LOCAL ACCESS FORUM

Hertfordshire

Field Trips

Winter Field Trip, January 2012
Panshanger Park, Hertford

Best kept secret and not for long. This former Capability Brown park has been quarried since the late 70s/early 80s and it is now about to be given back for the enjoyment of the public. Several paths have already been opened and by the this summer more will open. Over the next 2-4 years all of the park should be restored and opened to the public to enjoy. One of the areas is still being quarried and will soon be closed and restored as other parts of the park. The park will provide an oasis for people and wildlife alike. When you wander through the park you can are hardly aware of the major transport routes nearby, you are completely enveloped by the woods and your attention is taken by the beautiful open spaces and flora and fauna that thrive in the park.

We are looking forward to enjoying it openly soon. In the meantime, have a look at some of the shots taken to wet your appetite.

Summer Field Trip, September 2011
Ellenbrook Fields, Hatfield

The former British Aerospace area was 800 acres. Now 400 acres have been developed and the remaining 400 have been turned into an area to be enjoyed by all.
The Ellenbrook Field Project is being funded with the help of s106 money and Goodman which commissioned Maydencroft Rural Agency to look after and progress this project. The scheme has been looked at as a 10 year project to manage and develop.
The project has divided the 400 acres in 4 areas of development:

The site is also earmarked as gravel extraction site. Not at the moment however there might be a time in the future when this will be implemented.
Presently half of the old taxing route has been left in place and provides a neat drive/area where people walk and exercise. The area we surveyed used to be grassland and the grass cut by the old aerospace.

The old runaway was crushed and all the concrete was used as foundation for the houses on the other 400 acres of the site that has already been developed. Very little is left from the old aerospace.
Part of the woodland we saw in the distance has been used by the film industry. Films like ‘Saving Private Ryan’ and ‘Band of Brothers’ have been filmed in part here.

Works at Ellenbrook Fields commenced on the ground ca. 1 year ago when the managing agent started fencing the area. They finished in March 2011 and the cattle was introduced soon after and had been in situ ever since.
With regard to the Woodland, this is native to Hertfordshire and is made of hornbeam which used to be coppiced regularly (evidence on site) this kind of woodland is recognised as typical of Hertfordshire. The trees were not coppiced for a long time, and last year the team experimented with ¼ of the woodland and coppiced it. The trees have started sprouting again, so this year it will be applied to another ¼ of the woodland.
The area is an Open Access site. Ponds are present in the father part of the park (nearer the houses) and have been restored. These are fed by water ends channelled from the housing estates during their construction
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View some of the picures here and click for the video here

Winter Field trip, February 2011
Ver Valley Walk, nr Redbourn

Following the presentation at the December Public Meeting from the chairman of the Ver Valley Society, the LAF went to visit part of the open walk and see first hand the river, the challenges encountered by the Society and
experiencing first hand biodiversity and access issues.

more photos...

Summer Field Trip, June 2010
Cross Farm, Harpenden

Situated between Harpenden and Nomansland, Wheathampsted, we were welcomed by the farmer, Mr Will Dickinson, and his son who took us around their farm and land and pointed out the challenges they are often facing when fields have Rights of Way crossing them or are in the vicinity. About a Bridleway about to be dedicated and the long delays... the LAF will be on the case and give a helpful prod to all concerned parties.

click here for more photos

Winter Field Trip, January 2010
Radlett SRFI
This area of land east of Park Street is the subject of a planning application to develop a Strategic Rail-Freight Interchange (road to rail and vice versa). It is envisaged that there are only a limited number of such interchanges nationwide, hence it strategic nature. On the former wartime airfield, which is currently farmed, a new railway is planned to enter the site, interchange warehouses will be built covering the site in buildings up to 1 km long and lorry movements will increase on the A414 / A405 and access routes to the A1(M), M1 and M25. A mitigation package of extensive country parks, permissive path routes and a few changes to the definitive network has been proposed by the developers.

Wall Hall
This former university site is owned by HCC and the farms around it are overseen by the Rural Estates team. As a result of the redevelopment of the buildings, into private residences, s106 funding was secured to upgrade and improve the rights of way network on the site. A package of improvements including; upgrades to bridleways, creating routes along former missing links in the network and surfacing improvements are underway using that funding with the cooperation of Hertsmere Borough Council's Greenways Officer, HCC's Rights of Way Service and the Rural Estates team.
Click on the links to view maps and more photos. maps: SRFI, Wall Hall; photos.

Summer Field Trip , July 2009

Early in July 2009 LAF members attended an on-site briefing on the Ayot Green Way by members of the RoW Service.
Issues highlighted were:

Winter Field Trip, January 2009

The Forum met on a very wet day in Sandridge to view the newly acquired site by the Woodland Trust, which forms part of the Heartwood Forest project. Representives of the Woodland Trust joined the Forum and were instrumental to the understanding of the project.
more discussion and contributions are hoped will come at the February Public Meeting, when once again the Woodland Trust are invited to present the project to the public and those members who could not join on the walk. The project will put together a lot of different groups and communities to work together to achieve the success of this local project.

inspecting a new gate soon to be planted with trees

Summer Field Trip, 2006

The theme for the Forum’s summer field trip was ““Impact of Roads on Access””. Forum members toured a number of sites looking a range of problems and solutions – this culminated in a practical demonstration, by one of the LAF members, of an at-grade horse crossing on the A414 near Colney Heath.

The the verge has been surfaced to create an off road route for pedestrians, horseriders and cyclists – which also links a number of rights of way.
Members were impressed by the cloverleaf crossing near Watford which opened last year after many years of hard work (since the early 90’s) by Hertsmere Borough Council, local users and the police. Horses, cyclists and walkers can now get across the A41 without having to risk mixing with busy traffic. This is a landmark scheme as it is the first time that non motorised users have been allowed to legally use a motorway verge – requiring ministerial permission to vary Section 16 of the Highways Act 1980 for the M1.LAF members on Summer Field Trip at Horse Crossing on A414
At Tykeswater Lane the LAF members were able to see the potential difficulties when rights of way are added to the definitive map or have their status changed. The change in status of Tykeswater from footpath to byway was confirmed in 2005 – however there are serious concerns about the safety of users on horse back and in vehicle when joining Theobald Street from the right of way.
An example of measures that have been put in place to improve crossing was seen at the “Pegasus” crossing on Bell Lane near London Colney – a light controlled crossing with specific provision for horses. However they are not a universal solution as they can only be sited on suitable stretches of road with adequate visibility. Cost is also an issue.
A stretch of the A414 highlighted typical problems faced by pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders where access routes cross busy roads. It is difficult to convey in words the impact of the horse crossing demonstration – at grade crossings certainly must deter use by some people – as this exercise was tackled by a very experienced rider on a quiet and calm horse.

Summer Field Trip, June 2005

The Forum Summer Field Trip to Broxbourne woods led by Heidi Hutton,
Projects Officer for CMS, proved a valuable insight into the improvements
being made in the area. The Forum took a circular route from The Woodman
public house which also included the newly constructed boardwalks nearing completion in Danesmead Nature Reserve, and sections of the roman road Ermine Street. A sculpture trail is planned for part of the wood and the tour provided a ‘before picture’ prior to the work beginning and the forum will have the opportunity to visit again in the autumn to see the finished result. The trip allowed the Forum to see and discuss several access points along the route.
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Spring Gathering, April 2005

The Forum met for an evening at the Waterend Barn in St. Albans to informally discuss the Forum. Members had the opportunity to air their views on how the Forum was meeting it’s requirements and how further improvements could be made. Members also provided positive feedback from their time on the Forum and what discoveries they had made by working together as a group.

Winter Walkabout, December 2004

The Forum held their first annual walkabout on Friday 10th December. This provided the opportunity for the Forum to meet socially and experience, as a group, the reality of countryside access. The Forum followed one of the Chilterns Country Walks that are widely available, starting in Lilley. The local Countryside Access Officer Tom Goldsmith accompanied them on the walk and was on hand to answer questions. Tom pointed out some of the improvements that he and his team have made recently, as well as describing proposals for future improvements. Members of the Forum commented that the day “provided a first-hand experience of the problems faced by officers trying to make the countryside more accessible to the public.”



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