Old woodland, rolling hills, quiet lanes, and secluded paths
3.39 miles (5.46 km)
This is a pleasant walk taking in three trails: the Hitchwood Trail, parts of the Hertfordshire Way, and the North Chiltern Trail. It leads down shady footpaths and over fields with open views. Two-thirds of the way round there is the possibility of a short detour to visit The Strathmore Arms, famous for its real ale. The walk can be enjoyed in about an hour an a half taken at a leisurely pace. Allow three if you are going to stop for refreshments along the way.
Directions
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| Map for Walk 75: Hitchwood 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 |
There is a small car park (grid reference: TL 19659 23899) with limited spaces at the north of the junction between Whitwell Road (B651) and Hitchwood Lane. If this is full, consider joining the walk at point seven, where you can park in the car park at The Strathmore Arms (grid reference: TL 19363 22210) if you intend to pop in for refreshments at the end of the walk.
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| Follow the Hitchwood Trail eastwards Image by Hertfordshire Walker, released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 |
1: Cross Hitchwood Lane, enter the Hitchwood (labelled as Hitch Wood on the OS map), turn right, and follow the Hitchwood Trail as it continues in an easterly direction along the south of Hitchwood Lane. Keep following the way-marked signs, ignoring the first path off to the left. Continue until you reach the point where the path swings to your left and heads south.
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| Take the left turn on the Hitchwood Trail and head south Image by Hertfordshire Walker, released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 |
2: Continue through Hitchwood heading south until you reach the public footpath cutting through the woodland.
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| The public footpath runing south through the western edge of Hitchwood Image by Hertfordshire Walker, released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 |
3: Turn left here and continue heading south along the public footpath until you reach the southern boundary of Hitchwood and an open field.
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| Follow the path through the crops as it heads south-west Image by Hertfordshire Walker, released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 |
Your way is straight ahead, heading south-west along a path cut through the crops that eventually reaches Pinfold Wood. Continue heading south along the western edge of the wood until you reach farm buildings and a track. Here you turn left for a short distance before reaching a footpath on your right heading south-west.
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| Take the path on your right just after the farm buildings Image by Hertfordshire Walker, released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 |
4: Take this path and continue south-west along the eastern edge of Foxholes Wood as it cuts inside the wood for a short distance.
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| Take the path as it follows the eastern edge of Foxholes Wood Image by Hertfordshire Walker, released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 |
5: Look out for a sign showing a footpath on your left. Take this path and head south-east and then east.
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| Take the path on the left and head south-east then east Image by Hertfordshire Walker, released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 |
6: Continue heading east with Stagehoe and Garden Wood on your right. Follow the track until you reach All Saints Church, St Paul's Walden on your left.
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| When you reach All Saints Church turn left through the churchyard, or continue to the pub Image by Hertfordshire Walker, released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 |
7: When you reach All Saints Church you have the option of continuing down the lane a short distance to The Strathmore Arms...
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| The Strathmore Arms Image by Hertfordshire Walker, released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 |
... or continuing with the walk by turning left through the churchyard.
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| Take the path that goes through All Saints Churchyard. Image by Hertfordshire Walker, released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 |
8: Once through the churchyard turn left and, after a short distance, look out for a footpath on your right. Follow this path, which is an extension of the Chiltern Way, as it heads north-east until it reaches Whitwell Road.
9: A path has been cut to the west of Whitwell Road that avoids having to walk along the road. This emerges on a lane close to a lodge where you turn right to reach Whitwell Road. You turn left on Whitwell Road, cross with care, and look out for a footpath on your right heading north-east.
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| Take the right-hand path as it heads north-east through woodland and then across fields Image by Hertfordshire Walker, released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 |
10: Continue heading north-east along a path cut through the crops until you meet a quiet lane.
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| Follow the path north-east across the fields until you reach the lane Image by Hertfordshire Walker, released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0 |
11: At the lane take the footpath opposite and follow it round as it heads north.
12: At the footpath junction take the left fork and head east down to the B651 and the car park at the start of the walk.
Interactive map
Those with smartphones or tablets can use the interactive map below.
