Walk 168: Baldock SE Loop

8.7mi (14km) with 530ft of ascent

 

This walk includes parts of a shorter walk on this site, Walk 125: Weston NE Loop, with the added advantage of starting and finishing at the Weston Hills nature reserve where there is a small car park off Chalk Hills (location - https://w3w.co/tiger.hurray.dose). We have embedded an information brochure at the bottom of these directions showing all the paths in the reserve.

The walk passes three pubs, The Red Lion (location - https://w3w.co/panels.putty.same) and The Cricketers (location - https://w3w.co/jazzy.crew.pines) in Weston, and The Rising Sun (location - https://w3w.co/stubborn.fuzz.airports) in Halls Green. The George IV (location - https://w3w.co/alone.mice.sugar) is 370m from the start/finish point.

Walk 167: Hertford Heath West Loop

5.3 miles (8.5 km) with 75ft of ascent

 

This walk starts and finishes at The Goat pub/restaurant in the village of Hertford Heath, where we had an excellent meal and pint at the end of our walk. The route then loops past the Fox Holes Farm shop before edging round the southern outskirts of Hertford then heading south passing three Herts & Middlesex Trust Wildlife Trust nature reserves. It then returns to Hertford Heath passing The College Arms, where we also had a lovely meal and pint on a previous walk. There is a third pub in Hertford Heath, The Silver Fox, which we haven't tried.

We did this on 14 December 2021 and parts, particularly the section between points 12 & 13, were waterlogged. The field was sodden and there were deep puddles at two gates (see image below at point 12). So if you want to do this walk we suggest you take wellies or wait until the dry weather.

Walk 166: Cottered North Loop

5.5 miles (8.8 km) with 310ft of ascent

 

This walk crosses the rolling countryside north of the village of Cottered. It follows footpaths, bridleways, and lanes. Some sections can be muddy when wet, particularly between points 2 and 5 and 21 to the end. There are two pub/restaurants on the walk. The Bull in Cottered, at the start and finish point, and The Moon and Stars in Rushden, reached via a short detour about a third of the way around at point 11. Check opening times to avoid disappointment.

Walk 165: Amwell Loop

3.6m (5.8km) with 150ft of ascent

 

This walk starts and finishes at the car park on Nomansland Common then loops through woodland before reaching the hamlet of Amwell where there is a short detour if you want to visit the Elephant & Castle pub. A couple of stretches of the walk are along country lanes without pavements, but when we tested this walk we didn't meet any traffic.

Walk 164: Heartwood Forest Outer Loop

4.2 miles (6.7 km) with 260ft of ascent

 

This walk follows the boundary to the south, west, and north of Heartwood Forest. It starts and finishes in the free car park before looping through Langley Wood (which is carpeted in bluebells in the spring), then follows a bridleway along the southern edge of the forest and then heads along the western edge to reach Nomansland Common. This is one of four walks on this site that feature Heartwood Forest. There are three pubs in Sandridge village. The Green Man, The Queens Head, and The Rose and Crown.

Walk 163: Widfordbury Loop

5.3 miles (8.5 km) with 280ft of ascent

 

This is a fairly hilly walk which includes a section which was waterlogged at the end of November 2021 when we walked the route. We managed to edge round the soggy stretch, but waterproof boots are recommended. Wellies would be good. The rest of the walk is fine, with some wide open views across rolling Hertfordshire countryside. There are two pubs just past the halfway point.

Walk 162: Heartwood Forest Short Loop

3 miles (4.7km) with 200 ft of ascent

 

This short walk explores some of the woodlands that are part of Heartwood Forest, the largest continuous new native forest in England, which is managed by The Woodland Trust. Those who visit this area on a regular basis, as we do, will notice how quickly it has matured. This has been a good autumn for enjoying the spread of colour. There are some great paths weaving through the forest. It has a free car park, and there are various information boards scattered throughout the area. There are no toilets. Children will enjoy the 'Magical Meander' where they are encouraged to find wooden carvings along the way. We have a downloadable PDF of the route below.

Walk 161: Sawbridgeworth South Linear

4.5 miles (7km) with 40ft of ascent

 

This is a linear walk from Harlow to Sawbridgeworth, mostly following the towpath alongside the River Stort (Navigation) towpath. There are regular train services connecting the two towns. The first part of the walk is alongside industrial units, but you are soon into open countryside. Birdwatchers should take their binoculars. The walk starts in Essex, close to the Hertfordshire border, then dips in and out of both counties before ending in Hertfordshire.

Walk 160: Chenies Loop

6 miles (9.7km) with 410 ft of ascent

 

This is the only walk on this site which doesn't start in Hertfordshire. We've added it because we wanted to explore further along the Chess Valley and extend an earlier walk, The Sarratt West Loop.

Walk 160: Chenies Loop starts in the Buckinghamshire village of Chenies then follows two long-distance paths, The Chiltern Heritage Trail and The Chess Valley Walk as it loops into Hertfordshire before returning along the River Chess. There are two pubs close to the start and finish point, The Red Lion and The Bedford Arms, both in Chenies, and another pub, The Cock Inn, in Sarratt, Hertfordshire, two-thirds of the way around.