Walk 105: Hunsdon East Loop

A gentle walk mainly on the flat

5.3 miles (8.5km) 54m of ascent

This is a great walk for anyone who can't manage ups and downs or climbing over stiles. It’s mainly on the flat and along wide tracks. Ideal for anyone pushing a buggy. You will be following bridleways through open fields and footpaths through woodland. There are a couple of footbridges along the route, but few obstacles.  The walk circles the largely defunct Hunsdon Airfield, used by the RAF between 1941 and 1945 under the name of RAF Hunsdon.

Directions

Walk 105: Hunsdon East 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

Hunsdon footpath 17 going through the crops as mentioned in point 1 below
Photograph by Hertfordshire Walker released via Creative Commons

1: Park in Hunsdon after checking for any parking restriction signs. Head NE up Drury Lane for 260m until you reach a fork in the path. Take the left fork and follow Hunsdon footpath 17 NE for 660m, at first with the hedgerow on the left and the field on your right then across the crops heading for Black Hut Wood.

Hunsdon footpath 11 mentioned in point 2 below
Photograph by Hertfordshire Walker released via Creative Commons

2: When you reach Black Hut Wood at a junction in the tracks turn left and head N on Hunsdon footpath 11 for 560m to Blocks Wood.

3: Turn right on Hunsdon footpath 21 and head ENE for 740m with Marshland Wood on your left. At the end of the wood cross a field to Lawns Wood.

Take the right fork mentioned in point 4
Photograph by Hertfordshire Walker released via Creative Commons

4: At a junction where the track goes left, you take the right fork and head SE through Lawns Wood on Eastwick & Gilston footpath 21 for 310m until you come to a footbridge leading to an open field. Continue heading SE for another 310m to High Trees where you skirt the woodland to the left and head SE until you reach a junction in the track.

Eastwick & Gilston restricted byway 24 mentioned in point 5 below
Photograph by Hertfordshire Walker released via Creative Commons

5: Turn right on High Wych restricted byway 37 and head first SW and then S for 370m until you reach a crossing in the track. Continue S along Eastwick & Gilston restricted byway 24, for 1km to Overhall Farm on the left and a T-junction beyond the farm buildings

6: Here you turn right on a lane and head W and SW for 630m to Home Wood.

Take the right fork, mentioned in point 7 below
Photograph by Hertfordshire Walker released via Creative Commons

7: At Home Wood take the right fork and head W through the wood to an open field. Continue straight on Eastwick & Gilston footpath 5 for 410m to another junction.

Turn right on the lane, Eastwick & Gilston footpath 8 mentioned below
Photograph by Hertfordshire Walker released via Creative Commons

8: When you reach the wall, pictured above, turn right on the lane, which is also Eastwick & Gilston footpath 8, walk past some houses and head W for 970m passing Eastwick Hall Farm on the right.

The footpath and bench mentioned in point 9 below
Photograph by Hertfordshire Walker released via Creative Commons

9: When you reach a footpath junction (with a bench on the left) where the track bends to the right, you keep heading straight NW through the woodland on Hunsdon footpath 5 for 490m. The path veers right and leaves the woodland, crosses a field, enters woodland via a footbridge, and continue heading NW past a pond on the left (pictured at the top of the page) and continue to Acorn Street.

Hunsdon footpath 5 crossing the field mentioned in point 9
Photograph by Hertfordshire Walker released via Creative Commons

10: Turn right on Acorn Street and head N. Ignore the first path on the left and continue for 160m until you reach a byway on the left.

11: Turn left on Hunsdon restricted byway 3A and head NW for 200m to High Street.

12: Turn right on High Street and head NNE for 70m looking out for a track on the left. Take this track Hunsdon restricted byway 3 and head NW for 490m.

Hunsdon footpath 6 mentioned in point 13 below
Photograph by Hertfordshire Walker released via Creative Commons

13: Turn right on Hunsdon footpath 6 and head NE for 500m with the hedge on your left and the field on your right. After 330m you cross Tanners Way and continuing through a park to High Street.

14: Turn left on High Street and head NE for 200m back to Hunsdon village centre.

Interactive map

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