Janathon Day 21: A badger, a fox, and an ideal

Janathon day 21: Walk 8.1km, Time 1hr 30min, Weather clear, sunny and cold

I might be getting a little carried away with the animal theme by stretching it to carvings of a badger and a fox - but what can I do? When you pass something like this in the middle of the woods, you have to take a photo.

This picture is the first away from home turf. I had a meeting in Welwyn Garden City this morning and so went for my walk there. It was really more of an aimless  wander around some streets and along a disused railway track, into Sherrardspark Wood, a place full of tracks and bridal paths - perfect for running (even if it is not that large).

The remarkable thing about WGC is that it hardly feels like a town at all, with wide avenues and grass swards, which is exactly how it was planned. it was meant to be a combination of town and country, with plenty of parks and allotments throughout, encircled by an agricultural green belt. it was meant to be large enough to be self sufficient but not too big. initially the ceiling was set at 30,000 and even now WGC is not that huge at 43,000.

It feels a very orderly place.

From the Hemel point of view there is a direct link from the founding father of WGC,  Ebenezer Howard, who also established of the Garden City Association, which in turn became the Town and Country Planning Association. It was this body which provided the intellectual framework and arguments for the establishment of the New Towns after the War. WGC can thus be seen as the direct antecedent of Hemel but it is more affluent, more middle class, quieter. It is also smaller, Hemel is nearly twice the size.

What I don't know is how much current residents respond to the idealism of the towns foundation. Me - I love stories and the story of how one man could influence others to found towns, and a city, across the country, is remarkable. 

When I look at the houses I see a 100 year old vision of what would make for a good life.