Walk 87: Rabley Heath South-East Loop

3.9 miles (6.3 km) with 58m of total ascent

The view after point 16 in the walk

This route explores the area to the east and south of Rabley Heath visiting some rights of way that we have not walked before as well as including some old favourites walked in reverse. It is a walk with some magnificent views which starts and finishes outside The Robin Hood & Little John.

There is a short section of Codicote footpath 7 as you approach point 17 where nettles often encroach on the right of way. When we tested this route someone had been along with a strimmer to cut them back, but it is a recurring issue. We always carry hiking poles to push nettles or brambles back when walking between summer and autumn.

Getting there

There is a small layby close to The Robin Hood & Little John at the start of the walk. The closest bus stops to the route are on Bury Lane in Codicote (location - https://w3w.co/usual.ruler.atoms) which are 410m W of point 16 in the walk. They are served by the number 44 and 45 buses. You can check bus times at Intalink.

Total ascent

Total ascent for walk 87 is 58m
That's equivalent to climbing to the top of a 20-storey building

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 87: Rabley Heath South-East Loop
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Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
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There is an interactive map below these 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.

The Robin Hood & Little John, Rabley Heath

1: With The Robin Hood & Little John behind you (location - https://w3w.co/splice.lung.coast) turn left then head NE along a lane for 65m until you reach a footpath just beyond a small layby (location - https://w3w.co/churn.deaf.fits), see image below.

Turn right on Codicote footpath 29

2: Turn right on Codicote footpath 29 then head NE across a meadow.

Continue for 160m until you reach a gate

Continue for 160m until you reach a gate (location - https://w3w.co/back.probe.broom), see image below.

Go through the gate then take the footpath on the right

3: Go through the gate then take the footpath on the right. Follow Knebworth footpath 10 as it heads E with trees on the left and a field on the right.

Follow Knebworth footpath 10 as it heads E

Continue on Knebworth footpath 10 for 380m until you reach Spinney Lane (location - https://w3w.co/jobs.singer.repay), see image below.

Turn right on Spinney Lane

4: Turn right on Spinney Lane then head SW for 280m until you reach Ninning's Lane on the left (location - https://w3w.co/ruby.turned.affair), see image below.

Turn left on Ninning's Lane

5: Turn left on Ninning's Lane then head SE for 70m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/feast.belong.flat), see image below.

Turn right, still on Ninning's Lane

6: Turn right, still on Ninning's Lane, then head S for 300m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/invest.hired.crisis), see image below.

Turn right on Welwyn footpath 13

7: Turn right on Welwyn footpath 13 then head NW. This section was becoming overgrown when we tested this route at the end of May 2025 so we suggest you take a hiking pole or pick up a stick to push back any growth that might be blocking the way. Continue for 185m until you reach Pottersheath Road (location - https://w3w.co/rugs.tooth.curry).

8: Turn left on Pottersheath Road then head SSW for 110m until you reach a footpath on the right partially hidden in a gap in a hedge (location - https://w3w.co/this.brief.moons), see image below.

Turn right on Codicote footpath 31

9: Turn right on Codicote footpath 31 then go through the hedgerow and a gate to reach a gate leading to a livestock field (location - https://w3w.co/transfers.dared.vocal), see image below.

Go through the gate then head across the livestock field

Go through the gate then head diagonally SW across the livestock field (horses) to a gate on the other side (location - https://w3w.co/boats.total.hook), see image below.

Go through the gate then turn right

10: Go through the gate then turn right on a farm track which is also Codicote footpath 31. Head SW for 60m passing a barn on the right (location - https://w3w.co/best.tips.spared), see image below.

Continue on Codicote footpath 31

Continue on Codicote footpath 31 for 55m to a gate (location - https://w3w.co/label.boss.funded).

Go through the gate then head SW

Go through the gate then head SW with a paddock on the right and hedgerow on the left. Continue for 185m until you reach a footpath junction (location - https://w3w.co/cats.plants.puff).

Turn right on Codicote footpath 34

11: Turn right on Codicote footpath 34 then head NW with the hedgerow on the left and field on the right. Continue for 245m until you reach a footpath junction (location - https://w3w.co/preoccupied.cute.flops), see image below.

Go through a gate then head NW

12: Go through the gate straight ahead then head NW slightly diagonally to the right across another livestock field, see orange arrow on the image below.

Head NW across a livestock field on Codicote footpath 33

Continue, now on Codicote footpath 33, for 290m until you reach a gate (location - https://w3w.co/from.comic.buzz), see image above.

Go through the gate then follow Codicote footpath 33

13: Go through the gate then follow Codicote footpath 33 as it weaves left then right for 460m before reaching Rabley Heath Road (location - https://w3w.co/burst.recall.insert). see image below.

Cross Rabley Heath Road to reach a footpath

14: Cross Rabley Heath Road diagonally to your right to reach a footpath (location - https://w3w.co/oven.skills.pasta). Turn left on Codicote footpath 8. Head SW across an arable field for 260m until you reach woodland on your right (location - https://w3w.co/cake.moons.plates), see image below.

Continue heading SW, still on Codicote footpath 8

Continue heading SW, still on Codicote footpath 8, for 505m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/spine.pitch.deaf), see image below.

Turn right on Codicote footpath 5

15: Turn right on Codicote footpath 5 then head NW for 275m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/dates.sides.chase), see image below.

Turn right on Codicote footpath 7

16: Turn right on Codicote footpath 7 then head NE for 1km until you reach Sally Deards Lane (location - https://w3w.co/gather.normal.vital), see image below.

Turn right on Sally Deards Lane

17: Turn right on Sally Deards Lane then head S for 115m then follow the road as it bends left then heads E for 130m until you reach a footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/matter.export.lift), see image below.

Turn left on Codicote footpath 27

18: Turn left on Codicote footpath 27. Head NE across an arable field until you come to a wooden stile (location - https://w3w.co/refers.format.lamps) Don't be surprised if this has been replaced with a metal gate when you do this walk, there are not many stiles around and HCC is replacing them.

Cross the stile then continue on Codicote footpath 27

19: Cross the stile then head NE, still on Codicote footpath 27. Continue for 265m until the footpath goes through the hedgerow to reach a lane (location - https://w3w.co/shall.shady.raced).

20: Turn right on the lane then head SE for 115m until you reach a footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/dance.orange.forgot), see image below.

Turn left on Codicote footpath 28

21: Turn left on Codicote footpath 28 then head NE for 40m to a footpath junction (location - https://w3w.co/cowboy.drain.tries), see image below.

Turn right on Knebworth footpath 10

22: Turn right on a footpath that straddles a parish border and is both Knebworth footpath 10 and Codicote footpath 28. Head SE, with hedgerow on the right and a field on the left. Continue for 220m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/fire.plot.turns), see image below.

Turn right to reach a gate

23: Turn right to reach a gate (location - https://w3w.co/reef.cover.data), see image below.

Take the footpath on the right

Go through the gate on the right then retrace your steps on Codicote footpath 29 back to the start of the walk.

Note: This walk was tested and published at the end of May 2025 and has replaced an earlier walk that had become unsafe because of increased traffic flow on the A414. The publication date below is the date the original walk was published and has been retained to preserve the numbering sequence of our walks.

Interactive map

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