Walk 39: Ayot Greenway West Loop

5 miles (8 km) with 72m total ascent

 

This walk starts and ends in the car park at the back of The Bull at Wheathampstead. It takes in part of the Lea Valley Walk and The Ayot Greenway, a former railway branch line. There are plenty of refreshment opportunities in Wheathampstead.

Directions

Map for Walk 39: Ayot Greenway West Loop
Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
Elements © Thunderforest © OpenStreetMap contributors
Note: There is a larger, more-detailed map embedded at the end of these directions

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.

1: Leave the East Lane car park (location - https://w3w.co/pill.grades.brains), grid reference TL 17847 14125, and turn left on East Lane.

2: Follow East Lane as it bends left, becomes Meads Lane and, after 250m, ends at a gate (location - https://w3w.co/unit.beats.reef) leading to the open space on the banks of the River Lea. Cross the footbridge and turn right walking NE, SE, and E along the N side of the River Lea on Wheathampstead footpath 71 for 650m until it meets the B653 (location - https://w3w.co/exist.sulk.books).

3: Here you follow the path down to a track. Turn left here and walk for 20m under the road bridge along Wheathampstead BOAT (byway open to all traffic) 4 looking out for a path on your right immediately after the bridge (location - https://w3w.co/tubes.sings.expose).

4: Follow this path, Wheathampstead footpath 67, for 1.5km as it heads SE, then NE and E along the N bank of the River Lea until you come to a small woodland on your left (location - https://w3w.co/crib.bought.never).

5: Immediately after the woodland take the bridleway on your left, Wheathampstead bridleway 18, and follow it for 250m NNE up to the Ayot Greenway (location - https://w3w.co/leave.became.pines).

6: Turn left and follow the track of the old railway as it heads W for 1.4km until you reach a bridleway crossing (location - https://w3w.co/points.mugs.final).

7: Turn right on Wheathampstead BOAT 4 and head NNE for 580m until you come to Codicote Road (location - https://w3w.co/cloak.swing.social).

8: Cross Codicote Road and take the footpath immediately opposite, Wheathampstead footpath 40, continuing NNE for 220m until you reach a gate to your left (location - https://w3w.co/looked.picked.narrow).

9: Take this path, Wheathampstead footpath 38, and follow it up the hill for 540m until you meet a fork to the right (location - https://w3w.co/universally.skirt.slips).

10: Your way is left on Wheathampstead footpath 39, heading S for 470m back down to Codicote Road.

11: Cross the road and take the path immediately opposite, Wheathampstead footpath 63 (location - https://w3w.co/period.pipes.flip), and head SSE for 480m until you reach a track (location - https://w3w.co/puff.seats.never).

12: Turn right on Wheathampstead BOAT 4 and head SSW.

13: Go under the B653 once more, turn right after the tunnel (location - https://w3w.co/runner.things.mull) and retrace your steps back to Wheathampstead.

Interactive map

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