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Walk 38: Ayot Greenway South Loop

4.5 miles (7.2 km) with 85m total ascent


The River Lea at point 10 in the walk
The River Lea at point 10 in the walk
This is a lovely walk that crosses a golf course, passes Brocket Hall, goes through woodland, follows a riverside footpath, and continues along the track of the old railway branch line between Hertford, Welwyn Garden City, Luton and Dunstable. The walk starts and finishes at The Waggoners pub/restaurant, Ayot Green. The starting point is two miles NW of Welwyn Garden City station by road.

Fly through preview of walk



If you want to check what sort of landscape you will be crossing before you set off on this walk you can view a short 3D video of the route below. It's created using the free version of Relive.



Directions



Map for Walk 38: Ayot Greenway South Loop
Map for Walk 38: Ayot Greenway South Loop
Click on the map above for a larger version
Map created on MapHub - copyright details here
Elements © Thunderforest © OpenStreetMap contributors

There is an interactive map embedded at the end of these direction
Those with GPS devices can download GPX or KML files for this walk. We've added What3Words location references for those who use that system. If you print these walks you might want to use the green PrintFriendly icon at the bottom of these directions to delete elements such as photographs.

The Waggoners, Brickwall Close, Ayot Green
The Waggoners, Brickwall Close, Ayot Green
1: With your back to The Waggoners on Brickwall Close off Ayot Green (location - https://w3w.co/search.gift.leaned) take the footpath on the opposite side of the road (location - https://w3w.co/spike.work.soccer), see image below.

Head W then SW on Ayot St Peter footpath 24
Head W then SW on Ayot St Peter footpath 24
Head W then SW on Ayot St Peter footpath 24 for 90m until you reach the edge of the golf course (location - https://w3w.co/dinner.union.factories) where the path you are on crosses the parish boundary and becomes Hatfield footpath 58, see image below.

Head SW through pine woods now on Hatfield footpath 58
Head SW through pine woods now on Hatfield footpath 58
2: Head SW through pine woods until you reach a fairway (location - https://w3w.co/talent.strong.soon), see image below.

Cross the fairway to reach another stretch of woodland
Cross the fairway to reach another stretch of woodland
3: Look left to check for golfers, then, when all is clear, cross the fairway to reach another stretch of woodland (location - https://w3w.co/pipe.fetch.firmly), see image below.

Continue heading SW for 60m through woodland
Continue heading SW for 60m through woodland
Continue heading SW for 60m through woodland until you reach another fairway (location - https://w3w.co/solve.mixer.mile), see image below.

Cross the fairway to reach another stretch of woodland
Cross the fairway to reach another stretch of woodland
4: Look right, then, when all is clear, cross the fairway to reach another stretch of woodland (location - https://w3w.co/rate.wrong.steer), see image below.

Continue heading SW through woodland
Continue heading SW through woodland
Continue heading SW through woodland for 225m until you reach another fairway (location - https://w3w.co/smiles.tidy.short), see image below.

Cross the fairway until you reach a hedge and a junction
Cross the fairway then continue until you reach conifer trees
5: Check both ways for golfers then head SW across the fairway until you reach conifer trees and a junction (location - https://w3w.co/search.from.buck), see image below.

Turn sharp right then head NW on Hatfield footpath 57
Turn sharp right then head NW on Hatfield footpath 57
6: Turn sharp right then head NW on Hatfield footpath 57 for 800m, keeping the conifer trees on the left until the path crosses a metalled track (location - https://w3w.co/custom.prime.upset), see image below.

Hatfield footpath 57 crosses the track then heads WNW
Hatfield footpath 57 crosses the track then heads WNW
7: Hatfield footpath 57 then continues WNW downhill then uphill for 550m until it leaves the golf course and reaches woodland (location - https://w3w.co/villa.boil.scope), see image below.

Continue through the woodland heading NW, still on Hatfield footpath 57
Continue through the woodland still on Hatfield footpath 57
8: Continue through the woodland heading NW, still on Hatfield footpath 57, for 250m as the path drops down and leaves the wood at a junction (location - https://w3w.co/tape.canny.dizzy), see image below.

Keep heading NW, now on Wheathampstead 13
Keep heading NW, now on Wheathampstead 13
9: Keep heading NW, now on Wheathampstead 13, with the River Lea on the left, for 590m until you reach Waterend Lane (location - https://w3w.co/rice.silent.song), see image below.

Turn right on Waterend Lane
10: Turn right on Waterend Lane then head NE for 45m until you reach a bridleway on the left (location - https://w3w.co/glaze.deck.bill), see image below.

Turn left on Wheathampstead bridleway 18
Turn left on Wheathampstead bridleway 18
Turn left on Wheathampstead bridleway 18, which is also The Lea Valley Walk, then head NW for 480m until you reach a junction and Wheathampstead bridleway 18 bends to the right (location - https://w3w.co/enjoy.pint.cloth), see image below.

Turn right at the junction
Turn right at the junction
11: Turn right at the junction then follow Wheathampstead bridleway 18  NNE for 230m with the woodland on your left and the field on your right until you meet Ayot Greenway (location - https://w3w.co/light.sailor.frosted), see image below.

Turn right on Ayot Greenway
Turn right on Ayot Greenway
12: Turn right on Ayot Greenway then head SSE, then NE and SSE again for 2.2km following the former railway line as it curves round to meet a path that leads down to the junction of Ayot Little Green Lane (location - https://w3w.co/dive.dice.banks) and Ayot St Peter Road.

Cross Ayot St Peter Road then take the steps on the other side
Cross Ayot St Peter Road then climb the steps on the other side
13: Cross Ayot St Peter Road then climb the steps on the other side (location - https://w3w.co/dwell.parks.extend). Turn right then head SW for 190m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/vocab.booth.tools), see image below.

Turn right on the footpath then cross a track
Turn right on the footpath then cross a track
Turn right on the footpath then head SW for 10m crossing a track before reaching a metal gate (location - https://w3w.co/above.smiles.doing), see image below.

Head SSW on Ayot St Peter footpath 11
Head SSW on Ayot St Peter footpath 11
14: Head SSW on Ayot St Peter footpath 11 for 170m until you reach Ayot St Peter Road (location - https://w3w.co/fever.test.match).

Cross Ayot St Peter Road then take Ayot St Peter footpath 14
Cross Ayot St Peter Road then take Ayot St Peter footpath 14
15: Cross Ayot St Peter Road then take the footpath on the opposite side (location - https://w3w.co/backed.plus.grapes), Ayot St Peter footpath 14, then head W for 220m until the footpath bends right then left before reaching a gravelled drive (location - https://w3w.co/linked.trick.healers).

The footpath bends right then left before reaching a gravel drive
The footpath bends right then left before reaching a gravel drive
16: Cross the gravel drive then turn left on Ayot St Peter footpath 13 (location - https://w3w.co/bring.vines.jokes), see image below.

Head SSW on Ayot St Peter footpath 13
Head SSW on Ayot St Peter footpath 13
Head SSW on Ayot St Peter footpath 13 for 195m until you reach woodland (location - https://w3w.co/foster.placed.groom), see image below.

Follow Ayot St Peter footpath 13 through the woodland
Follow Ayot St Peter footpath 13 through the woodland
17: Follow Ayot St Peter footpath 13 through the woodland heading SW for 55m before a track bends left (location - https://w3w.co/oils.festivity.bland) then heads SSE then SE before reaching Waterend Lane (location - https://w3w.co/civil.scores.sides).

18: Turn left on Waterend Lane then head E for 295m until you reach Brickwall Close on the right (location - https://w3w.co/switch.intelligible.skips).

19: Turn right on Brickwall Close then follow the road S back to the start point.
* There is another pub, The Red Lion (location - https://w3w.co/aspect.risk.edge), which is 420m NW of The Waggoners and is accessed via a bridge over the A1(M).

Interactive map




10 comments:

  1. I often incorporate this route into a run, it's lovely

    ReplyDelete
  2. A good 4 mile loop - just watch out for the golf balls!

    The direction at stage 7 is a bit confusing - well it got me lost! Ignore road to Ayot Little Green Lane and head straight-on along road sign-posted Ayot Green.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Martin,
      Thanks for that feedback. I have reworked point 7 in the directions above to try to make that stage clearer.
      David

      Delete
  3. Thank you for this site, im trying my first walk today. It mentioned a green print friendly icon. I can't see it. Am I missing something?

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great, I hope you enjoy the walk. The green PrintFriendly icon is only visible on the website at the bottom of the page under the interactive map. If you are using the mobile version of the site you can get to the PrintFriendly icon by scrolling down to the bottom of the page then clicking on the 'view web version'. That will then load the web version on your phone. You then scroll to the bottom of the page where you will find the green PrintFriendly printer icon under the interactive map. If you click on it the page will load in PrintFriendly allowing you to delete any elements you don't need. Sorry I did not make this clear. I will now update the instructions on the site. Thanks for pointing it out. Happy walking.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I've updated the instructions. Thanks again for pointing this out.
    https://www.hertfordshirewalker.uk/p/tips.html#printing

    ReplyDelete
  6. Did this walk today but just walked up the road at Ayot back to the Waggoners as we had already done walk 180 this morning. Pictures are on FB with my strata route. Julia

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Excellent, well done Julia. I look forward to seeing the pictures and the route. David

      Delete
  7. Clearly signposted beautiful walk with mixed scenery. The dog and humans really enjoyed it

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Susie, so glad your dog and accompanying humans enjoyed the walk. It is a lovely route. If you haven't already done so please consider joining our friendly Facebook group where fellow walkers are sharing photographs of their walks. David
      https://www.facebook.com/groups/hertfordshirewalker

      Delete

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