Hitchin Lavender Fields

Given that I had sent an email out describing the planned outing to Hitchin Lavender as basically a convoluted journey to visit a field of wilting lavender, it was lovely to have a group of ten people – or eleven if you count the temporary What’sApp group set up for the occasion, which seemed to take on a life of its own – join in with the trip on 2nd August 2025.

Jill, Val, Claire and her friend Diane travelled up by car, with the rest of us making our way by public transport, which amazingly seemed (seemed) to be running fine for a Saturday.

I’ll hand over to the What’sApp group messages to provide a flavour of the journey to Hitchin.

• We’re at Kings Cross, journey going well. 

• We got here early so see you at Paul’s Coffee Shop opposite the Eurostar ticket office. [wish I’d had a doughnut] 

• Just when we thought it was going so well, the train has been cancelled, so we’re stuck at King’s Cross for the next hour

[At this point the picnic site changed from a lavender field to a bench at King’s Cross Station, as there was little else to do, and the general mood dipped somewhat.]

• Jill: Try St Pancras, there should be trains every fifteen minutes

[Rather frantic group dash to St Pancras…will they make it??]

• We’re on the train, Jill you’re a star for suggesting that! 

• Car 1:There’s quite a bit of traffic 

• Car 2: I’ve got here…where is everyone?

• Train: Nearly there 

• Car 1: If you’re driving the postcode on the website takes you to a care home 

• Train: I’m in need of one after the stress of the journey 

Don’t ask me how, but amazingly everyone arrived at the lavender farm within a few minutes of each other, and were greeted by wafts of lavender and the sun showing itself through the clouds. 

I can’t think whose ridiculous idea it was to carry the picnic chairs Jill had very kindly brought along up the long slope to the top of the field, have lunch, and then lug the chairs all the way down again, but I was swiftly talked out of it, and we set up what was left of our picnic in a very nice spot, and had a lovely long and relaxed lunchbreak.

While the farm essentially comprises one main field, it is a very lovely field; and although the lavender was beginning to fade, it was still pretty abundant, and I think the recent rain had pepped it up a bit. About a third of the field is given over to sunflowers, and these had just come out, and were really lovely too. We all had a good walk up and down the field, enjoying the purples and golds, and taking plenty of photos.

After that, a cup of tea from one of the outlets called, although we drew the line at the posh chips, with their posh price tag of £7 a portion.

Tea drunk, it was time to make our various ways home, which included an optional two mile walk back to Hitchin station, kindly worked out and led by Trevor. A nice walk back it was too, with some woodland, open fields and a river, before we reached the town and the station came into view.

Thank you to everyone who came along, and additional thanks to Mad for navigating King’s Cross; Jill for coming to the rescue with alternative train times and for bringing picnic chairs and rugs; and to Trevor for leading the walk back to Hitchin, and for stoically being the token bloke. A very nice day, with the unforecast sunshine being an added bonus.

Louise, 8th August 2025

Madeleine's 'Sunflower with Ladybirds'

 Photos by Jill and Madeleine