Walk 157: Wilstone Loop

5.6 miles with 135ft of ascent

 

This walk visits the four reservoirs that make up the Tring Reservoirs Nature Reserve, which is managed by the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust. The route follows towpaths along the Grand Union Canal and passes three rural pubs. There are two car parks to choose from. Our walk starts and finishes at the Wilstone Reservoir car park but you can also leave the car at Startop's End and join the route from there.

Walk 156: Old Knebworth North Long Loop

5.3 miles (8.4 km) with 350ft of ascent

 

This is a longer version of Walk 76: Old Knebworth N Loop (3.1 miles). The first six sections and the final three sections are the same. But this walk includes another eight sections crossing an interesting area of farmland to the north and west of Knebworth House where the farmer has taken the trouble to erect information boards alongside the footpaths explaining what is growing or grazing in the fields and why the land is being used for each particular farming activity. It's worth doing these extra few miles just to read the signs.

Several fields have been left uncultivated, resulting in an abundance of wild flowers, bees, and butterflies. We saw several Speckled Wood and Meadow Brown butterflies along this stretch. You will also pass through woodland with three ancient burial barrows from the Bronze Age and Roman period - all listed by Historic England. As with Walk 76, this walk starts and finishes at the Lytton Arms.

Walk 155: Ickleford Loop

7.5 miles (12 km) with 230 ft of ascent

 

This walk is mainly flat, following well-defined paths across the rolling countryside of northwest Hertfordshire. The route crosses Toot Hill motte and bailey castle and shrunken medieval village at Pirton, passes three pubs, and is close to two more. We have marked a well-positioned bench at roughly the halfway mark which makes an ideal spot for a picnic.

Walk 154: Whitwell Loop

7.2 miles (11.5 km) with 600ft of ascent

 

This walk circles the village of Whitwell, following footpaths, bridleways, and byways, over rolling hills with views across open countryside. It has a fair amount of up and down as it crosses the River Mimram twice before dropping down towards Kimpton then looping back. The walk starts and finishes at The Bull Inn, Whitwell, then passes close to The Strathmore Arms at St Paul's Walden.

Walk 153: Breachwood Green South Loop

5.8 miles (9.4 km) with 397ft of ascent

 

We really enjoyed this walk because of the mix of wide byways, winding footpaths, and quiet country lanes - with great views throughout. There is a pub, The Red Lion, close to the start and finish point, and a pub, The Bright Star, at the halfway point.

Walk 152: Breachwood Green North Loop

6.3 miles (10.1km) with 140ft of ascent

 

This is a lovely walk through the rolling countryside east of Luton airport. It passes three pubs, with another a short detour from the main route. There are a couple of footpaths which were overgrown when we did this walk in July 2021. We always carry a stick and a pair of secateurs to push back any nettles or cut back any overhanging brambles. Long trousers would probably be a good idea. All the footpaths were passable when we did the walk. There is one stretch between points 18 & 19 where we had to navigate over a ploughed field. We have added an image and an extra map to help with this short section.

Walk 151: Great Offley West Loop

5.7 miles (9.2 km) with 390ft of ascent

The footpath between points 4 & 5

This is an excellent walk for those who want to stride out across rolling countryside with some open views over the north-east Hertfordshire countryside. The walk starts in the village of Great Offley then heads west to Mangrove Green where you will find the King William IV pub/restaurant at the halfway point. The route then returns over fields and through woodland. There is a fair amount of up and down involved, with narrow paths cutting through crops. We have added two detours to avoid a bull in a field and paths that had become too overgrown. Because of this there is short stretch of lane walking, but the lane is quiet and there is a verge to avoid traffic.

Walk 150: Great Offley East Loop

4.5 miles (7.3km) with 320ft of ascent

Kings Walden restricted byway 36 between points 3 & 4

We really enjoyed this walk because it goes through some attractive, rolling countryside, and the bridleways, byways and footpaths are all well maintained and easy to follow. We particularly enjoyed bridleway 6 between points 5 & 6, and bridleway 14 between points 7 & 8. There are two pubs in the village of Great Offley, one at the start/finish point, the other 550m NW.

Walk 149: Cole Green Way Loop

5.6 miles (9km) with 277 ft of ascent

Hertingfordbury footpath 1 between points 5 & 6

This walk includes elements from two earlier walks in this series that both share a 2-mile stretch of The Cole Green Way, a former branch line between Hertford and Welwyn Garden City which is now a long-distance recreational route. The other walks are Walk 35: Letty Green Loop (3 miles) and Walk 93: Grotto Wood Loop (4.3 miles). This walk, which is the longest of the three, follows a footpath and part of a bridleway which are not featured in the other walks and which were both ablaze with wild flowers when we tested the route in July.