Reasoning for this blog.

The 'ring of springs' in the Purwell Valley and the 'river-walk'

Many years ago I became interested and involved in a project mapping the springs around Hitchin.
At the time I was also busy doing other things. So, for me, the project was just a glimpse at the origins of the river system. A more in-depth exploration would come when I had more time.

As a child I used to be able to walk along the River Purwell from Grove Road through to Ickleford.
However, many years ago, the local council allowed landfill  to form a steep bank right into the river, which made it impossible to walk along. 
A couple of years ago, I decided it was time to reinstate the old walkway and cut a path through to Ickleford from Grove Road. (This is now completed to a rough stage but still needs alteration by widening and surfacing for wheelchair access)
Some years previously the Hitchin Rivers Society had started the concept of a river-walk by surfacing a walk from Ransoms Rec' through to Cadwell Land football field. The only problem with this was that it necessitated steps, which excluded wheelchair access.
It has been my intention to landscape the start of the footpath with infill so as to make the gradient wheelchair-friendly. This work is in progress at the present time alongside complementary work such as:

1) Widening and surfacing the long stretch for wheelchair access;
2) Creating an alternative woodland and riverside walk to get a closer view of the river; 
3) Making a parking space for the Day Centre minibus ;
4) Planting of more native species along the whole length of the walk;
5) 'Prettying' up the entrance with native flowers such as cowslips , bluebells etc;
6) The culvert at Grove Road just happens to also be the 'centre of the ring of springs' so I have in mind (at some time) to create a plinth, complete with appropriate map of the springs;
7) Also on the agenda is a path and sitting area where the two rivers (Hiz & Purwell) meet (by Grove Road Mill. - now a children's nursery);
8) I have just finished making a noticeboard for the Grove Road entrance to the walk and, hopefully I'll get it erected this week, if it stops raining and I can borrow a cordless drill.
9) Access to Walsworth Common and the springs along the River Purwell is presently via the very dangerous Woolgrove Road it is hoped that I can get a footbridge over the River Hiz at the site of the 'plinth' so that access can be alongside the river all the way to Walsworth common and beyond.
10) I have provided a selection of temporary recycling rubbish bins and  hopefully the local council will eventually provide a regular collection service.
11) The Triangle Community Garden project is on the river walk and at present I help them by cutting their hedge and grass. They have many mini-projects helping the vulnerable in society to enjoy gardening and I hope that their activities will eventually extend to the wider concept of 'nature's-garden' where there is not much for us to do except make a space to walk and respect what is already there.

There has been a great deal of interest in the river-walk since people have realised they can now walk all the way to Ickleford.
It was my longer-term concept to link up this river-walk with those in Bedfordshire - which eventually make their way alongside the River Great Ouse to the Wash. This would create one of the prettiest national walkways.

However, back to the more immediate and pragmatic tasks at a local level.

People have been asking about the riverside walk at a time when I did not have any photographs.
I thought about it for a while, then started taking some. However, it occurred to me that giving out copies would be costly and sending them by email would take up enormous amounts of space and still would not give a flavour of what I see in the riverside walk.

Thus, I thought I would write a commentary (in instalments) so that you will have some idea of what you are looking at and the reasoning behind it.

Before we start on the riverside walk from our house, the whole concept needs to be placed within the wider perspective of ‘The Ring of Purwell Springs’.

Hitchin sits on top of one of the largest artesian wells in Europe within the location of Purwell Valley. I attach a map with appropriate grid references for the most obvious springs.(opens in Photoshop) I have explored these springs and penned a rhyming verse to capture the essence of the phenomenon.

It is interesting that many of the so-called ‘springs’ are really ‘seepage’ over quite a large area and are recognisable only by the marshland vegetation and/or the wetness of the ground. I have walked these areas in one of the longest of droughts this year in order to ascertain whether they are still ‘damp’. This would indicate that they were indeed formed from water seeping from under the ground rather than surface rainwater draining off the fields.

Back to the ‘Ring’. If one studies the ordnance survey map for other features, it becomes obvious that the Romans deliberately occupied sites where the springs were active. For instance, Cadwell spring lies on the path of the Icknield Way, The priory at Wymondley was a Roman settlement, Roman villas and artifacts have been found at almost every spring site.

It is my theory that the Romans had long-since developed well-tried strategies for controlling indigenous populations and controlling the water supply was one such strategy.

I have in fact photographed all the springs, so I will attach some of the prettier ones for you on this occasion to give you a flavour of the attraction of working in the Purwell Valley (garden)

The centre of the ‘Ring of Springs’ happens to be where the river Purwell meets the river Hiz and culverts under Grove Road. I hope one day to get some sponsorship to erect a suitable plinth and map for tourists (and design it so that kingfishers can nest within it)

As and when I get time I will send you more instalments of the actual river-walk from our house.

POEM - The Ring of Purwell Springs

Here is the Ordnance Survey Map for the area covered by the Purwell Ring of Springs. I took the trouble to in clude map references for those of you who may venture away from the computer to go and have a look for yourself.

This map is also relevant to the poem 'The Ring of Springs' by B. Withers. (see blog posting)

Small selection from the ring of springs

Cadwell pond - The spring is at the end of this picture.
To the left is a trout farm and a few yards further on is the Icknield Way.
A mile or so to the right is 'Gerry's Hole' - which is not so much a spring ,as diggings from when they built the old Bedford to Hitchin railway. This fills up with ground water off the fields.
This is one of the ponds at Ickleford Green and Snailswell Lane. The actual spring itself is not so much 'pretty' as 'interesting'.
The photo is just a fraction of the moat at - wait for it! - The 'Moat House' in Holwell.
the spring is to be found behind the buildings and along the Shillington Road.
However, if you go looking for the source, take my tip and wear clothes that will protect you from the vegetation.
One of Hitchin's more favoured walks and beauty spots are the springs at Oughton Head.
Most people go to this one because it appears as a visible flow from the bank just below where the people are sitting.
Many people do not realise that there are so many more 'springs' in this location that also contribute to the continuous flow of the River Oughton. (also making its way through a trout farm further downstream near the Bedford Road, meeting the River Purwell where are grown Willow trees for making cricket bats.


The wild-life in these areas is abundant and reflects the fact that water is such an important necessity for sustaining healthy life .

enjoy the pictures - but get to see the real thing if you can!

Willian pond

Purwell Valley - 'ring of springs'