Walk 84: Waterford Heath Loop

2 miles (3.2 km) with 50m of total ascent

The River Beane close to point 10

This is a short walk through several fascinating geological areas including an old quarry which is now a nature reserve which features marshland alongside a rare chalk-bed river and deep woodland. You will pass 'Breaking the Mould' a stone and iron sculpture by Andrew Mckeown, one of 21 around the UK.

There is a free car park (at time of writing).

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 84: Waterford Heath Loop
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Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
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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.

From the car park off Vicarage Lane (location - https://w3w.co/truly.tooth.shiny). You will notice two paths leading out of the car park, one to the NE and the other to the NW. Before you set off, study the map on the information board. At least half of the walk is within the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trusts Waterford Heath reserve.

1: Leave the car park in the NE corner (location - https://w3w.co/sudden.quite.enhancement). Follow the path through the woods then out to North Heath.

Head NNW across North Heath for 225m until you reach a fork in the track (location - https://w3w.co/riders.agrees.cool), see image below.

Leave the main track by taking the left fork

2: Leave the main track by taking the left fork (see orange arrow on the image above). Climb a small hill heading NW for 80m until you reach a sculpture (location - https://w3w.co/defend.reveal.hills), see image below.

'Breaking the Mould' is a sculpture by Andrew Mckeown
Image courtesy of Gayle Webster

'Breaking the Mould' is a sculpture by Andrew Mckeown. It is one of 21 around the UK. The following information is taken from the Andrew Mckeown website.

"It takes the form of a giant seed, which has emerged, from an industrial mould. The mould is old and has been broken. The sculpture represents new life and growth emerging from industrial decline. The six piece cast stone and iron sculpture was installed as a 'Marker' for each of the 21 Changing Places regeneration sites across England and Wales. The sculpture celebrates and marks the £60 million Changing Places programme which transformed 1,000 hectares of post-industrial derelict land into parks and open spaces."

After viewing the sculpture head NE downhill for 55m to rejoin the main track (location - https://w3w.co/shiny.usual.little) then head in a northerly direction for 125m until you reach a gate (location - https://w3w.co/fried.enjoy.stud), see image below.

Follow the path down to the River Beane

3: Follow the path as it heads N then W for 125m until you reach a T-junction at the bottom of a series of wooden steps.

4: Turn left on Stapleford footpath 2 then walk SSW alongside the River Beane. There is a bench on the left about 20m after turning left, see image below.

Bench along Stapleford footpath 2
Image courtesy of Gerry Gross

Continue walking alongside the river for 160m, ignoring a path on the left. Follow the path under the railway bridge (location - https://w3w.co/sling.invent.cars).

Continue alongside the River Beane and under the railway

5: After walking under the railway bridge the route crosses open ground heading SSW for 140m before reaching Barley Croft (location - https://w3w.co/chairs.chops.spite).

6: Continue heading S until you reach Vicarage Lane (location - https://w3w.co/doing.sand.remedy).

7: Turn right on Vicarage Lane then head W for 60m until you reach a path on the left before the River Beane (location - https://w3w.co/rang.hooks.cried).

8: Turn left, still Stapleford footpath 2, then follow it as it heads S alongside the river for 200m until you reach a fork in the path (location - https://w3w.co/vows.chin.vets).

Looking back along the River Beane - continue with the river on your right

9: Keep right at the fork now on Hertford footpath 26. Continue heading SE with the River Beane on your right for 620m until you reach a footpath junction at a pretty bend in the river (location - https://w3w.co/dice.eggs.home), see below;

Turn left at the marker then follow the black arrow signs

10: Turn left on Hertford footpath 24 then walk E for 210m across the field. Go under a railway bridge, through a gate, then up through the woodland.

11: When you reach a footpath T-junction turn left, still on Hertford footpath 24, then head NE looking out for a marker post with yellow and black arrows. Turn left then follow the path as it bends round to the right then continue to South Heath.

At the top of the hill, turn left and follow the black arrow signs

12: When you reach Sacombe Road car park (location - https://w3w.co/they.chase.acted) you will see several paths heading off to your left. You take the path closest to the road (location - https://w3w.co/bugs.cliff.pads). Follow this path as it heads along the edge of woodland, first N then NW continuing for 700m before reaching the car park alongside Vicarage Lane.

Getting to the car park

We recommend you approach the car park on Vicarage Lane from the east and not the west. If you approach from the west the lane is narrow with few passing places and there is a sharp bend over the railway bridge where we got trapped in a traffic jam caused by an articulated truck getting stuck. It took half an hour to clear.

A local resident told us it is far better to approach the car park via Bulls Mill Lane, Sacombe Road, then Vicarage Lane. They were right. We rerouted that way.

Unlike most of our walks, this route doesn't pass close to a pub or a cafe, so take refreshments with you. There is an elevated picnic table three quarters of the way round affording great views. The nearest places to find refreshments are in Bengeo which is about a mile to the south of the start and finish point by road. They are The Greyhound (location - https://w3w.co/helps.blunt.calculating), The White Lion (location - https://w3w.co/golf.cabin.thick), and The Secret Garden cafe (location - https://w3w.co/define.knots.gift).

The starting point is two miles N from Hertford North station by road. We have another walk in this area. It's Walk 203: Waterford Heath South-West Loop.

Interactive map

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