7.35 miles (11.82 km) with 49m total ascent
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Directions
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| Map for Walk 42: North Mymms to Hatfield North-West Linear Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker Elements © Thunderforest © OpenStreetMap contributors There is an interactive map embedded at the end of these directions |
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 (location - https://w3w.co/escape.loss.rating).
1: From Brookmans Park’s Bradmore Green head W, cross the railway bridge and then follow Station Road N for 180m until you come to Bradmore Lane where you turn left (location - https://w3w.co/every.swift.soak).
Follow Bradmore Lane for 850m downhill through Brick Kiln Wood and around an S-bend until you reach a footpath on your right (location - https://w3w.co/empty.expose.chest).
2: Take this path, North Mymms footpath 8, and head NNW keeping the hedgerow on your left and the field on your right. After 170m the path turns left, now North Mymms footpath 7, and heads NW for 290m. Ignore the first path on the left and continue NW and take the second path on your left (location - https://w3w.co/play.taker.scar) through the woods, cross a footbridge, and emerge in a field. Head W for another 250m until you reach Swanland Road (location - https://w3w.co/hails.email.tend).
3: Turn left on the cycle track running alongside Swanland Road and head SSE for 200m until you reach the junction with Warrengate Road.
Cross Swanland Road and take North Mymms bridleway 82 (location - https://w3w.co/foam.calm.fresh) over a footbridge crossing the A1(M) and emerge on Tollgate Road. Here you head NW along Tollgate Road for 490m until you reach the Octagon Lodge at the entrance to North Mymms Park.
4: Walk past the lodge until you reach Tollgate Road. Cross the road and look out for a footpath sign close to the bus stop (location - https://w3w.co/cotton.prices.small).
This is North Mymms footpath 52 which heads through a small wood before entering a field and then crossing the field NNW for 720m until it reaches the side of the A1(M) and continues to steps up to a farm road (location - https://w3w.co/left.wisely.hulk).
Take these steps and then drop down the other side (do not cross the A1(M), and continuing NNW now on North Mymms footpath 55 for another 150m along the W side of the A1(M) (location - https://w3w.co/stops.pines.sheet).
5: Turn left on North Mymms restricted byway 28 and head WSW for 350m crossing a farm track, and continuing through the crops towards an electricity pylon. Immediately after the pylon the path splits. Take the right-hand fork and head WNW for 250m to Tollgate Road (location - https://w3w.co/cure.chill.legend).
6: Turn right and walk NNW along Tollgate Road for 45m until you reach the bend. Here you take the right hand fork and head N along Bullen’s Green Lane for 570m until you reach a footpath on your left just before a row of houses on the left (location - https://w3w.co/held.nods.luck).
7: Take this path, North Mymms footpath 67 and head WSW with the hedge on your right and field on your left until the hedge turns right. The path now becomes Colney Heath footpath 48 and heads NW and then NNW until it reaches Roestock Lane (location - https://w3w.co/order.activism.fried).
8: Cross Roestock Lane and take the track directly opposite, Colney Heath restricted byway 51 and head NW and then NNE for 180m. After the bend you will see a path to your left (location - https://w3w.co/gift.thanks.evenly).
Take the middle path of three, Colney Heath bridleway 5 and head NW for 770m across the field, through woodland, over Ellen Brook and emerging on the A414 North Orbital Road (location - https://w3w.co/animal.deny.serve).
Cross the A414 e and continue north down Sleapshyde Lane until you reach The Plough pub (location - https://w3w.co/wakes.belt.bliss). Continue along the footpath just past the pub.
9: This path forks. You take the right fork, Colney Heath footpath 19 and head NNE for 370m across the fields until you reach The Alban Way (location - https://w3w.co/clips.punt.stays), which is the route of the old railway.
10: Turn right and follow this trail heading NE for 1.5km until you reach The Galleria in Hatfield (location - https://w3w.co/paint.harp.bunks).
Cross the A1(M) and look out for the path dropping to your right on the other side of the road (location - https://w3w.co/hotel.taxi.drives).
11: This path then turns left under the road outside the Galleria and continues NE into Hatfield along the route of the old railway. Continue for 1.4km and follow footpath signs to Hatfield station another 1.1km (location - https://w3w.co/paint.harp.bunks).
* There are three pubs near the station, The Great Northern directly opposite and The Horse and Groom and The Eight Bells on Park Street in Old Hatfield 200m E of the station.
Paragraph 5 (last but one line) - I think you turn left, rather than right, when coming onto Tollgate Road for the first time
ReplyDeleteThanks Harry, I've made the edit. So glad you pointed it out. Hope it didn't spoil your walk. David
DeleteVery pleasant walk with a blend of sunny and shady parts. The railway walk is a source of fascination, especially if you've never seen it before. At the moment some of the fields after North Mymms seem to have been ploughed recently, which slows the pace down, unless you want to sprain something. The footpath at 6-7 strangely enough had a sign with nothing written on it at all, but the directional instructions are so clear that it's hard to go wrong.
ReplyDeleteSo glad you enjoyed the walk, and yes, ploughed rights of way is a problem this time of the year. I love the railway section, too, especially the restored station.
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