertford
Group Walk - 18ml. 9am Hartham Lane Car Park, Hertford, SG14 1QR. Out of Hertford on the Cole Green Way, to Little Berkhamstead, and Newgate St, returning via Broxbourne woods and Hertford Heath. Snack breaks at 7 and 14 miles. Parking charge of £2.10 can be claimed from me on the day. C: Paul Smith T: 07803 854803 (email contact anytime, text or call outside of normal working hours please). E:hapamaja@gmail.com

Thu 24th Sep 2026 Hula-HOOP Hoof
Group Walk - 15ml. 9.30am Pirton Sports & Social Club, Walnut Tree Road, Pirton, Hitchin SG5 3PX. ///tarnished.feast.flaking. (GR TL150315). Join us for a circuit around Hitchin as we take on the HOOP (Hitchin Outer Orbital Path). We'll use the historic Hambridge Way to access the HOOP which we'll tackle in a clockwise direction. Our route takes us through Ickleford and past Cadwell Lavender Farm before we head up to Wilbury Hill for a morning break. From there we'll head south on the fields between Hitchin and Letchworth where we'll briefly leave the HOOP onto permissive paths for our lunch at the picnic tables in Wymondley Woods. We'll rejoin the HOOP to pass Nine Springs and head through Charlton before dropping into the heart of Hitchin Town Centre for an afternoon break at the historic cobbled Market Place square. We'll hit the home stretch through via Oughtonhead Common Nature Reserve before heading back into Pirton. This is a joint walk with BBN. The car park is free. There are toilets in the PSSC Cafe which opens at 8am. Please bring a packed lunch and plenty of water. Free toilets in Hitchin town centre. No dogs please. C: Ritchie Lawrence T: 07933 568633 E: ritchie.lawrence@gmail.com

Strider - Message from Graham Smith, Acting Editor Strider
Dear LDWA member,

I do hope you enjoyed the August Strider. Neil Smy - who has looked after Strider production for 25 years - and I made some small changes to the look of the magazine which were aimed at making Strider a little easier to read and a bit more modern, and we made a significant change to the front cover. We do hope you approved.

This is just to let you know that I will be looking after the December Strider and I will be helped by Matthew Lister, a fairly new LDWA member who lives in South Yorkshire and who - like me - is very keen for our magazine to showcase the work of our groups as much as possible. Ken Falconer, who took on the April Strider and was a huge help with the August edition, will also be assisting.

As always, Strider your magazine is written by LDWA members for members. So please send me news of new events; event reports; particularly noteworthy group walks; involvement with walking festivals; work your members may have carried out such as repairing footpaths or installing new bridges – anything you feel is newsworthy. Contributions will be gratefully received, and if I could receive them before the end of September, that would be a great help. Please send them to me on the email address striding2017@gmail.com

I look forward to hearing from you – and happy walking!

Graham Smith,
Acting editor, Strider

2026 Neckwear Competition
Don’t forget our cosy neckwear competition where prizes are available. Categories this year are:

• Best E&H cosy neckwear photo taken within the county of Essex
• Best E&H cosy neckwear photo taken within the county of Hertfordshire
• Most intrepid sporting activity undertaken whilst wearing your E&H cosy neckwear

There are already some examples on our website, but many are not taken in Essex or Herts so your chance of being a winner in one of these categories is currently good! Entering is as simple as sending your photo/s to Lizzie, our Walks Secretary at essexandherts.walks@ldwa.org.uk stating your full name, category entered and when and where the photo was taken before 1st December 2026.

Have a good month.

Sue
Essex & Herts LDWA - Welcome to the Essex/Herts LDWA website
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