Walk 40: Ayot Greenway North Loop

5.6 miles (9 km) with 83m total ascent

 

This walk starts and ends in the Ayot Greenway car park just north of Ayot Green. It crosses open fields, reaches the halfway point at Ayot St Lawrence where you can take a break at The Brocket Arms, and then returns through wooded paths and bridleways as they weave their way back to the car park via Ayot Greenway. There is an option of refreshments close to the start and finish point at The Waggoners in Ayot Green.

Directions

Map for Walk 40: Ayot Greenway North Loop
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There is an interactive 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: From the car park (location - https://w3w.co/family.shins.sobs), follow the course of the old railway branch line, the Ayot Greenway, as it heads W, crosses the road and continues along the route of the former track. Continue along the Ayot Greenway for 710m heading NW passing Saul’s Wood on your right.

2: Immediately after the woodland take the path on your right (location - https://w3w.co/lance.dive.league). There are two paths here. Ignore the one that heads N along the edge of Saul’s Wood but, instead, take the one that heads NW diagonally across the field. This is Ayot St Peter footpath 18 which you follow for 350m until you reach a track (location - https://w3w.co/loans.search.codes).

3: Turn right and follow this track, Ayot St Peter footpath 19, for 350m as it bends NNW then NNE round Ayot Place and reaches a drive where it turn right and continues to large gates ahead (location - https://w3w.co/tree.diary.retire).

4: Go through a door to the right of the gate and then another door on your left to emerge on the Ayot St Peter Road. Continue straight heading NE along the road for 270m until it bends to the right and there is a bridleway on the left (location - https://w3w.co/skills.rare.honest).

5: Follow Ayot St Peter bridleway 5 WNW and then NW across the fields for 650m until you reach Codicote Road (location - https://w3w.co/gravel.speaks.vines).

6: Cross the road and continue heading NW for 1.1km across the fields until you reach Hill Farm Lane (location - https://w3w.co/sector.label.adjust).

7: Turn right and follow this lane NW for 490m as it bends round to the left and into Ayot St Lawrence. The Brocket Arms is on your left (location - https://w3w.co/commented.racing.rank) and here you can have a pint of real ale and a snack if you arrive during opening/serving hours. After leaving The Brocket Arms, turn left and head SW and S through the village down Bride Hall Lane for 370m until you reach a bridleway on your left (location - https://w3w.co/clean.storm.copy).

8: This is Wheathampstead bridleway 1, which later becomes Wheathampstead bridleway 11 and heads SE for 1.5km past Stocking Springs (location - https://w3w.co/puts.serves.loft), a Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust reserve (you can cut through Stocking Springs because a path through the reserve runs parallel to the one you are taking). Continue until you reach Codicote Road (location - https://w3w.co/agents.upgrading.manage).

9: Cross the road and continue heading SE along Ayot St Peter bridleway 16 for 1.3km along the side of Fish Wood and Warren Wood until you reach the Ayot Greenway (location - https://w3w.co/plot.sits.descended).

10: Turn left on Ayot Greenway and follow the path NE and then SE for 1.4km back to the car park (location - https://w3w.co/family.shins.sobs).

* If you want refreshments after the walk there is The Waggoners pub in Brickwall Close, Ayot Green, which is 620m S of the car park (location - https://w3w.co/pills.lasts.spices) and The Red Lion close by on Digswell Hill (location - https://w3w.co/nation.goes.fires).

Interactive map

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