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Title: The Hertfordshire Village of Braughing
Creator: Steve of N21


Description:
Braughing is one of my favourite Hertfordshire Villages. It sits in a valley just off the B1368 which runs between the main North / South arteries of the A10 and M11, is full of historic buildings and if you come down from the B1368 you have to traverse the ford to enter the village, which is usally not a problem in summer , but can get interesting in winter or after heavy storms.
It’s a fantastic spot for walking or cycling and there are 37 Rights of Way in the Parish totalling over 21 miles.
In 1900 Braughing had 12 inns and beer houses but a raft were closed in 1908 and again in the 1920's and Parish boundaries have altered since then. This then dropped down to two but then the most recent to be 'rescued' and renovated was The Golden Fleece which is up and running again as a gastro pub. And the other two also focus heavily on food (a modern necessity for village pubs,), but all three are still decent places just for a pint.
There are some very old buildings in Braughing, including the three remaining pubs which all date back to the 1700’s.
The best pub for character is the Brown Bear, but possibly the worst for beer as it is the only non Freehouse of the three being a GK house. So I would potentially suggest the way to do all three is to start in the Brown Bear, take in a circular walk in the surrounding country side, and encompass the Gloden Fleece as a stopover before finishing in the Axe and Compasses.
This would also have the added interest that you have to navigate the ford at least twice...
And one big plus is that all three pubs are west facing and have big gardens which retain the sun until late evening, so any one is a great spot for a late evening pint when the sun is out.


Switch to route map:

 

The Brown Bear (1)
The Golden Fleece (2)
The Axe And Compasses (3)