We added this walk in order to take advantage of some new wooden walkways across a particularly boggy stretch of Broxbourne Woods, which is Hertfordshire's only National Nature Reserve (NNR). The section to benefit the most is between points 14 & 17. The addition of this sturdy structure has enabled us to create a new loop to add to several walks in the collection that explore this wonderful woodland.
Video highlights
Below is a video of some of the highlights of this walk. It's been created by Gerry Gross, who has completed all 300 of the free walks on Hertfordshire Walker. We are grateful to Gerry for the time and effort he has put into recording - for the benefit of all - some of his favourite walks on the site.
To view the video in full screen click the expand arrows at the bottom right of the video screen. They are recorded in 4K but YouTube reduces the quality by default so you can change the video quality to 2160p (aka 4K) in settings once you play the video.
You will encounter mud on this walk after rain (marked on the maps with a black icon) so waterproof boots and a hiking pole are recommended.
Getting there
Unfortunately, there isn't a bus stop close to the start of the walk. The nearest stops are outside The Farmers Boy pub in Brickendon (location - https://w3w.co/skips.tamed.stones) which is 750m N of point 3 in the walk and involves walking along a narrow country lane without a pedestrian pavement. The bus stops are served by the number 308 bus. You can check bus 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.
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.
There are several car parks dotted around Broxbourne Woods. This walk starts in the West Car Park (location - https://w3w.co/rats.this.tuned). When we parked in October 2024 it was free-of-charge. Please check this is still the case before leaving your car.
1: From the Broxbourne Woods West Car Park - and with your back to the lane - turn left to join a track (location - https://w3w.co/stamp.thin.trail), see image below.
Follow the track in a north-westerly direction
Follow the track in a north-westerly direction for 210m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/buddy.guitar.push), see image below.
Turn left at the junction
2: Turn left at the junction then follow the path as it weaves its way in a south-westerly direction. Continue for 155m until you reach a lane (location - https://w3w.co/cover.pages.cloud). There is no pedestrian pavement along this lane. Turn right on the lane then head NW for 55m until you reach a bridleway on the left (location - https://w3w.co/garden.angle.vanish), see image below.
Turn left on a bridleway
3: Turn left on the bridleway then head in a south-westerly direction.
Brickendon Liberty bridleway 3 and Bayford bridleway 7
This is a lovely bridleway which straddles a parish boundary so it has two names. They are Brickendon Liberty bridleway 3 and Bayford bridleway 7. Continue for 760m until you reach White Stubbs Lane (location - https://w3w.co/class.foal.gender), see image below.
Cross White Stubbs Lane then take the footpath on the other side
Keep heading straight ahead at the junction still on Brickendon Liberty footpath 23. Head in a southerly direction crossing a couple of brooks and climbing steps either side. This stretch can be muddy but walkers have created detour paths parallel to the muddy sections so you can avoid the worst.
5: Turn left at the crossing then take a wide track heading NE. Follow the track in a straight but undulating line for 975m. This stretch can be muddy but walkers have again trodden a parallel path just to the side of the main track which avoids the worst of the mud. Continue until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/wounds.cubs.chest), see image below.
Take a right fork
6: Take a right fork just before the main track dips down to a river bed (see the line of the orange arrow on the image above).
Follow the path down a set of steps to a footbridge
Follow the path down a set of steps to a footbridge leading to another set of step climbing the bank on the other side, see image below.
Climb the steps heading NE
After climbing the steps continue heading NE for 55m to a footpath junction, see image below.
Continue straight for another 30m to another junction
Continue straight for another 30m to another junction, see image below.
Turn right before both waymarkers
7: Turn right before both waymarkers (see orange arrow on the image above). This is a really nice path which is also part of The Hertfordshire Way. Follow it as it heads E crossing a number of footbridges.
* If you are in need of refreshments at this point you could turn right at this junction then follow Brickendon Liberty footpath 17 SSE for 270m then turn left on a lane before heading E for 550m to visit The Woodman & Olive (location - https://w3w.co/legal.lifted.voter). Check link for opening times. A map of the detour marked out in orange is below.
Optional detour to The Woodman & Olive
If you don't take the detour cross the junction and continue heading E, see image below.
Cross the junction then continue heading E
8: After the junction is another lovely section of the walk.
9: Turn left then follow the path north. Continue for 115m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/sleepy.gold.trucks), see image below.
Turn right to join the Broxbourne Wood NNR Trail
10: Turn right to join the Broxbourne Wood NNR Trail then head E. Continue for 150m until you reach West End Road (location - https://w3w.co/gentle.ants.rather), see image below.
Turn left on West End Road then head N
11: Turn left on West End Road then head N. There isn't a pedestrian pavement along this stretch but you can walk to the side of the road to avoid traffic. Continue for 140m until you reach White Stubbs Lane (location - https://w3w.co/pint.aura.faded), see image below.
Go through the gate then continue across another meadow
Go through the gate then continue across another meadow until you reach a gap in the hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/palms.spun.audio), see image below.
At the junction take the left fork after going through a gate. This is Brickendon Liberty footpath 15. Follow it NW for 75m before going through another gate (location - https://w3w.co/bikes.zoom.clubs), see image below.
Continue heading NW until you reach Pembridge Lane
Go through the gate then continue heading NW, still on Brickendon Liberty footpath 15, for 195m until you reach Pembridge Lane (location - https://w3w.co/sentences.folds.lakes), see image below.
Cross Pembridge Lane reach a footpath
14: Cross Pembridge Lane diagonally to the left to reach a footpath on the other side (location - https://w3w.co/scans.skinny.sand). Turn right on the footpath. You will now walk along a series of tracks that include wooden walkways. Some have been recently renewed and offer an excellent way of walking through the woods without getting muddy.
Head NNW on the Broxbourne Woods NNR Trail
Head NNW, now back on the Broxbourne Woods NNR Trail. Continue for 115m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/models.privately.clues). see image below.
Turn right at the junction
15: Turn right at the junction then follow the track as it heads NW along more wooden walkways.
The wooden walkway through Broxbourne Woods
Continue for 300m, ignoring tracks to the left and right, until you reach a major junction (location - https://w3w.co/wisdom.scarf.outer), see image below.
Turn left then head SW back to the car park
16: Turn left then head SW. Continue in a straight line for 525m until you return to the Broxbourne Wood West Car Park and the start/finish of the walk.
Local history
The Broxbourne Woods National Nature Reserve encompasses 239 hectares, and is made up of four woodland areas: Hoddesdon Park Wood, Wormley Wood, Broxbourne Wood, and Bencroft Wood. The woods include ancient woodlands, meadows, and ponds which support a wide variety of flora and fauna. Keep an eye out for the elusive Purple Emperor butterfly and the Great Crested Newt as well as the recently returned Woodcock. The woods carry traces of human history, with evidence of past activities such as coppicing and charcoal production. The woods are actively managed to protect their ecological integrity and promote biodiversity. (source - Gemini AI)
Interactive map
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.jpeg "Take a right fork")
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Post a Comment
Comments and feedback
If you try any of the walks on this site, please let us know what you thought of them by adding a comment here or on our members-only Facebook group. Comments here are checked before they are published. Comments on the Facebook group go live immediately.