Hertfordshire Walker: Walk 82: Kimpton N Short Loop

Walk 82: Kimpton N Short Loop

Wide open landscape, wonderful views

5 miles (8 km)

Footpath along walk 82 the Kimpton N Short Loop

Image by Hertfordshire Walker released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

If you want a walk over open fields with great views of the rolling Hertfordshire countryside, then this route is ideal. It starts in the village of Kimpton, heads north to the outskirts of Whitwell, then returns following a circular route. The walk follows well-marked paths and is mostly along remote tracks apart from the start and finish in Kimpton and a short stretch as you pass Whitwell.

Directions

Map for Walk 82: Kimpton N Short 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

Park in the village of Kimpton (Grid Ref: TL 17693 18362). There is free parking (at the time of writing in August 2018) along the High Street, the B651.

1: Head north along Church Lane, keeping to the left of the church as the lane becomes an alley which bends to your left. At the point where a footpath (Kimpton footpath 21) joins on your right, turn right and continue heading north to a wooden gate. Go through the gate, cross the lane, and go through another gate into the field. Keep walking north along with the field on your right and the hedgerow on your left.

Go through the two wooden gates and head north along the footpath

Image by Hertfordshire Walker released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

2: At the end of the field go through another gate and continue north-west, with the hedge on your left and the field on your right. Follow the path as it crosses a field heading for Horsley Wood. Cut through the edge of Horsley wood and across another field towards Holt Farm. You are now on St Paul’s Walden footpath 20. Keep to the path to the left of the farm and head for two wooden stiles that cross a farm track. After crossing the track, head for a stile behind the tree in the picture below.

Cross the stiles and head for another stile behind the tree

Image by Hertfordshire Walker released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

3: Turn right on the lane and head north-east, past Holt Farm house and on until you reach some cottages on your left. Just past the cottages you will see a footpath sign on your left for St Paul’s Walden restricted byway 19.

4: Take this path and head north-west with the hedgerow on your left and the field on your right. Continue heading north-west and then north as the path dips and climbs to a gap in the hedge.

5: Go through the gap and take the second (not the first) right following a purple arrow on a white sign attached to the tree.

Turn right at the tree with the purple arrow

Image by Hertfordshire Walker released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

6: When you reach a crossing turn right and head east along Long Lane, which is St Paul's Walden UCR1 (unmetalled unclassified county road) and is part of the Chiltern Way.

Head east along the Chiltern Way

Image by Hertfordshire Walker released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

7: When you reach the B651 at Horn Hill turn left, cross the road, and continue heading north-east towards Whitwell village (there is a short stretch without a pavement).

8: Turn right on Hill View and then take the path on your left just after number 11 Hill View. Follow the path St Paul's Walden footpath 28 towards the recreation ground. Continue heading north-east with the houses on your left and the park on your right until you reach the car park.

9: Turn right in the car park (don't leave the car park, if you end up on the road you have gone too far) and follow the bridleway, St Paul's Walden bridleway 34 for 130m as it heads south-east with houses on your left and fields on your right.

Note: At this point you could take a detour to Whitwell village where there are a couple of pubs.

10: When you reach a footpath crossing take the path on your right, St Paul's Walden footpath 27 as it heads south across fields. Continue along this footpath for 440m until you reach a junction. At this point you continue heading SW (to the right of the communications tower in the picture below) but you are now on St Paul's Walden footpath 30.

Follow the track heading towards the communications tower

Image by Hertfordshire Walker released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

Continue heading SW for 1.5km as the footpath goes through a gap in the hedge and then climbs slightly diagonally to your right. When you reach the hedgerow at the top of the hill go through the gap between the trees (see image below). Then follow the path to the right of the clump of trees in the middle of the field. Your path has now become Kimpton footpath 24. Continue straight heading SW back down to Kimpton village.

Go through the gap between the trees and head to the right of the clump of trees

Image by Hertfordshire Walker released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

11: When you reach the B651, cross it and follow the footpath (Kimpton footpath 30) signposted to Parkfield Sports Ground. Keep on the path with the houses on your left and the track on your right until you meet the path you took at the beginning of the walk. Turn left and retrace your steps back to the start.