Walk 85: North Mymms Park S Loop

Hill climb, quiet valley, woodland

7.4 miles (11.8km)

Hawkshead Wood mentioned at point 18
Image copyright of Hertfordshire Walker released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

This walk is a mix of peaceful remote locations and sections walking alongside the busy M25 and A1(M) motorways. The reason we have included the two sections close to major roads is that it enables walkers to follow a loop that takes in the southern part of North Mymms Park. This is a fairly stretching hike with a total of 365 ft of ascent. Parts can be muddy after rain.

Directions

Map for Walk 85: North Mymms Park S 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

1: Start the walk in Brookmans Park village centre. Head W crossing the railway bridge and follow Station Road round as it heads N. When you reach Bradmore Lane on your left turn left and head W following the lane. Continue heading along Bradmore Lane for 800m until you reach a footpath on the right just after a right and left hand bend.

2: Turn right on North Mymms footpath 8 and head NNE for 150m. At a junction in the path turn left on North Mymms footpath 7 and head WNW for 130m before turning right and heading NW then NE for 280m until you reach the second white-topped post on the left.

3: Turn left here on North Mymms footpath 32 for 170m heading SW dropping down to a footbridge over a brook. Cross the bridge and climb up to the other side, now North Mymms footpath 30, heading W and an open field. Here you turn left and continue on North Mymms footpath 30 firs SW for 160m and then W for 200m until you reach Swanland Road. Turn left on the path alongside Swanland Road and head SSW for 190m until you reach the junction with Warrengate Road on your left.

4: Cross Swanland Road and head for the bridleway sign on the west side of the road. This is North Mymms bridleway 82, which crosses the A1(M). Once over the A1(M) look out for a footpath sign on your left.

5: This is North Mymms footpath 6 which heads WNW across a field (often grazed by sheep), to St Mary's Church Road in the distance.

6: Turn left on St Mary's Church Road and walk SSW for 440m following the road, also North Mymms bridleway 2, until it bends to the right.

7: Go though the gate and continue heading SSW for 760m along North Mymms bridleway 2 ignoring a path to your left at the point where the track starts its climb up to Cangsley Grove. At the top of the hill you can enjoy the views to the south over Potwells Valley.

The bridleway mentioned at point 8 below
Image copyright of Hertfordshire Walker released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

8: Here you turn right on North Mymms bridleway 90, which becomes Ridge bridleway 44, and heads SW then S for 440m until you reach a gate on the right (see image below)

The gate mentioned at point 8 above
Image copyright of Hertfordshire Walker released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

9: Go through this gate and take Ridge bridleway 10 SW for 760m until you reach Redwell Wood Farm. Along the way you will have some great views over to St Albans to your right.

10: Look out for a bridleway on your left between the farm buildings. This is Ridge bridleway 13. Take this bridleway and head SE for 130m until you see a footpath going off to your left (Ridge footpath 12) which you could take and cut across the field (shown in orange on the maps above and below), but this can be muddy, so you can also stay on the bridleway instead and head SW for 150m until the bridleway turns to the left and continues alongside the north side of the M25 for 150m until you see a bridleway sign on your left (Ridge bridleway 41).

The bridleway sign mentioned at the end of point 10
Image copyright of Hertfordshire Walker released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

11: Turn left here and follow the path east until it merges with another bridleway, Ridge bridleway 34, where you turn left and continue heading E until you reach Blackhorse Lane. Turn left on Blackhorse Lane and head ESE and then ENE for 580m until you reach a bend in the road and a triangle of grass.

12: Here you turn left and then immediately right taking the path to the right of the cottage. This is Ridge restricted byway 11 which you follow uphill heading NE then NNE for 270m where the track becomes North Mymms restricted byway and heads NNE, NE, then E for 1.4km through the pine trees of Hawkshead Wood until you reach the A1(M).

The cottage mentioned in point 12 above
Image copyright of Hertfordshire Walker released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

13: Cross the A1(M) on the footbridge and then cross Swanland Road and take the cut through to Warrengate Road. Here you turn left on Warrengate Road and head N, NNE, then NNW passing the pumping station and looking out for a footpath sign on your right. This is North Mymms footpath 11 - also known as Wise's Lane.

14: Cross the footbridge over Mymmshall Brook (stop on the bridge for a few minutes to see if you can spot a kingfisher), then continue heading E for 840m following the footpath through Brick Kiln Wood. At the end of the wood you will go through a gate, turn right, cross a footbridge. Once across the footbridge turn left heading E, still on North Mymms footpath 11, with the hedge on your left and the field on your right until you reach a gate.

15: Turn left here and follow North Mymms footpath 9 over a footbridge and continue for 600m heading NE, NNE, then N until you reach Station Road where you turn right and head back to Brookmans Park.

Interactive Map

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