Walk 88: Ermine Street East Loop

6.6 miles (10.6 km) with 132m total ascent

The gate at point 13 along the route

This walk takes in five nature reserves, passes the site of an ancient moated encampment, and ends with a two-mile stretch along Ermine Street - a former Roman road. You will pass through deep and shady woodland, cross livestock fields, pass under the A10 twice, and walk through a new housing development.

Unfortunately, to create this loop we had to include sections close to the A10, but we think putting up with the noise is worth it for the access the route gives to so many areas of wonderful woodland.

You will cross livestock fields at several points along the way. One, at point 25, had a notice warning of a bull in the field - although we didn't see any cattle. There are several notices along the way asking dog owners to keep their pets on a lead.

This route was archived for more than two years during the first stages of the construction of High Leigh Garden Village. The public rights of way have now been restored and reopened enabling us to republish this walk on May 23 2025, although construction work is continuing at other parts of the site.

You will walk along a 3km (almost 2 miles) stretch of Ermine Street.

Ermine Street was a major Roman road connecting London (Londinium) to Lincoln (Lindum) and eventually York (Eboracum). Built in the decades following the Roman invasion of AD 43, much of its route followed existing ancient trackways. Ermine Street entered Hertfordshire to the west of Waltham Cross. It then continued north, passing Broxbourne. The road left Hertfordshire at Royston.

Getting there

There are no bus stops close to the start of the walk, but there are stops outside The College Arms (location - https://w3w.co/rescue.leads.sooner) at point 30 in the walk which are served by the number 341 and 641 buses. You could always join the walk there. You can check bus times at Intalink.

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.

Elevation of walk

Total ascent of Walk 88: Ermine Street East Loop 
The equivalent of climbing a 44 storey building

Directions

Map for Walk 88: Ermine Street East 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.

1: Park in the 'Ermine Street Martin’s Green' car park off Cock Lane (location - https://w3w.co/shovels.making.habit) then head N exiting the car park past a gate (location - https://w3w.co/bland.blunt.steep), see image below.

Head N from the car park past a gate

Head N along Brickendon Liberty restricted byway 24 for 250m until you reach Spital Brook (location - https://w3w.co/lucky.slice.forced), see image below.

Spital Brook

2: Turn left to reach two footbridges. Cross the footbridge on the right then turn right and climb slightly to reach a gate (location - https://w3w.co/tent.forms.spend), see images below.

Take the footbridge on the right

Turn right after the footbridge then climb up to a gate

The gate into Hoddesdon Park Wood

Go through the gate to enter Hoddesdon Park Wood.

Take the right-hand fork

Take the right-hand fork then follow the marker posts with the green arrow and white admiral butterfly. Follow the path E, keeping Spital Brook on your right and the woodland on your left.

Head E with Spital Brook on the right

Head E for 500m, crossing a number of elevated walkways along the way. Continue until you reach what is left of a moated site which is an ancient monument listed by Historic England on the left (location - https://w3w.co/pencil.pinks.oppose), see image below.

The ancient moated site in Hoddesdon Park Wood

The information board for the ancient moated site
Click on the image for a larger version

The moated site in Hoddesdon Park Wood, has a rich history. It is described as a well-preserved medieval moated enclosure, rectangular in shape, measuring approximately 60m east-west by 55m north-south (external dimensions). The moat itself is about 10m wide and up to 3m deep, and is partially water-filled. It is fed by a stream entering the north-west corner and drains out through an outflow channel at the south-east angle. The moated site is believed to be the location of a medieval park keeper's lodge, serving as a prestigious residence rather than a military defence. The peak period for building moated sites in England was between 1250 and 1350, suggesting this site likely dates from around the 13th century. Hoddesdon Park Wood itself has a long history, first mentioned in 1277 and created by the Brassingburn family. It later became property of the manor of Baas and the Cecil family. The moated site is a Scheduled Ancient Monument first listed on January 23, 1991, by Historic England. This designation provides national protection for its archaeological features. Hoddesdon Park Wood, where the moated site is located, is owned by the Woodland Trust and is part of the broader Broxbourne Woods National Nature Reserve.

After passing the moated site continue heading E with Spital Brook on the right. After 80m you will reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/dollar.chefs.listed), see image below.

Turn left then head N

3: Turn left then head N for 120m looking out for a wooden footbridge on the right (location - https://w3w.co/castle.next.also), see image below.

Cross the footbridge then follow the green markers

4: Cross the footbridge then follow the green markers.

Follow the green markers to a junction

Continue along the footpath as it heads NE through the woodland for 230m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/humble.cake.secret), see image below.

Turn left then head N to a footpath crossing

5: Turn left and head N for 105m until you come to a footpath crossing (location - https://w3w.co/cover.taxi.cave), see image below.

Turn right then head ENE

6: Turn right then head ENE for 135m until you reach a gate (location - https://w3w.co/reds.truth.glaze), see image below.

Go through then turn right

7: Go through the gate then turn right on Hoddesdon restricted byway 23. Head SE for 150m until you reach Hoddesdon Lodge (location - https://w3w.co/book.skins.swung), see image below.

Head SE with the farmhouse on the left

8: Head SE, now on Hoddesdon footpath 24, passing Hoddesdon Lodge on the left and barns on the right. Continue for 60m until you reach a gate (location - https://w3w.co/buns.tummy.spout), see image below.

Go through the gate then head SE

9: Go through the gate then head SE, still on Hoddesdon footpath 24. You will now be conscious of the noise from the A10. Continue for 85m until you reach a gate in the hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/help.washed.sofa), see image below.

Go through the gate then continue heading SE

10: Go through the gate then continue heading SE, still on Hoddesdon footpath 24. Continue for 155m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/simple.begun.quit), see image below.

Turn right at the gate and then immediately left through the underpass

11: Go through the gate, turn right on Hoddesdon bridleway 25, and then immediately turn left taking Hoddesdon footpath 20 which goes under the A10.

Hoddesdon footpath 20 under the A10

Continue heading E along Hoddesdon footpath 20 for 330m until you reach a gate leading to a livestock field (location - https://w3w.co/woes.carbon.token), see image below.

Go through the gate heading E on Hoddesdon footpath 20

12: Go through the gate then continue heading E on Hoddesdon footpath 20. Along the way the footpath crosses an elevated wooden walkway that is fenced in (location - https://w3w.co/puzzle.pints.caked), see image below. Be careful walking along this stretch, the walkway was in need of repair when we revisited this route (22/5/25).

Continue east along the elevated walkway

Continue heading E for 180m until you reach a gate in the hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/flat.loose.truth) see image below.

Go through the gate then continue heading E

13: Go through the gate then continue heading E, still on Hoddesdon footpath 20. Continue for 310m until you reach a gate in the corner of field (location - https://w3w.co/affair.moment.anyone), see image below.

Go through the gate then turn left

14: Go through the gate then turn left still on Hoddesdon footpath 20. Head NE on Hoddesdon footpath 20 for 45m until you reach a fork (location - https://w3w.co/patio.regime.onion), see image below.

Take the left fork then head NE

Take the left fork then head NE for 85m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/glory.alert.plants), see image below.

Cross the junction then head N

15: Cross the junction then head N, with the woodland on the left and parkland on the right. Continue for 160m until you reach another junction (location - https://w3w.co/globe.labels.ends), see image below.

Turn left at the junction

16: Turn left at the junction then follow the footpath W then N for 135m until you reach Lord Street (location - https://w3w.co/grass.petty.coach).

17: Turn left on Lord Street then head WNW for 85m until you reach a byway on the right (location - https://w3w.co/teams.began.cars), see image below.

Turn right on Hoddesdon restricted byway 7A

18: Turn right on Hoddesdon restricted byway 7A then head N for a 150m until you pass under a spur road to the A10 (location - https://w3w.co/daring.other.sweat), see image below.

The tunnel under the A10 spur road

19: When you emerge at the other side of the tunnel turn left then follow Hoddesdon restricted byway 7 NW for 230m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/pound.cherry.cones), see image below.

Cross the junction then head N on Hoddesdon restricted byway 6

20: Cross the junction then head N now on Hoddesdon restricted byway 6. Continue for 150m to another junction (location - https://w3w.co/vets.pizza.forces), see image below.

Cross the junction then continue heading N

21: Cross the junction then continue heading in a northerly direction for 480m until you reach the B1197 (location - https://w3w.co/wakes.stray.alive).

22: When you reach the B1197, turn left then head W under the A10. Once under the A10, cross the road then take the footpath on your right immediately after the A10 underpass (location - https://w3w.co/final.decreased.aside), see image below.

Turn right on Hoddesdon Footpath 5

23: Turn right on Hoddesdon Footpath 5, which you follow NE and then N away from the road for 245m until you reach a gate (location - https://w3w.co/fact.stuck.rescue).

24: Go through the gate then continue - now on Hertford Heath footpath 19 - heading N through a livestock field with the hedgerow on your right and the field on your left. Continue for 260m until you reach a gap between gates (location - https://w3w.co/tuck.spine.acute), see images below. There was a 'bull in field' sign at this point but we didn't see any cattle.

Go through the gap with gates either side

After the gate turn left

25: After going through the gap go through a gate then turn left still on Hertford Heath footpath 19.

Head NW for 330m to a gate

Head NW for 330m to a gate (location - https://w3w.co/heavy.punk.agree), see image below.

Go through the gate then head NW to Hailey Lane

26: Go through the gate then head NW for 110m to Hailey Lane (location - https://w3w.co/metro.cling.crass).

Take the first left into the grounds of Haileybury College

27: Turn right on Hailey Lane then take the first left into the grounds of Haileybury College (location - https://w3w.co/maybe.gazed.offer). Follow Hertford Heath bridleway 14 NW. You will pass playing fields on the left then playfields on the right before reaching a junction (location - https://w3w.co/bolts.orchestra.frosted).

Head NW through the woods on Hertford Heath Bridleway 17

28: Keep straight at the junction, still heading NW but now on Hertford Heath Bridleway 17. Head NW for 640m with the fields on your right and woodland on your left, ignoring paths to your left and right. Continue until you reach Hertford Heath Bridleway 4 (location - https://w3w.co/voted.remedy.fines).

Turn left on this lane then head SSW

29: Turn left on this lane then head SSW until it becomes a track. This is Hertford Heath Bridleway 5. Continue heading SW for 650m until you reach the B1197, London Road (location - https://w3w.co/cage.lung.mason).

Cross the road then walk past The College Arms on your right

30: Cross the road then walk SW with The College Arms on your right. Continue for 110m until you reach a sign for Hertford Heath on the right and a permissive footpath just before the sign (location - https://w3w.co/tube.eaten.asking), see image below.

Turn right on the permissive path

31: Turn right on the permissive path then follow it as it winds its way SW across Hertford Heath for 420m before reaching a byway (location - https://w3w.co/oppose.bound.lamps), see image below.

Turn left on the byway

32: Turn left on Hertford Heath restricted byway 8, which is also Ermine Street.

* Look out for the entrance to Balls Wood, another HMWT reserve on your right. This has many way-marked paths (144.5 acres). There is another HMWT reserve on your right soon after Balls Wood. This is Hobbyhorse Wood, also signposted with paths (9.14 acres).

Head S on Ermine Street for 920m until the byway you are on crosses a parish boundary (location - https://w3w.co/flip.laptop.tapes) and becomes Brickendon Liberty restricted byway 24.

33: Continue heading S for 820m until you reach Mangrove Lane (location - https://w3w.co/pipe.barn.guides), see image below.

Cross the lane then continue heading S

34: Cross the lane then continue heading S on Brickendon Liberty restricted byway 24.

Head south down Ermine Street back to the car park

Continue heading S for 680m until you reach the bridge over Spital Brook that you crossed at point 2 on the walk (location - https://w3w.co/risen.cities.asking), see image below.

The bridge over Spital Brook - crossed twice on this walk

After crossing the Spital Brook look out for the Danemead reserve on the right. This 13.8 acre wood also has way-marked paths and information boards. Well worth exploring.

Continue heading S and uphill for 420m back to the car park.

Interactive map

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