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Walk 279: Great Offley South-East Loop

6 miles (9.6 km) with 90m of total ascent


The view at point 5 in the walk
The view at point 5 in the walk
This is a lovely walk with long stretches where you might feel you have escaped from civilisation with just the sound of birdsong and the odd plane overhead. It starts outside The Red Lion in the village of Great Offley then passes The Plough at Ley Green close to the halfway point before looping back over undulating fields with wide open views. The Dream Bean Cafe is a 850m drive south of the start/finish point.

The walk crosses arable fields which might be overgrown with crops in the summer and ploughed over at other times of the year. You will also cross livestock fields where you might encounter cattle. There are signs along the route asking dog owners to keep their pets under control. There is one short stretch of lane walking where there is no pedestrian pavement.

The nearest bus stop is 600m NW of the start/finish point along Kings Walden Road. The bus stop is called 'Great Offley Luton Rd Post Office (nr)' and is served by the 101 bus. The journey is 18 mins from Hitchin. You can check 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.


Directions


Map for Walk 279: Great Offley South-East Loop
Map for Walk 279: Great Offley South-East Loop
Click on the map above for a larger version
Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
Elements © Thunderforest © OpenStreetMap contributors

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.

Take the footpath on the right of the overspill car park
Take the footpath on the right of the overspill car park
1: As you face The Red Lion pub (location - https://w3w.co/date.carbon.worms) turn right then head S for 10m until you reach a footpath on the right close to the pub's overspill car park (location - https://w3w.co/elbowing.slogged.exhales), see image below.

Turn right on Offley footpath 13
Turn right on Offley footpath 13
Turn right on Offley footpath 13 then head SW for 270m until you reach a footpath junction at a gate (location - https://w3w.co/pheasants.radiating.ballpoint), see image below.

Turn left then head S on Offley footpath 12
Turn left then head S on Offley footpath 12
2: Turn left, go through the gate, then head S, now on Offley footpath 12, with the hedgerow on the left and field on the right.

Head S on Offley footpath 12
Head S on Offley footpath 12
Continue heading S for 195m until you reach a gap in the hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/cheek.blubber.excavate). The gap is hard to spot - see the line of the orange arrow on the image below.

Go through the gap in the hedge, still on Offley footpath 12
Go through the gap in the hedge, still on Offley footpath 12
3: Go through the gap, still on Offley footpath 12, to reach an arable field, see image below.

Offley footpath 12 heads diagonally across the field
Offley footpath 12 heads diagonally across the field
Offley footpath 12 heads diagonally SW across the field through the crop for 340m until it reaches the corner of the field and a gap between trees (location - https://w3w.co/squashes.wizard.mothering), see image below.

Go through the gap then head S
Go through the gap then head S
4: Go through the gap then head S until you reach another arable field (location - https://w3w.co/however.secretly.stitching), see image below.

Head SSW across the arable field
Head SSW across the arable field
Head SSW across the arable field, now on Kings Walden footpath 39, for 175m until you reach woodland (location - https://w3w.co/wriggled.shadowed.lately), see image below.

Head SSE with woodland on the right and field on the left
Head SSE with woodland on the right and field on the left
5: Head SSE, still on Kings Walden footpath 39 and with woodland on the right and field on the left. Continue for 110m until you reach the end of the woodland and a gap in the hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/crowd.logbook.remainder), see image below.

Go through the gap in the hedgerow to reach another arable field
Go through the gap in the hedgerow to reach another arable field
6: Go through the gap in the hedgerow to reach another arable field, see image below.

Head S across the arable field until you reach the hedgerow
Head S across the arable field until you reach the hedgerow
Head S across the arable field for 135m until you reach the hedgerow on the other side (location - https://w3w.co/panic.union.needed).

7: Head SSE, with the woodland on the right and field on the left. Continue for 285m until you reach the end of the woodland and a footpath junction (location - https://w3w.co/leads.influencing.activism), see image below.

Turn left on Kings Walden footpath 38
Turn left on Kings Walden footpath 38
8: Turn left at the footpath junction on Kings Walden footpath 38. There wasn't a marker post at this junction when we tested the walk so Ellie had to stand in to point the way, see image above.

Head ENE across an arable field
Head ENE across an arable field
Head ENE on Kings Walden footpath 38 across an arable field until you reach the hedgerow and a path leading down to Kings Walden Road (location - https://w3w.co/bridges.conspired.risks), see image below.

Follow Kings Walden footpath 38 down to Kings Walden Road
Follow Kings Walden footpath 38 down to Kings Walden Road
9: Turn right on Kings Walden Road. This stretch of road doesn't have a pedestrian pavement so please take care. Head SE on Kings Walden Road for 450m until you reach a footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/waged.coast.finalists), see image below.

Turn left on Kings Walden footpath 25
Turn left on Kings Walden footpath 25
10: Turn left on Kings Walden footpath 25 then head diagonally SE across a field.

Continue for 145m until you reach hedgerow
Continue for 145m until you reach hedgerow
Continue for 145m until you reach hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/parsnips.sparkles.covenants), see image below.

Follow Kings Walden footpath 25 SE across another field
Follow Kings Walden footpath 25 SE across another field
11: Go through the gap in the hedgerow then follow Kings Walden footpath 25 SE for 125m across another field, through a gate (location - https://w3w.co/harmless.shook.enhancement), then to the left of a house (location - https://w3w.co/sketching.dynamic.fatherly) before reaching Kingswell End Road (location - https://w3w.co/indicated.inviting.boots).

12: Turn left on Kingswell End Road then head ENE for 75m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/scorecard.shifting.amphibian), see image below.

Turn right on Kings Walden footpath 25
Turn right on Kings Walden footpath 25
Turn right on Kings Walden footpath 25 then head SE for 30m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/skidding.chained.racetrack), see image below.

Turn left at the junction, still on Kings Walden footpath 25
Turn left at the junction, still on Kings Walden footpath 25
13: Turn left at the junction, still on Kings Walden footpath 25 then head SE with the hedgerow on the left and field on the right. Continue for 150m until you reach a gate (location - https://w3w.co/unite.height.vent), see image below.

Continue heading SE on Kings Walden footpath 25
Continue heading SE on Kings Walden footpath 25
14: Go through the gate then continue heading SE on Kings Walden footpath 25 for 325m until you reach School Lane (location - https://w3w.co/happily.ironic.daylight).

15: Turn left on School Lane then head NE for 210m until you reach a right-hand bend (location - https://w3w.co/jugs.grins.edits), see image below.

Follow School Lane round to the right
Follow School Lane round to the right
Follow School Lane round to the right then head E for 35m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/prowess.fatherly.synthetic), see image below.

Turn right on Kings Walden footpath 26
Turn right on Kings Walden footpath 26
16: Turn right on Kings Walden footpath 26 then head SW for 15m to a gate. Go through the gate then head SE for with the hedgerow on the left and a play area on the right. Continue heading SE across several livestock fields where you might encounter cattle. After 220m you will reach Plough Lane (location - https://w3w.co/repaying.songbirds.flaking). The Plough pub will be on your right (location - https://w3w.co/pelt.deeper.expectant), see image below.

The Plough, Ley Green
The Plough, Ley Green
17: When you reach Plough Lane turn left then head NE for 10m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/scorch.earplugs.hounded), see image below.

Turn right, still on Kings Walden footpath 26
Turn right, still on Kings Walden footpath 26
Turn right, still on Kings Walden footpath 26, then head SE across another livestock field. Continue, with the field boundary on the right for 300m until you reach Parsonage Lane (location - https://w3w.co/spiking.kite.ratty).

Turn left on Parsonage Lane then take the footpath on the right
Turn left on Parsonage Lane then take the footpath on the right
18: Turn left on Parsonage Lane then head NNE for 10m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/registers.hydrant.melon). Turn right, still on Kings Walden footpath 26.

Head SE across a livestock field until you reach woodland
Head SE across a livestock field until you reach woodland
Head SE across a livestock field for 125m until you reach woodland (location - https://w3w.co/remember.hairstyle.strapping), see orange arrow on the image above.

19: Continue heading SE, still on Kings Walden footpath 26 with the hedgerow on the left and field on the right. After 240m you will reach a gate (location - https://w3w.co/flipper.pulps.towel). Go through the gate then continue heading SE for 230m until you reach the corner of a field (location - https://w3w.co/cling.paces.fevered), see image below.

Turn left to reach a junction
Turn left to reach a junction
20: Turn left to reach a junction where you turn left on Kings Walden BOAT 45 (byway open to all traffic).

Follow Kings Walden BOAT 45 N for 770m until you reach Back Lane (location - https://w3w.co/simulator.perfume.fruitcake), see image below.

Cross Back Lane then head NNE on Kings Walden bridleway 31
Cross Back Lane then head NNE on Kings Walden bridleway 31
21: Cross Back Lane then head NNE on Kings Walden bridleway 31. Continue for 240m until you reach a gap (location - https://w3w.co/region.ourselves.slap) see image below.

Continue, still on Kings Walden bridleway 31
Continue, still on Kings Walden bridleway 31
22: Go through the gap then head NE on Kings Walden bridleway 31, but now with the hedgerow on the right and the field on the left, for 335m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/wheels.warnings.embellish), see image below.

Turn right then turn left on Kings Walden BOAT 48
Turn right then turn left on Kings Walden BOAT 48
23: Turn right through the hedgerow then turn left on Kings Walden BOAT 48. Head NNE for 220m until you reach a byway on the left (location - https://w3w.co/buzzards.remembers.goats), see image below.

Turn left on Kings Walden BOAT 47
Turn left on Kings Walden BOAT 47
24: Turn left on Kings Walden BOAT 47 then head W for 260m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/however.guitars.swatting), see image below.

Turn right on Kings Walden restricted byway 47
Turn right on Kings Walden restricted byway 47
25: Turn right on Kings Walden restricted byway 47 then head W for 580m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/rips.thinnest.moving), see image below.

Head SSW for 110m until you reach a byway on the right
Head SSW for 110m until you reach a byway on the right
26: Turn left then head SSW for 110m until you reach a byway on the right (location - https://w3w.co/smarter.mooring.irony), see image below.

Turn right on Kings Walden restricted byway 36
Turn right on Kings Walden restricted byway 36
27: Turn right on Kings Walden restricted byway 36 then head NW. Continue for 890m until you reach a gate on the right leading into a field (location - https://w3w.co/teaspoons.lilac.issues), see image below.

Go through the gate then head NNW on Offley bridleway 22
28: Go through the gate then head NNW, now on Offley bridleway 22.

Follow Offley bridleway 22 diagonally NNW across a field
Follow Offley bridleway 22 diagonally NNW across a field
Follow Offley bridleway 22 diagonally NNW across a field until you reach a gate in the hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/discrepancy.chatters.envoy), see image below.

Go thorough the gate then head NW on Offley bridleway 22
Go thorough the gate then head NW on Offley bridleway 22
29: Go thorough the gate then head NW still on Offley bridleway 22.
* This is the least attractive part of the walk. When we tested the route in August 2024 work was underway to fill pothole on the bridleway with hardcore. I am sure this will be of great benefit once it settles in. However, in the meantime it might be worth walking on the edge of the bridleway to avoid twisting an ankle.
Continue on Offley bridleway 22 for 650m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/agenda.intelligible.reassured), see image below.

Continue heading NW at the junction
Continue heading NW at the junction
30: Continue heading NW at the junction, still on Offley bridleway 22, with the hedgerow on the left and field on the right. After 240m you will reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/presented.yield.snacks), see image below.

Turn left on Offley UCR 1
Turn left on Offley UCR 1
31: Turn left on Offley UCR 1 (unclassified unmetalled county road), which is also called Harris Lane,  then follow it NW for 330m back to the start of the walk.

There is another pub in the village, The Green Man (location - https://w3w.co/intervene.haven.tumble), which is 555m NW of the start/finish point along Kings Walden Road.

If you enjoyed this walk please consider joining our Hertfordshire Walker Facebook group where fellow walkers are sharing their walking experiences and photos.

Interactive map




4 comments:

  1. Probably silly to have chosen to walk 6 miles on a hot sunny day but we did it anyway and really enjoyed this route because it was very open and so quiet. Stopped at the Plough half way round but it was packed and there was a lot of loud music playing so we decided to give it a miss this time! Thought we had gone wrong round about point 23 to 24 but then seemed to be back on the route so it might have been my phone not catching up with the route. Appreciated a bit of shade on some of the bridleways Glad to sit in the pub garden at the end at the Red Lion and have a drink to cool down. Thanks again for all these walks.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Glad you enjoyed it, despite going wrong at point 23 - 24. Well done tackling that walk on such a hot day.

      Delete
  2. Is there parking at the Red Lion? A lot of pubs now have a limited time fire the car park ands then issue fines.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, there is parking at The Red Lion but it appears to be for customers only. We didn't park there. I suggest you contact the pub to make sure.
      https://redliongreatoffley.co.uk/

      Delete

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