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Walk 192: Burnham Green West Loop

3.5 miles (5.7 km) with 36m of total ascent


Datchworth footpath 16 at the start of the walk
Datchworth footpath 16 at the start of the walk
This walk offers a great mix of wide open views, at the beginning and towards the end, as well as shaded sections through woodland. It starts at The White Horse in Burnham Green then cuts through Harmer Green Wood before looping back via Harmer Green. The starting point is 1.4 miles NE from Welwyn North station by road.

Directions


Map for Walk 192: Burnham Green West Loop
Map for Walk 192: Burnham Green West Loop
Click here or on the map for a larger version
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: With your back to The White Horse in Burnham Green (location - https://w3w.co/hung.crib.lower), turn right and head W through the car park for 10m to Two Oaks Drive. Turn right immediately on Datchworth footpath 16, see image below.

Datchworth footpath 16
Datchworth footpath 16
Head NW along Datchworth footpath 16 enjoying the open views on all sides.

Datchworth footpath 16 heading NW
Datchworth footpath 16 heading NW
Continue for 960m, ignoring paths to the right and left and continuing to a T-junction (location - https://w3w.co/winter.lights.noted), see image below.

Turn left on Woolmer Green bridleway 26
2: Turn left on Woolmer Green bridleway 26 then head SSW then SSE, and SSW again for 620m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/softly.hardly.star), see image below.

Keep left at the junction, still on Woolmer Green bridleway 26
Keep left at the junction, still on Woolmer Green bridleway 26
3: Keep left at the junction, still on Woolmer Green bridleway 26, then head S for 310m until you reach a footpath on your right (location - https://w3w.co/ideal.blitz.loads).

4: Turn right on Welwyn footpath 27 and head NW for 260m until you reach woodland (location - https://w3w.co/loved.bubble.rising), see image below.

Head NW through the woodland (see line of orange arrow above)
Head NW through the woodland (see line of orange arrow above)
5: At this point Welwyn footpath 27 turns left, but you continue heading NW for 270m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/lamps.feed.finger), see image below.

Continue heading NW along the track
Continue heading NW along the track
6: At the junction ignore Welwyn footpath 27 heading off to the right and instead continue heading NW along the track (see orange arrow on image above) for 100m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/flood.crisis.play), see image below.

Turn left at the junction then head SW for 40m
Turn left at the junction then head SW for 40m
Turn left at the junction (see image above) then head SW for 40m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/belly.ranged.icons) where you will see an air ventilation shaft on the left (marked with a black icon with a white X on the map above), see image below.

Turn left on Welwyn footpath 29
Turn left on Welwyn footpath 29
7: When you reach the ventilation shaft (see image above) turn left on Welwyn footpath 29 then, keeping to the right of the air vent, head SSW for 850m. Eventually you will see the railway in a cutting on your right. Continue heading SSW until a green metal fence on your right bends right (location - https://w3w.co/slide.same.asserts). Keep right as the green fence and the path heads W for 15m before the path turns left then heads SSW and uphill for 50m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/whites.fake.shop), see image below.

Turn left on Welwyn footpath 38
Turn left on Welwyn footpath 38
8: Turn left on Welwyn footpath 38 then head E for 255m until the footpath becomes a lane (location - https://w3w.co/fingernails.kicked.doors). Continue heading E for 110m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/skin.losses.joke). Turn left on Harmer Green Lane then follow it SE for 170m until you reach the junction with New Road, (location - https://w3w.co/edgy.faced.winner), see image below. Keep left on New Road then head E, in the direction of the orange arrow on the image below, to a bend in the road by a pond (location - https://w3w.co/magic.baked.bravo). Take the track on the right which is to the left of the pond (location - https://w3w.co/army.puzzle.sling).

On the bend turn right at the pond along Pennyfeathers Lane
On the bend turn right after the pond along Pennyfeathers Lane
9: Head SE for 160m until you reach a fork in the lane (location - https://w3w.co/garden.task.ocean), see image below.

Keep left at the fork
Keep left at the fork
10: Keep left at the fork then head E for 80m before the track bends to the left (location - https://w3w.co/object.late.driven) and merges with Welwyn footpath 34 then heads NE for 210m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/plan.menu.punks), see image below.

Turn right on Welwyn footpath 33
Turn right on Welwyn footpath 33
11: Turn right on Welwyn footpath 33, then head NE for 600m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/fees.latest.ocean), see image below.

Keep left on Welwyn footpath 33
Keep left on Welwyn footpath 33
12: Keep left, still on Welwyn footpath 33, then head NE for 140m until you reach Orchard Road (location - https://w3w.co/spin.cone.vanish). Turn left on Orchard Road then follow it NNW for 350m back to The White Horse and the starting point.

Interactive map




11 comments:

  1. Really loved the open countryside and woodland mix on this walk. We went wrong in a few places and took us a while to figure out where we had gone wrong but we missed the turning for the tunnel air vent, then when going past the green fence near the entrance to the rail tunnel it said to walk 20m before a junction but was alot longer than 20m. Coming out onto New Road it says to head SW but SW was straight ahead and wasn't clear if we had to turn left or right at this junction so luckily we asked some locals and they pointed us in the correct direction to the pond. Not sure if it was the mugginess of the weather or the directions but nonetheless we absolutely loved this walk 👍

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Lorraine and Neil, thanks so much for the feedback. Sorry you missed the air vent turn, but it seems you recovered and found your way. And you are right, at the end of the green fence you turn right and head W for 15m, not 20m, then turn left and head uphill for 50m to the junction. I have clarified that. I have also reworked the directions at the junction with New Road to try to make it clearer. Apologies for the confusion. I hope it didn't spoil your walk. And, as always, thanks so much for the detailed feedback. It really helps make sure the walks are as clear as possible.
      Dave

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  2. Did the walk on Sunday and really enjoyed it. We actually started at Govers Green Datchworth so this added about 2.7 miles onto the walk. Lots of shade for a sunny day. We also missed the air vent left turn and re reading the instructions unsure exactly where we went wrong 🤔. (We don't use a compass)We may have got distracted by a nearby bench (just past the marker for the vent) and we're so focused on having a sit down that we didn't notice the marker. Some other walkers helped get us back on track. Just past the ventilation shaft the path either goes straight on or left and down into woodland. We weren't 100% certain but stuck to the path on the right/straight ahead and that was the correct route. The green fence is adjacent to railway line below and if you can see and/or hear trains you know you are on the correct path. (Unless they happen to be on strike but the track is visible at some point) Will definitely do this walk again.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks for the feedback. We will revisit and take some more photographs and record more What3Words location references to try to make it clearer. In the meantime I have downloaded the GPS files from my wife's smart phone to check the route, added a photograph to try to clarify the turn, and added some more What3Words references. I will edit more when we have revisited. I hope it didn't spoil your day. Thanks for the feedback.
      David

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    2. Thanks! Terry Wilson

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  3. Hi Dave wow what an amazing walk open views to start with then an amazing amount of shade through the woods . Huge Pine and Oak Trees on route and dare I say some beautiful properties as well. Thank you once again. .IR.

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    Replies
    1. Hi Ian, yes, a nice walk. And you are right about the welcome shade. Dave

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  4. Sorry Dave forgot to mention the sound from those air vents was brilliant certainly woke me up was not expecting that 😂🤣😂

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I remember when we first did that walk the sound of the trains passing below was a massive surprise. And every time we walk that way we still find the roar fascinating.

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  5. Great walk today(9/1), just a bit of mud no surface water. Just the right length for a couple of OAPs

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi John, glad you enjoyed it, despite the mud. Are you on Facebook? If so, and if you have not already done so, please consider joining our friendly Hertfordshire Walker Facebook group where fellow walkers are sharing photos and reports about their walks in the Hertfordshire countryside. David
      https://www.facebook.com/groups/hertfordshirewalker

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