Walk 24: Brookmans Park - Wildhill

A perfect weekend walk to a country local

6.5 miles (10.6 km)

Path between points 9 and 10 on the walk

Image by the Hertfordshire Walker

Released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

A walk from Brookmans Park and back over the fields and hills to The Woodman, Wildhill, returning via a slightly different route. Regular users of our walks will have noticed that this is one of several routes from Brookmans Park to Wildhill. Forgive me for creating so many, but those who try the beer at The Woodman, will soon see why.

Directions

Map for Walk 24: Brookmans Park - Wildhill return

Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
Elements © Thunderforest © OpenStreetMap contributors

An interactive map with KML and GPX data is embedded at foot of page

There is restricted parking in Brookmans Park village centre and surrounding roads (check signs), but you can pay to park in the station car park.

1. Head out of Brookmans Park village walking E up Brookmans Avenue for 1km until you meet a road going off to your left called Golf Club Road. Take this road, which is also North Mymms footpath 68.
2. Continue along Golf Club Road for 410m until you reach Brookmans Park Golf Club on your left and Chancellor's School on your right. You will see a track on your right which is a continuation of North Mymms footpath 68, take this and head NE with the school on your right. Continue along the track for 310m until you reach Pine Grove. 
3. Continue straight and slightly to your left taking The Drive, a gated road, but still North Mymms footpath 68  and head NNE for 180m.
4. At the end of The Drive you reach the junction of Bell Lane and the A1000, The Great North Road. Turn right and right again following the A1000 SE for 120m.
5. Look across the road to your left and you will see a footpath sign shortly before you reach the Brookmans Park Transmitting Station. Take this footpath, North Mymms footpath 37, and walk NE for 420m until you reach a small footbridge. 
6. Cross the footbridge and keep right and then left with the field on your left and the hedgerow on your right. You are now on Hatfield footpath 86. You will spot a water tower on your right. Soon after the water tower will be able to see a spigot mortar emplacement in the hedgerow on your right. The remains of the local WWII fortifications.





The spigot mortar emplacement near the Brookmans Park Transmitting Station
Image by the North Mymms History Project
Released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0



7. Continue heading NNE for 600m with the field on your left and the hedgerow on your right until you reach a small footbridge and then Grubbs Lane. Turn left and continue WNW along Grubbs Lane for 600m, down a dip and up again looking out for a path on your right after you have climbed out of the dip. (Be careful here because this lane can become a bit of a race track at times).
8. When you reach the footpath, Hatfield footpath 84, turn right and and cross the fields heading NNE for 300m. 
9. When you reach the woodland, keep the field on your right and head for a gap in the hedge. The spot offers wonderful views to over Wildhill. The path now goes downhill and crosses the field diagonally for 130m through the crops.
10. When you reach the hedgerow turn right and, keeping the field on your right, head NE for 210m until you reach a gap in the hedge straight ahead. Here you cross a small brook. You turn left, keeping the hedgerow on your left and the field on your right.
11. After 200m, and at the fourth oak tree on your left you will find a set of steps heading down to a gate taking you into another field used by horses. Turn right and cross a footbridge, then take the footpath N heading to the right of an old oak tree. You are aiming for the gate. Go through the gate, cross another footbridge, and head for the final gate that leads into The Woodman car park at Wildhill (note, this bit can be boggy, so take care).
12. For the return, start by going back the way you came through The Woodman car park and retrace your steps to Grubbs Lane.
13. However, for this return journey, after you turn left on Grubbs Lane, take the path 85m on your right, Hatfield footpath 83, into another field. Continue heading SW for 750m as the path runs through the crops, across a footbridge, across another field, through a small copse (at this point, look out for the remains of the WWII Tett turret on your right), across another field and ends at the garage at the corner of Woodside Lane and the A1000, Great North Road. The final part of this footpath is North Mymms footpath 66.





The Bell Bar Tett turret, North Mymms, Hertfordshire


Image by the North Mymms History Project

Released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0



14. Turn left on Woodside Lane, cross The Great North Road, and take the lane opposite, Bell Lane. (If you want, you can stop for refreshments at The Cock Of The North to your left.) If not, continue down Bell Lane until you reach Bulls Lane on your right. Continue heading SSE along Bell Lane for 450m past Bulls Lane and climb the hill until you see a footpath sign on your right at the point where the road bends to the left.
15. Take this footpath, North Mymms footpath 33, and follow it NW and W with the hedge on your left and the field on your right. After 1.2km you will reach a footbridge after which you turn left and continue heading W along a footpath that runs parallel to Bulls Lane.
16. You will emerge at Skimpans Bridge. Go under the bridge and turn left along a footpath that runs S alongside the railway. Follow this path, North Mymms footpath 34, until it branches slightly to the right and goes through woodland. There will be a football pitch on your left.
17. At the end of the path go down some steps and turn right crossing a brook. Continue along this path until you reach Station Road. Turn left on Station Road and follow it for 1km to Brookmans Park station. There are several shops, cafes, restaurants and a pub serving refreshments in the village.

Interactive Map

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