Walk 81: Wormley Wood Loop

2.5 miles (4 km) with 76m total ascent

 

A great walk for those hot sunny days when you want to escape the sun and enjoy a good ramble in the shade. Plenty of up and down along the way, with loads of bridges, elevated walkways and stairs. When we walked the route in August there were quite a few midges and flies bugging us, but we always carry insect repellant and didn't get bitten. Unlike most of our walks this one doesn't pass by a pub, so take refreshments with you. There is a picnic table at the end just before you reach the car park. Wormley Wood is managed by the Woodland Trust.

Directions

Map for Walk 81: Wormley Wood Loop
Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
Elements © Thunderforest © OpenStreetMap contributors
There is an interactive map below the 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.

Park in Bencroft Wood (West) car park on the south side of White Stubbs Lane (location - https://w3w.co/candy.expose.couches). It's a free car park but has limited space. You will find a sign in the car park with a map showing two trail options for Bencroft Wood, but your route is not one of them, although the first section uses one of the paths on our route in order to access Wormley Wood.

1: From the car park head SW, following the wooden signs with the purple circle around the top. Continue as the path heads S downhill, first down some wooden steps and then along a wooden elevated walkway.

Follow the trail downhill and S

2: When you reach a footpath junction turn right and head SW down to a stream which you cross via a wooden footbridge and then climb the other side using wooden steps, see image below. This is quite a steep but short climb. You will now be following posts with a pink line around the top.

Cross the footbridge and climb the steps as you continue to head SW

Continue heading in a straight line WSW along this path for 980m as it crosses a couple of wooden footbridges, see image below.

Continue heading WSW as the track climbs through the woodland

3: At the point where the track meets a footpath T-junction turn slightly left and head S then SSE and S for 390m following the signs with the green tops and white admiral butterflies. This is the only exposed part of the walk and you will spend about five minutes walking along an elevated walkway with flowers either side. Look out for butterflies along this part of the path. It's a charming section.

A Silver-Washed Fritillary butterfly on brambles between points 3 & 4

4: Continue heading SSE along this path for 190m ignoring smaller paths to your right and left.

After the elevated walkway section you enter the woods again

5: At a footpath crossing turn left and head NE, ENE, then E through the woodland for 480m.

6: At the next footpath crossing turn left and head N and NE for 360m.

7: When you reach the coal post on your left (location - https://w3w.co/words.fact.struck), turn right and head E for 300m.

The coal post at point 7 on the route

8: Follow the path as it bends to your left and heads N and NE for 530m back to point 2 on the route.Turn right and follow the path NE for 130m.

9: At the point where a track crosses your path, turn left and head NNW for 110m back to the car park, see image below.

Turn left and head N back to the car park

Interactive map

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