Hertfordshire Walker

Walk 128: Wallington E Loop

Walk past rare marshy grassland rich in orchids

6.4 miles (10.4km) with 290ft of ascent

This is our second walk from Wallington. Our first was Walk 127: Wallington SW Loop. This route, Walk 128, heads NE and passes Blagrove Common, described as “one of the few remaining areas of unimproved marshy grassland in Hertfordshire” and which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). As with the other Wallington walk you also pass the cottage where the author George Orwell lived for four years as well as Manor Farm mentioned in his novel Animal Farm.

Orwell’s Animal Farm and Napoleonic POW drainage ditches

4.8 miles (7.7km) - 280 ft of ascent

The bridleway heading W out of Wallington

The Icknield Way heading W out of Wallington

This is an excellent walk from the village of Wallington across the hills of north Hertfordshire along well-defined paths with wide open views across to Cambridgeshire. On the return leg of this circular walk you will pass some excavation where drainage ditches dug by prisoners from the Napoleonic wars have been unearthed.

When you get back to the village at the end of the walk you pass Manor Farm, which features in George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm, as well as the cottage where Orwell lived for four years between 1936 and 1940.

Woodland rich in ‘special scientific interest’

4 miles (6.5km) - 265 ft of ascent

Downstream from Cassiobury Weir at point 3 on the walk

This walk winds through ancient woods that once formed part of the Cassiobury Estate and is now owned by Watford Borough Council and designated as a public open space.

Historically, the woodland was managed for timber, firewood, and game. Between 1766 and 1880 the northern part of Whippendell Wood was largely cleared and replanted with a mixture of conifers and broad leaved trees.

The woodland is a site of special scientific interest (SSSI) due to its diverse habitats, including a broad variety of fungi and insects.

Great byways, undulating countryside, open views

7.5 miles / 12km / 300ft of ascent

This is an excellent walk over the undulating countryside of north Hertfordshire. It follows well-defined byways and footpaths offering open views on all sides. You pass through the graveyard of the Grade 1 listed Holy Trinity Church, Weston, where you might be able to spot the grave of Jack O'Legs, who is said to have robbed from the rich to give to the poor. We have embedded a document about the history of Weston at the foot of the walk directions.

Striding out over Forster Country

6.5 miles (10.2 km) - 70m of ascent

This walk starts and finishes in the village of Weston. According to an information board in village (embedded below the following directions) there is evidence of Neolithic occupation in the area dating from 8,000 to 4,000 BC, “succeeded by Celts, Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings, and Normans”. Weston has two pubs. At the halfway point in this walk you pass through Graveley which also has two pubs.

A medieval village and a Roman road

5.5 miles (8.8km) - 75m of ascent

The Roman road Stane Street between points 5 and 6

This walk is rich in history. It includes a 1.5km stretch along Stane Street, a Roman road which is now a tree-lined byway. The route also passes the site of the former medieval village of Wakeley. It starts and finishes in the village of Aspenden where refreshments can be taken at The Fox when open.

Thanks for your feedback

Walk 40: Ayot Greenway North Loop downloaded to a GPS device

A big thanks to all those who took part in the recent survey on Hertfordshire Walker. And thanks, too, to those who added comments and suggestions about how the site could improve, including the person who wants a walk named after them when they’ve completed the lot. The comments included some great ideas. Some we have already implemented but others we will try to add over the coming weeks. Below is a list of the suggestions and our responses.

Footpath on Walk 46: Tewin North Loop

We have put together a short survey to try to find out how Hertfordshire Walker is used. If you have enjoyed any of our walks please consider taking a few minutes to answer some short questions. We have drawn up another 10 walks for the summer of 2021 and we want to make sure that the format of the maps, directions, and GPS information is useful before we publish them.