Lyndsey Aberromby Photography
Places To Paddle Near Berkhamsted
With more hot weather forecast over the coming weeks, I wanted to share some of the best spots for paddling near Berkhamsted. Places to paddle tend to get passed around by word of mouth, so I’m sharing some of the best places we’ve discovered here. Do bear in mind that spots can change, so check them out for yourself before paddling, and supervise children near water at all times.
Here are five of our favourites.
Aston Clinton Park
First on the list, and one of the easiest to visit, is the park at Aston Clinton. There’s plenty of parking, lots to explore, and the stream (just past the park) is shallow and great for small children. The café on site is perfect for refreshments afterwards.
Redbourn
The charming village of Redbourn has a couple of spots perfect for paddling on the River Ver. Just off the High Street there’s a ford on Water End Road. My son spent hours here when he was younger, splashing through the water and running back and forth across the footbridge. The road is in use, so keep an eye out for the postman and other traffic while you paddle. Closer to the Common, just down from the play park, there’s another spot to paddle. There’s a large step into the water here, so small children will need a hand. Redbourn’s paddling spots are best as stops on a walk around the village rather than all-day picnic destinations.
There’s nothing like a hot day, a shallow river and the sound of children splashing.
Water End
Tucked away behind the Ashridge estate near Berkhamsted, the River Gade meanders peacefully across a beautiful field full of wildflowers and butterflies. There’s parking in laybys on the nearby roads, and from there you follow the paths across the field to the river crossing.
River Chess, near Sarratt Bottom
There are several lovely places to paddle along the River Chess, but our favourite is at Sarratt Bottom. A short walk from the road brings you to a small field with a little beach leading into a wide section of river. There’s space to picnic, and you can walk a good way down the river in the water, so it’s a lovely place to spend a few hours. You can paddle and splash, and the water is even deep enough for little ones to swim in places. We saw a few families out exploring the river with boats too.
River Chess, near Chenies
For a longer day, you can also paddle the Chess near Chenies. We headed out one sunny Saturday morning and were treated to a varied, well-signposted walk across open fields, through woodland and down to the river. There are lots of footpaths in the area, so you can make the walk as long as you fancy, and the Frogmore Meadows Nature Reserve is well worth exploring too. Start at Chenies Village Green, where there was plenty of on-road parking when we visited. From the green, walk along the quiet track heading east. Follow the tarmac path out of the houses until it ends, then pick up the grass track to the right of the farm. Once past the farm, take the footpath to the left, which heads into the woods and down the hill. At the bottom, a short walk of around 150m along Holloway Lane brings you to the river. If you’d rather not cross through the water, there’s a footbridge too.
I hope you enjoy these. We’ve had so much fun exploring them all and making the most of the warm weather. Many of these rivers are great for paddling in wellies year-round, too. And if you’re bringing a buggy, the easiest spots to access are Aston Clinton Park and Water End.
Do you know somewhere near Berkhamsted that should be on the list? Let me know and I’ll add it to part two, which is on its way.
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Several of these spots make gorgeous backdrops for a family photoshoot, all natural light, water and that easy outdoor feel. If you’d like to capture your family somewhere like this, get in touch or read more about family photoshoots here.
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