October 2023
It’s not often that you’ll see a numerically accurate, real life scene depicted in The Twelve Days of Christmas. Twelve drummers drumming, eleven pipers piping, ten lords a-leaping, probably never. Nine ladies dancing, eight maids a-milking, rarely. But seven swans a-swimming, yes definitely!

Spotting these youngsters on the canal right in the middle of Hemel this summer was a joy to behold. Just one of the many sights we come across on a Sunday afternoon walk along the Grand Union canal. A flash of turquoise from a flying kingfisher, a hungry heron with beak poised to pounce and an exotically colourful mandarin duck. It’s full of surprises. Like coming across a boat moored near Boxmoor with the back end of a car welded to the stern! 

For me, any walk along the GUC has to end with a pub lunch. The Boat at Berkhamsted is my favourite. It’s about an hour’s walk from Hemel but well worth the trip, with outdoor dining right on the canal and a very good menu. Another favourite is The Three Horseshoes at Winkwell. The food is not at Boat level but Fish Friday offers a top notch fish and chips. And the waterside setting is one of the prettiest.