Walk 73: Waterford Heath North-East Loop

4.5 miles (7.35 km) with 72m of total ascent

Waterford Heath at the start of the walk

This walk starts from one of our favourite walking spots, Waterford Heath. It then heads NE to the outskirts of Tonwell before looping back via Chapmore End. During this walk you will be treated to some lovely views across rolling countryside.

Those who have completed our other walks in this area will visit some familiar rights of way but walked in reverse while also discovering other footpaths and bridleways that haven't previously featured in any of our walks.

Getting there

There is a small car park at Waterford Heath (location - https://w3w.co/drop.glaze.cloth). It has been free-of-charge to park there whenever we have visited but please check in case this has changed. The closest bus stops to the route are in Tonwell (location - https://w3w.co/wonderfully.tribune.clap) 225m E of point 20 in the walk. Those stops are served by the number 38 and 38A buses. There are also bus stops 645m W of the starting point at High Road, Waterford (location - https://w3w.co/flag.barks.lies), which are served by the number 390 bus. You can check bus times at Intalink.

Fly through preview of walk

If you want to check what sort of landscape you will be crossing before you set off on this walk you can view a short 3D video of the route below. It's created using the free version of Relive.

Directions

Map for Walk 73: Waterford Heath North-East Loop
Click on the map above for a larger version
Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
Elements © Thunderforest © OpenStreetMap contributors
There is an interactive map below 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.

This walk involves a total ascent of 72m
Which is similar to climbing a 24-storey building

Leave the car park at a gate opposite the entrance

1: From the car park at Waterford Heath go through a gate at the NE corner opposite the entrance where you drove in (location - https://w3w.co/fast.badge.riches), see image above. Head N across the heath for 220m until you reach a fork (location - https://w3w.co/bend.quiz.cross), see image below.

Turn left at the fork then head NW

2: Turn left at the fork then head NW up a small hill for 75m to reach a sculpture (location - https://w3w.co/loud.traps.goes), see image below.

The Millennium Egg on Waterford Heath

You are now looking at The Millennium Egg, a distinctive sculpture created by artist Andrew McKeown in 2000 to mark the turn of the millennium and serves as a prominent feature within the revitalised landscape of the heath. Waterford Heath itself was once a sand and gravel quarry until the early 1990s after which it underwent a transformation into a community nature park, managed by the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust, East Hertfordshire District Council, and Lafarge Tarmac. The positioning of the Millennium Egg within a former industrial site suggests a connection to themes of regeneration, new beginnings, and the passage of time.

After visiting the egg head NE

3: After visiting the egg head NE (see orange arrow on the image above) then join the main path. Continue heading NE for 160m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/marker.next.mercy), see image below.

Keep to the left, with gates on the right

4: Take the path to the left of the gates then head NNW for 85m to another gate (location - https://w3w.co/belly.festivity.yappy), see image below.

Go through the gate then follow the path downhill

5: Go through the gate then follow the path downhill to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/love.hugs.employ), see image below.

Turn right at the junction on Stapleford footpath 2

6: Turn right at the junction on Stapleford footpath 2 then head N for 130m until you reach Bushmill Lane (location - https://w3w.co/double.lights.pops), see image below.

Turn left on Bushmill Lane

7: Turn left on Bushmill Lane then head NNE for 55m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/aware.galaxy.cost), see image below.

Turn right on a lane then head NNE

8: Turn right on a lane then head NNE for 210m to a gate (location - https://w3w.co/magic.knee.forced), see image below.

Leave the lane then take Stapleford footpath 3

9: Go past the gate, still heading NNE and now on Stapleford footpath 3. Continue for 150m until Stapleford footpath goes off to the left (location - https://w3w.co/bumpy.speak.warm) see image below.

Continue heading NNE, now on Stapleford bridleway 12

10: Continue heading NNE, now on Stapleford bridleway 12. After 320m the path splits.

Take the right fork still on Stapleford bridleway 12

11: You take the right fork then head NNE still on Stapleford bridleway 12. Continue, now heading NE, for 260m until you reach Sacombe Road (location - https://w3w.co/most.arena.unwanted), see image below.

Turn left on Sacombe Road

12: Turn left on Sacombe Road then head N for 180m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/cherry.bleak.brush), see image below.

Keep right at the junction on a lane called Stony Hills

13: Keep right at the junction then head NE on a lane called Stony Hills. Continue for 150m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/adopt.backup.inch), see image below.

Turn right on Bengeo Rural bridleway 2

14: Turn right on Bengeo Rural bridleway 2 then head E for 280m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/tens.invest.drum), see image below.

Turn left on Bengeo Rural footpath 8

15: Turn left on Bengeo Rural footpath 8 then head N for 110m until you reach a gate leading to a lane (location - https://w3w.co/loose.humble.price), see image below.

Turn right on the lane then head E

16: Turn right on the lane then head E for 165m until you reach a bend (location - https://w3w.co/sharp.into.wakes), see image below.

Turn left on Bengeo Rural footpath 6

17: Turn left on Bengeo Rural footpath 6 then head NE for 340m to a bend (location - https://w3w.co/almost.owner.hands), see image below.

Head in an easterly direction, still on Bengeo Rural footpath 6

18: Head in an easterly direction, still on Bengeo Rural footpath 6, and with the hedgerow on the right and field on the left. Continue for 360m until you reach an unofficial junction (location - https://w3w.co/serves.puts.upper), see image below.

Keep heading straight ignoring path on the right

19: Keep heading straight ignoring a path on the right. Continue in an easterly direction for 100m until you reach a footpath junction with stairs straight ahead and a footpath to the right (location - https://w3w.co/birds.crush.active), see image below.

Turn right on Bengeo Rural footpath 7

20: Turn right on Bengeo Rural footpath 7 then head SE for 100m before the footpath bends right (location - https://w3w.co/trio.activism.stick), see image below.

Follow Bengeo Rural footpath 7 as it bends right

21: Follow Bengeo Rural footpath 7 as it heads SW for 145m before reaching a footbridge (location - https://w3w.co/likely.agenda.glue), see image below.

Cross the footbridge then continue on Bengeo Rural footpath 7

22: Cross the footbridge then continue heading SW, still on Bengeo Rural footpath 7. Head SW for 330m until the path meets hedgerow on the right (location - https://w3w.co/flock.quench.clouds).

23: Continue heading SW keeping close to the hedgerow on the right. After 220m you will reach Chapmore End (location - https://w3w.co/fake.leader.glitz), see image below.

Turn right then follow the lane as it bends left

24: Turn right then follow the lane as it bends left with a duck pond on the left (location - https://w3w.co/took.listed.pest), see image below.

The duck pond at Chapmore End

Follow the lane S, with the duck pond on the left. Continue for 90m until you reach The Woodman on the left (location - https://w3w.co/shift.rope.heads), see image below.

The Woodman, Chapmore End

Continue past The Woodman for 25m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/square.keeps.year), see image below.

Turn right on Bengeo Rural footpath 9

25: Turn right on Bengeo Rural footpath 9 then head NW for 440m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/only.prom.zeal), see image below.

Turn left on Bengeo Rural bridleway 2

26: Turn left on Bengeo Rural bridleway 2 then head in a southerly direction between two fields. Continue for 660m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/panel.lied.gets), see image below.

Turn right on Bengeo Rural BOAT 22

27: Turn right on Bengeo Rural BOAT 22 (byway open to all traffic). Head SW for 60m ignoring the first footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/after.aspect.apron) and continuing until you reach a second footpath on the left by a gate (location - https://w3w.co/ruled.trial.forest), see image below.

Turn left on Bengeo Rural footpath 14

28: Turn left on Bengeo Rural footpath 14. Head in a southerly direction, with the hedgerow on the left and field on the right, for 550m until you reach woodland (location - https://w3w.co/punks.palace.jabs), see image below.

Turn right then immediately turn left

29: Turn right then immediately turn left, see image below.

Follow Hertford footpath 2 downhill

Follow Hertford footpath 2 downhill into the woodland for 15m until you reach a right fork (location - https://w3w.co/warm.fire.lakes), see image below.

Take the right fork

30: Take the right fork then head WSW on Hertford footpath 3. Continue for 70m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/reef.mutual.hurray), see image below.

Keep straight at the junction

31: Keep straight at the junction ignoring the path entering from the left. Follow the footpath W for 70m until it bends to the left (location - https://w3w.co/string.forms.trades) where it crosses a parish boundary then becomes Hertford footpath 4.

Continue, now heading SW, for 65m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/desks.fence.supporter), see image below.

Continue heading straight on Hertford footpath 4

32: Continue heading straight on Hertford footpath 4. Follow this path as it heads SW through an avenue of trees for 540m until you reach a split in the path (location - https://w3w.co/oldest.makes.mats), see image below.

Take the left fork at the split

33: Take the left fork at the split then continue heading SW, with a fence on the right, for 110m until you reach Sacombe Road (location - https://w3w.co/opera.talent.alarm), see image below.

Turn right on Sacombe Road then left on Vicarage Lane

34: Turn right on Sacombe Road then head NW for 25m before turning left on Vicarage Lane (location - https://w3w.co/thanks.stack.outfit). Head NW along Vicarage Road for 255m back to the car park.

Interactive map

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