Walk 136: Shenley West Loop

Long: 6.5 miles (10.4 km) 174m of total ascent
or
Short: 4.7 miles (7.6 km) 103m of total ascent

Shenley bridleway 38 soon after the start of the walk

There are two versions of this walk. The longer version (6.5 miles) involves more residential roads and some walking alongside main roads (on pavements) and close to a railway line (along footpaths and bridleways).

If you prefer less residential and main road walking we have a shorter version (4.7 miles), although the truncated version does cut out a couple of stretches of really nice countryside which we enjoyed. Both routes pass two WWII pillboxes, which were part of the Outer London Defence Ring.

This is the second of two walks that start in Shenley Park. The first was Walk 135: Shenley East Loop (5.7 miles). Both the short and long version of this walk share two sections of walk 135 but walked in reverse.

There is a car park and a cafe The Cafe in the Orchardat the start/finish point. You can check opening times on the park’s website.

Below you will find directions, maps, and GPS files for both the long and short versions of this walk.

Directions for Shenley West Long Loop

6.5 miles (10.4 km) 510 ft of ascent

Map for Walk 136: Shenley West Long Loop
Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
Elements © Thunderforest © OpenStreetMap contributors
There is an interactive map below these directions

You can download GPX or KML files for the long version of 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 you don't need.

Shenley bridleway 38 leaving the car park and heading NW

1: From the car park in Shenley Park take Shenley bridleway 38 which heads NW from the left of the car park immediately after you enter the gate (location - https://w3w.co/line.rotate.woods), see image above.

Take this bridleway, which is also the Watling Chase Timberland Trail, and follow it as it bends N, NE, then N for 880m with houses on your right and hedgerow and fields on your left before reaching a footpath junction soon after you enter woodland (location - https://w3w.co/glitz.noses.career), see image below.

At the junction keep to the left, still on Shenley bridleway 38

Continue heading N through the woodland for another 200m until you reach another junction (location - https://w3w.co/take.couches.bend). Here you keep left, now on Shenley bridleway 36, and head NW for 60m until you reach a field (location - https://w3w.co/froth.liver.rush).

2: Cross the field, now on Shenley footpath 36, and head NNW for 260m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/brief.entire.hook), see image below.

Turn left at the junction on Shenley footpath 12 and head W

3: Turn left at the junction on Shenley footpath 12 and head W for 120m until you leave the woodland and climb uphill through the crop (location - https://w3w.co/flank.diner.guides). At this point your path becomes St Stephen footpath 25 and continues to the right of a tree heading (location - https://w3w.co/frog.dimes.plot). Continue heading W for another 220m ignoring a farm track on your left until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/cotton.answer.reduce), see image below.

Turn left and head SSE on St Stephen footpath 63

4: Turn left and head SSE on St Stephen footpath 63 for 260m at which point the path becomes Aldenham footpath 58 and continues heading SE for 1km until you reach The Warren, a residential road on the outskirts of Radlett (location - https://w3w.co/circle.along.forms).

5: Turn left on The Warren and head S for 150m until you reach The Avenue (location - https://w3w.co/picked.gravy.dame). Turn left on The Avenue and head SSE for 180m until you reach Shenley Hill (location - https://w3w.co/link.dice.period). Turn right on Shenley Hill and head SW for 75m looking out for a byway on your left (location - https://w3w.co/echo.spite.doors), see image below.

Aldenham restricted byway 53 off Shenley Hill

* At this point you could take a detour for refreshments at The Red Lion in Radlett by heading SW along Shenley Hill for 430m then turning right on Watling Street and heading NNW for 210m to visit The Red Lion (location - https://w3w.co/oils.cone.equal).

6: If you don't take the detour head SSE along Aldenham restricted byway 53, see image above, for 370m first between houses, then along Canons Close, and continuing, still on Aldenham restricted byway 53, between houses until you reach the junction of Newberries Avenue and Craigwell Avenue (location - https://w3w.co/firmly.images.wider). Walk down Newberries Avenue heading SE for 65m looking out for a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/beyond.square.issues), see image below.

Aldenham footpath 53A off Newberries Avenue

7: Take this path, Aldenham footpath 53A and head SSW for 130m until you reach Theobald Street (location - https://w3w.co/mint.finest.strain). Turn left on Theobald Street and head SE for 140m looking for a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/zoom.today.hips).

Turn right off Theobald Street on Aldenham footpath 54

Take this path, Aldenham footpath 54, and head WSW for 200m until you go through a tunnel under the railway line and turn right, still on Aldenham footpath 54. Head NW then SW for 240m until you reach Cobden Hill (location - https://w3w.co/laying.areas.bits).

8: Turn left on Cobden HIll and head SSE uphill for 400m until you reach the top of the hill and a footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/oils.gent.battle) between house numbers 61 and 63.

9: Take this footpath, Aldenham footpath 70, and head first ENE for 100m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/yarn.echo.petty). Turn right and head SE for 330m through the sports club car park to the SE corner where you will reach a footpath, see image below.

The footpath in the SE corner of the car park

Continue along Aldenham footpath 70 until you reach a footpath junction (location - https://w3w.co/joke.loser.alien), see image below.

At the junction head SE, now on Aldenham footpath 18

10: Here you turn left and continue to head SE, now on Aldenham footpath 18, for 400m at which point the path turns left (location - https://w3w.co/spends.punchy.cure) and heads ENE for 300m passing through a tunnel under the railway before reaching a ford and a footbridge and another footpath junction (location - https://w3w.co/stable.broke.legend), see image below.

The ford on the left and bridge on the right just before point 11

11: Cross the footbridge and take Elstree & Borehamwood footpath 50 on the right and head ENE for 120m until you reach Theobald Street (location - https://w3w.co/paper.rested.state).

12: Cross Theobald Street (be careful here because it’s a blind bend) and take the byway opposite. This is Elstree & Borehamwood restricted byway 49 which you follow NE for 980m at which point the track becomes Shenley restricted byway 45, and continues NE then SE for another 220m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/safety.stump.hood), see image below.

Turn left at the junction, still on Shenley restricted byway 45

13: Turn left at the junction, still on Shenley restricted byway 45, and head NE for 340m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/tune.icon.amuse), see image below.

Continue on Shenley restricted byway 45 ignoring the path to the right

Here you keep left and head N, still on Shenley restricted byway 45, for 390m until you reach Woodhall Lane (location - https://w3w.co/silly.grab.melon).

14: Turn right on Woodhall Lane and head E then NE for 440m looking out for a bridleway on the left (location - https://w3w.co/flags.dime.tones), see image below. Just before the bridleway you will pass a WWII pill box on the left (location - https://w3w.co/walks.cigar.tells).

Shenley bridleway 10 heading NW off Woodhall Lane

15: Take this track, Shenley bridleway 10 and head NW then NNW for 930m until you reach Radlett Lane (location - https://w3w.co/improving.memo.dash). Along the way you will pass another WWII pill box on your right (location - https://w3w.co/tunnel.dine.secure).

* Soon after the start of this path you have the option of turning right on Shenley footpath 11 and heading NE for 250m to visit The White Horse (location - https://w3w.co/hers.length.trunk).

16: Cross Radlett Lane and take the bridleway immediately opposite, see image below. This is Shenley bridleway 38 which heads left running parallel to Radlett Lane and follow it WSW for 350m back to the car park. Soon after taking this bridleway you could branch to your right and follow a parallel path in Shenley Park in order to enjoy the orchard.

Shenley bridleway 38 which heads back to the car park

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Interactive map for Shenley West Long Loop

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Directions for Shenley West Short Loop

4.7 miles (7.6 km) 320 ft of ascent

Map for Walk 136: Shenley West Short Loop
Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
Elements © Thunderforest © OpenStreetMap contributors
There is an interactive map below these directions

You can download GPX or KML files for the long version of 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 you don't need.

Shenley bridleway 38 leaving the car park and heading NW

1: From the car park in Shenley Park take Shenley bridleway 38 which heads NW from the left of the car park immediately after you enter the gate (location - https://w3w.co/line.rotate.woods), see image above.

Take this bridleway, which is also the Watling Chase Timberland Trail, and follow it as it bends N, NE, then N for 880m with houses on your right and hedgerow and fields on your left before reaching a footpath junction soon after you enter woodland (location - https://w3w.co/glitz.noses.career), see image below.

At the junction keep to the left, still on Shenley bridleway 38

Continue heading N through the woodland for another 200m until you reach another junction (location - https://w3w.co/take.couches.bend). Here you keep left, now on Shenley bridleway 36, and head NW for 60m until you reach a field (location - https://w3w.co/froth.liver.rush).

2: Cross the field, now on Shenley footpath 36, and head NNW for 260m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/brief.entire.hook), see image below.

Turn left at the junction on Shenley footpath 12 and head W

3: Turn left at the junction on Shenley footpath 12 and head W for 120m until you leave the woodland and climb uphill through the crop (location - https://w3w.co/flank.diner.guides). At this point your path becomes St Stephen footpath 25 and continues to the right of a tree heading (location - https://w3w.co/frog.dimes.plot). Continue heading W for another 220m ignoring a farm track on your left until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/cotton.answer.reduce), see image below.

Turn left and head SSE on St Stephen footpath 63

4: Turn left and head SSE on St Stephen footpath 63 for 260m at which point the path becomes Aldenham footpath 58 and continues heading SE for 1km until you reach The Warren, a residential road on the outskirts of Radlett (location - https://w3w.co/circle.along.forms).

5: Turn left on The Warren and head S for 150m until you reach The Avenue (location - https://w3w.co/picked.gravy.dame). Turn left on The Avenue and head SSE for 180m until you reach Shenley Hill (location - https://w3w.co/link.dice.period). 

* At this point you could take a detour for refreshments at The Red Lion in Radlett by heading SW along Shenley Hill for 500m then turning right on Watling Street and heading NNW for 210m to visit The Red Lion (location - https://w3w.co/oils.cone.equal).

6: Turn left on Shenley Hill and follow the road NE, SE, NE, then SE again for 700m until you reach a footpath on the right soon after a bend (location - https://w3w.co/slug.played.cheer), see image below.

Turn right on Aldenham footpath 55

7: Take this path, Aldenham footpath 55 and head SE and uphill and in a straight line through woodland called The Gorse (we didn’t see any gorse, but loads of bluebells) for 510m at which point the path bends to the left and heads NE for another 130m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/hook.ozone.learns).

8: At the junction head E on Shenley footpath 9 for 390m until you reach Woodhall Lane, which is also The Hertfordshire Way at this point.

9: Head ENE, then NE on Woodhall Lane for 870m until you reach a bridleway on the left (location - https://w3w.co/flags.dime.tones), see image below. Just before the bridleway you will pass a WWII pill box on the left (location - https://w3w.co/walks.cigar.tells).

Shenley bridleway 10 heading NW off Woodhall Lane

10: Take this track, Shenley bridleway 10 and head NW then NNW for 930m until you reach Radlett Lane (location - https://w3w.co/improving.memo.dash). Along the way you will pass another WWII pill box on your right (location - https://w3w.co/tunnel.dine.secure).

* Soon after the start of this path you have the option of turning right on Shenley footpath 11 and heading NE for 250m to visit The White Horse (location - https://w3w.co/hers.length.trunk).

11: Cross Radlett Lane and take the bridleway immediately opposite, see image below. This is Shenley bridleway 38 which heads left running parallel to Radlett Lane and follow it WSW for 350m back to the car park. Soon after taking this bridleway you could branch to your right and follow a parallel path in Shenley Park in order to enjoy the orchard.

Shenley bridleway 38 which heads back to the car park

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Interactive map for Shenley West Short Loop

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