"A Sunday Morning Walk thro ..." a St Albans Travel Page by St_Vincent

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The Duke of Marlborough

This walk starts at St Albans Abbey British Rail station at the foot of Holywell Hill. It is important to note that this is not the main station and has no direct links to London. It is a shuttle service leaving Watford Junction at 6 minutes past every hour on a Sunday arriving at St Albans about 20 minutes later. It is also served by bus 321 between Luton & Watford and by some local buses. If you are driving there is a small car park that is free on Sundays. The whole walk should take you between one and a half and two and a half hours depending on how many stops you make. Of course if you stop at any of the pubs it could be longer.

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View of the Abbey across the old orchard

Turn right out of the station exit and cross the main road at the lights heading towards Holywell Hill, don't worry you don't need to walk up it. Go past the entrance to the park and cross the river by way of the wooden bridge. You should turn left into Grove Road that takes you round the back of the Duke of Marlborough pub and turn left into Lady Spencer's Grove that runs alongside the school. You will soon come to an open space and get a glimpse of the Cathedral through the trees across what was the old abbey orchard. Don't turn towards the Abbey but walk straight keeping the hedge on your left (this can get muddy when it has been raining) and you will reach Ye Olde Fighting Cocks Pub. You should remember this route, as you will need to retrace your steps later. Have a look around and over the bridge to the left you will see the Verulamium Park and its lake.

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The Great Gate of the Monastery

Turn away from the park and proceed up Abbey Mill Lane, which goes up either side of the pub. You will pass a number of quaint old houses on the way to getting your first view of the Cathedrals grand entrance on your right. If you want to visit the cathedral the visitors centre can be found around the right hand side although some parts will be inaccessible if there is a service going on. You can of course join a service if you wish. At the top of Abbey Mill Lane you will see a wonderful arched structure which is part of the 15th Century Great Gate of the Monastery, now part of St Albans School. Go through the arch and bear left following the road past the school and descend down into Fishpool Street.

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Fishpool Street

This is a residential area that is a real treat, a mix of old and older properties, steeped entrances, wrought iron door knockers & boot scrapers, cobbled pathways and ivy clad walls. Soon you will pass the Lower Red Lion (something I have always found it difficult to do), this is an old coaching inn and one of the best real ale pubs in St Albans. Further on you will see St Michael's Manor, an old manor house which is now a luxury hotel, rumoured to be a base for the England football team when they are playing at Wembley. Continue down to the bottom of Fishpool St. where you will find two pubs, the Blue Anchor and the Black Lion Inn. Of the two I would recommend the latter, which is also a hotel.

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The Rose & Crown

Follow the road round left over the bridge and past the entrance to the park (I promise we'll go in soon) into the St Michael's area. Here you will see two wonderful old pubs, the Rose & Crown and the Six Bells, again I would recommend the latter. Follow the road up towards St Michael's church and turn left where you see the signs to the Roman Verulamium and walk the museum. The museum is unfortunately closed on Sundays. Take the track to the left of the car park past the Wildlife Trust Offices and you will reach the Inn on the Park, which is a nice place to stop for a refreshment break, freshly brewed tea and great home made cakes. You can also buy bird food here for the wildlife on the lake.

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The Boating Pond

After this you have an optional diversion. If it is in the football season and between 10.00 and 12.00 you can turn right from the Inn on the Park and have a laugh at what passes for Sunday morning football in England. If however the prospect of watching grown men with hangovers who should know better swearing at the referee and fighting amongst themselves doesn't appeal to you, I'll take you the other way.
Turn left out of the Inn on the Park and follow the track down to the lake where you will first see the boating pond. Don't expect to be able to hire a rowing boat though, this is strictly for model boats where every Sunday morning grown men without hangovers who don't know any better can be found proudly displaying their latest creations, and hoping they will not be sunk by the angry swans.

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Verulamium Lake

Cross the bridge and walk along the far side of the lake as you can also see the wildlife in the River Ver that runs parallel to the lake. Often you can see some great fights between the birds around here, I never knew birds could be so aggressive until I started walking around this lake. At certain places around the lake you will find official feeding stations where you can feed the wildlife with the food you bought at the Inn. Do beware though that as soon as you look as though you have food you will quickly be surrounded by hoards of hungry mouths.

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Ye Olde Fighting Cocks

At the end of the lake you will rediscover Ye Olde Fighting Cocks on your left. Even if it is open, at the time of writing, I would not recommend it for anything other than a quick drink and a comfort break. I will check later and amend this advice if I find the pub has improved. You should now retrace your steps across the old orchard and take the footpath leading to the Duke of Marlborough, across the wooden bridge and over the main road. If you want an alternatively (and less muddy) route back then from Ye Olde Fighting Cocks go back and walk along the end of the pond past the public conveniences untiol you come to the first paved footpath leading left. This will take you past the car parks and the leisure centre and will bring you out onto the main road. Cross the road to reach St Albans Abbey station where you can pick up the car or catch the train that leaves at 27 mins. past the hour on Sundays.