Walk 269: Gobions South Loop

3.6 miles (5.8 km) with 99m of total ascent

North Mymms footpath 11 soon after point 5 in the walk

This walk explores the rolling countryside south of Brookmans Park. It cuts through a nature reserve that was once the ornamental gardens of a large country manor and passes two WWII pill boxes which are remnants of the Outer London Defence Line. You will cross the abandoned Potters Bar golf course which has been left to grow wild. You will cross some livestock fields.

The walk starts and finishes at the free (at the time of writing) North Mymms Parish Council car park at Gobions Open Space (location - https://w3w.co/turkey.oasis.ozone) accessed via a narrow pot-holed track called Jonas Way (location - https://w3w.co/stroke.pets.slick) which is off Moffats Lane, Brookmans Park.

If you want to travel by public transport you could catch the train to Brookmans Park Station then join the walk at points 2 or 5.

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 269: Gobions South 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 southern exit at Gobions Open Space car park

1: From the car park at Gobions Open Space take the southern footpath exit (location - https://w3w.co/chill.tips.discouraged), then head SSW towards the children's play area. Continue heading SSW for 110m until you reach the end of the play area (location - https://w3w.co/sings.aside.oppose) see image below.

Turn right then head W to a gap in the hedgerow

2: Turn right then head W for 35m cutting through the hedgerow to a path on the left leading to Gobions Wood a Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust nature reserve (location - https://w3w.co/bravo.courier.humid) see image below.

Turn left then head SSW down a lovely shaded path

Turn left then head SSW for 375m down a lovely shaded path which can become muddy in wet weather. Continue until you reach a footbridge (location - https://w3w.co/mini.tips.simply) see image below.

Cross the footbridge then turn right

3: Cross the footbridge then turn right. Follow the path W for 35m until you reach a fork (location - https://w3w.co/spout.brass.smile) see image below.

Keep right at the fork

Keep right at the fork then follow the path W for 25m until you reach a gate (location - https://w3w.co/member.taking.inner).

Go through the gate then continue heading W

4: Go through the gate then continue heading W for 85m, with the hedgerow on the right and a fence on the left. This is a narrow path and can become overgrown with nettles so be sure to take a stick, wear long trousers, and be ready with the antihistamine cream.

Continue until you pass a gate on the left (location - https://w3w.co/market.credit.attend). At this point the path you are on becomes North Mymms footpath 11. Keep heading W along this path for 150m until you reach steps leading up to Bluebridge Road (location - https://w3w.co/lifts.bats.butter) see image below.

Climb the steps then cross Bluebridge Road

5: Climb the steps, cross Bluebridge Road then take the footpath on the other side which is still North Mymms footpath 11 (location - https://w3w.co/amber.sadly.groups) see image below.

Continue heading W along North Mymms footpath 11

6: Continue heading W along North Mymms footpath 11 for 270m, with a brook on the right and a field on the left until the path bends sharp left as you reach the railway embankment (location - https://w3w.co/sheep.turned.acid).

Follow the path round to the left then head S and uphill for 395m, with the hedgerow and railway line on your right and a field on your left, until you reach Hawkshead Lane (location - https://w3w.co/shins.valley.spirit), see image below.

Turn right then cross a railway bridge

7: Turn right on Hawkshead Lane then head WNW across a railway bridge. Continue for 70m until you reach a footpath on the other side (location - https://w3w.co/swept.bridge.rides), see image below.

Turn left on North Mymms footpath 80

8: Turn left on North Mymms footpath 80 then head SSE for 430m until the footpath you are on leaves the woodland where it crosses a parish boundary and becomes Potters Bar footpath 8 (location - https://w3w.co/recent.fancy.dress), see image below.

* Keep a look out for cyclists along this stretch because, even though it's a footpath and bikes are not allowed, it is often used by cyclists.

Continue heading SSE, now on Potters Bar footpath 8, for 260m until you reach a tunnel on the left which passes under the railway lines (location - https://w3w.co/puns.broad.fans), see image below.

Turn left then go through the tunnel

9: Turn left then head ENE through the tunnel now on Potters Bar footpath 5. Continue for 50m until you reach a gate (location - https://w3w.co/aspect.banana.jazz), see image below.

Go through the gate then turn right

* At this point you would ideally continue to follow Potters Bar footpath 5 which turns right before the gate then heads SSE with the railway on the right. However, in early June 2024 this path was totally blocked by nettles and brambles and clearly hadn't been used for a long time. It was evident that walkers have created a well-used detour that runs parallel to the overgrown section, see orange line on the image below. We have reported this to Hertfordshire County Council using their online form. These directions will be updated when we know that Potters Bar footpath 5 has been cleared. In the meantime you might want to follow the detour.

The detour shown in orange

10: Go through the gate, turn right, then head SSE for 175m until you reach a bend (location - https://w3w.co/swear.stem.sands) see image below.

* To the right of this point, hidden deep in the hedgerow alongside the railway embankment is the remains of a WWII pill box (location - https://w3w.co/sorry.volunteered.linked)

WWII pill box hidden in the undergrowth

The WWII pill box is hard to find because the area has become heavily overgrown since the golf course was abandoned.

Head SW, now back on Potters Bar footpath 5

11: Continue, now back on Potters Bar footpath 5 but now heading SW, for 130m to a left-hand bend (location - https://w3w.co/funded.rings.gets), see image below.

Head ENE, still on Potters Bar footpath 5

12: Head ENE, still on Potters Bar footpath 5 until you reach another WWII pill box on the left (location - https://w3w.co/shared.songs.plenty), see image below. This one is easier to spot.

A WWII pill box close to Potters Bar footpath 5

Continue past the pill box, still on Potters Bar footpath 5

Continue past the pill box, still on Potters Bar footpath 5, for 150m until the footpath turns right (location - https://w3w.co/risks.voter.asks), see image below.

Turn right, still on Potters Bar footpath 5

13: Turn right, still on Potters Bar footpath 5. This section, which is a steep climb, can be muddy in the wet weather and rock hard in the dry weather. Head SE and uphill for 150m until you reach a footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/easy.hints.fact), see image below.

Turn left on Potters Bar footpath 3

14: Turn left on Potters Bar footpath 3 then head NNW. This section had cattle grazing when we tested the walk but they were behind an electric fence. Continue for 145m until you go through a metal gate (location - https://w3w.co/active.mixed.join), see image below.

Go through the gate then continue on Potters Bar footpath 3

Continue, still heading NNW, for 140m until Potters Bar footpath 3 cuts through the hedgerow on the left (location - https://w3w.co/drop.risk.early), see image below.

Turn left through the gap then go through the gate

15: Turn left through the gap, go through a gate then turn right. At this point you cross a parish boundary and the path you are on becomes North Mymms footpath 13. Head NW, with the hedgerow on the right and field on the left and continue until you reach a gate leading to a livestock field (location - https://w3w.co/broker.human.occupy), see image below. These gates change from season to season as the cattle are moved from field to field.

Continue heading NNW and uphill

16: Continue heading NNW and uphill for 330m until you reach a gate leaving the field (location - https://w3w.co/frogs.filer.ship), see image below.

Turn right after the gate then head E on a permissive path

17: Turn right after the gate then head E on a permissive path.

* This is a path created by the Royal Veterinary College (RVC) on RVC land for students to walk safely between the RVC's Boltons Park Farm and its Hawkshead Campus. The public is free to use this permissive path, but it is not a public right of way.

Continue for 130m until you reach a fork (location - https://w3w.co/return.limes.wacky), see image below.

Take the left fork then continue on the permissive path

Take the left fork then follow the permissive path down to a gate (location - https://w3w.co/vows.coffee.ticket), see image below.

Go through the gate then head E along Hawkshead Road

18: Go through the gate then continue straight heading E along the S side of Hawkshead Road passing the Royal Veterinary College's Boltons Park Farm on the right. Continue for 85m until you reach the point where you can cross Hawkshead Road then continue along a footpath on the other side (location - https://w3w.co/grapes.expert.quiet).

19: Cross the road, turn right, then head E along the N side of Hawkshead Road for 240m until you reach a footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/change.island.spices), see image below.

* At this point those interested on history could continue heading E for another 90m to have a look at Folly Arch, which is a Grade II* listed structure. There is a bench at the arch if you need a rest (location - https://w3w.co/slows.rescue.likely).

Folly Arch, Little Heath

Turn left on North Mymms footpath 11

20: Turn left on North Mymms footpath 11 then follow it diagonally across an arable field heading NNW for 200m until you reach a gate in the hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/will.funny.insect), see image below.

Go through the gate then turn right

21: Go through the gate then turn right. Head N along a permissive path with the hedgerow on the right and field on the left.

Continue along the permissive path until you reach Gobions Wood

Continue along the permissive path for 220m until you reach a gate leading to Gobions Wood (location - https://w3w.co/flip.bravo.brands), see image below.

Go through the gate then turn right

22: Go through the gate then turn right. Follow the path ENE for 55m over two wooden footbridges until you reach a third footbridge on the left (location - https://w3w.co/shiny.wishes.uses), see images below.

The first of three footbridges

The third and longest footbridge

23: Turn left then head N across the third footbridge. Continue heading N for 40m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/shell.cure.spout), see image below.

Keep left at the junction then head N

Keep left at the junction then head N. Dotted throughout this area are a number of information boards, see images below.

Nature notes information board
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Wildflowers and rare fungi notice board
Click on the image for a larger version

Continue for 45m to a path that leaves the wooded area (location - https://w3w.co/common.recall.guilty), see image below.

Head N until you reach a gate leaving the nature reserve

24: Head N for 180m until you reach a gate leaving Gobions Wood (location - https://w3w.co/agent.dark.nests), see image below.

Go through the gate then turn left

25: Go through the gate then turn left. Head W along the S side of Gobions Pond.

Gobions Pond

Continue for 380m until the path bends right (location - https://w3w.co/narrow.resort.economies) then heads N then NW for 60m until the path leaves the lake (location - https://w3w.co/baking.towns.pinks), see image below.

Follow the path N to reach Gobions Open Space

26: Follow the path N to reach Gobions Open Space (location - https://w3w.co/nests.uses.song), see image below.

Head NNW back to the car park and the starting point

Head NNW for 210m back to the car park and the starting point.

There are no cafe's or pubs on this walk, but there are opportunities for refreshments in Brookmans Park village. But be careful parking there because there are restrictions around the village green.

If you enjoyed this walk please consider joining our Hertfordshire Walker members-only Facebook Group where you can share photos and comments on your walking experiences.

Interactive map

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