Walk 300: Wyddial Loop

5.3 miles (8.5 km) with 58m of total ascent

The route between points 6 & 7

This is a wonderful walk with panoramic views across the Hertfordshire countryside north-east of Buntingford. For large sections of the route you will escape civilisation with the only sound being birdsong. But pick a day when the sun is shining and the sky is clear to get the best from the wide open views along the walk.

The route loops round the village of Wyddial, first mentioned in the Domesday book as 'Widihale', meaning 'willow nook'. We mapped and tested this walk in May 2025 and the rights of way were dry and firm, however there are sections where it looks like it could be muddy after rain.

Getting there

There is a small car park at Layston Cemetery (location - https://w3w.co/grants.waving.reassured). We contacted Buntingford Town Council who told us that people park at the cemetery to walk their dogs and that parking is only a problem if there is a funeral. Please check restrictions haven't been introduced since this walk was published. The car park closes at 4pm in the winter and 7pm in the summer, check times before you leave the car because the gate closes automatically at these times. Please read the signs at the car park carefully in case the situation has changed. There are also a couple of parking opportunities further along The Causeway.

The sign on Layston Cemetery car park gate

Layston Cemetery car park closing times

The closest bus stops to the route are in Buntingford (location - https://w3w.co/warmers.tango.cabin), 920m SW from the start of the walk. They are served by the number 18, 36, 36A, 37, 331, 831, and 836 buses. 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.

Directions

Map for Walk 300: Wyddial 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.

Layston Cemetery car park

1: With your back to the Layston Cemetery car park (location - https://w3w.co/rewarding.implanted.crawler) turn left then head along The Causeway in a north-easterly direction. After 140m you will notice the former church of St Bartholomew on the left, which is now a private residence.

The former church of St Bartholomew is a Grade II* listed building dating back to at least the late 11th century. It's thought the church was abandoned around the time of the Reformation because of its distance from Buntingford and the frequent flooding of the River Rib. By the late 19th century, the church was in a state of disrepair, with services held only in the summer months. By the end of the 20th century, the church was considered dangerous and closed.

Continue heading NE for 50m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/planet.myths.earth), see image below.

Head ENE on Buntingford bridleway 3

Head ENE for 50m on Buntingford bridleway 3 until the right of way bends left (location - https://w3w.co/cubed.quaking.guard) where it becomes Buntingford bridleway 4 then heads N.

Follow Buntingford bridleway 4 N then E

2: Follow Buntingford bridleway 4 N then E for 340m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/ensemble.plot.polka), see image below.

Turn left at the junction on Buntingford bridleway 5

3: Go through the hedge at the junction and then turn left on Buntingford bridleway 5. Head N, with the hedgerow on the left, for 460m until the bridleway cuts through the hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/footballers.winks.seducing), see image below.

Follow Buntingford bridleway 5 as heads N

Continue, now heading N, and with the hedgerow on the right, for 90m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/onto.harps.grub), see image below.

Turn left on Wyddial bridleway 13

4: Turn left on Wyddial bridleway 13 then head NW for 350m until you reach Wyddial Road (location - https://w3w.co/words.tuck.sensibly), see image below.

Turn right on Wyddial Road

5: Turn right on Wyddial Road then head NW for 200m. There isn't a pedestrian pavement along this road, but there are grass verges where you can step aside if traffic approaches. Continue until Wyddial Road bends right and you reach a byway straight ahead (location - https://w3w.co/relations.frozen.pairings), see image below.

Head NW on Wyddial restricted byway 2

6: Head NW, now on Wyddial restricted byway 2. Continue for 320m until you pass a farm on the left (location - https://w3w.co/crossings.texted.eaten). Keep heading NW on Wyddial restricted byway 2 for 360m until you reach a bridleway on the right (location - https://w3w.co/severe.erupted.suppose), see image below.

Turn right on Wyddial bridleway 3

7: Turn right on Wyddial bridleway 3 then head NE for 1.1km, ignoring bridleway on the right (location - https://w3w.co/recitals.trembles.retina) then one on the left (location - https://w3w.co/intruding.passwords.remarks) and continuing until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/occurs.pack.lushly), see image below.

Turn right on Wyddial bridleway 1

8: Turn right at the junction on Wyddial bridleway 1 then head SE. As you walk this stretch you will see Wyddial Hall in the distance on the right (location - https://w3w.co/sheet.upstarts.they).

Wyddial Hall is a Grade II* listed country house which is thought to have been built around 1516. It was significantly remodelled in 1733 after a fire. During WWII it was used to accommodate members of the Women's Land Army.

Continue heading SE on Wyddial bridleway 1 for 910m until you reach Vicarage Road (location - https://w3w.co/pronouns.late.headings), see image below.

Turn right on Vicarage Road

9: Turn right on Vicarage Road then head SW for 160m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/imperious.gearbox.short), see image below.

Turn left at the junction

If you want to take a short detour to visit the church of St Giles in Wyddial (location - https://w3w.co/savers.ambushed.menswear) continue on the lane for another 160m. The church is a Grade I listed building, see image below.

The church of St Giles in Wyddial

10: Turn left at the junction off Vicarage Road then take the first footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/arise.moth.cards), see images below.

Turn left off Vicarage Road

Turn left on Wyddial footpath 13

Turn left on Wyddial footpath 13 then head SE, with the hedgerow on the left and paddocks on the right. Continue for 290m until you reach a junction and a footbridge (location - https://w3w.co/fantastic.natively.provoking), see image below.

Turn left on Wyddial footpath 14

11: Turn left at the junction then head ENE on Wyddial footpath 14. Continue, with the hedgerow on the left, for 165m until you reach a footbridge on the left (location - https://w3w.co/swordfish.spicy.repair), see images below.

Follow Wyddial footpath 14 left to reach the footbridge

Cross the footbridge then turn right

12: Cross the footbridge then turn right, still heading ENE and still on Wyddial footpath 14. Continue for 340m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/hiker.belts.womanly), see image below.

Turn right on Wyddial bridleway 10 

13: Turn right at the junction on Wyddial bridleway 10 then head S for 230m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/liners.shining.overhear) where bridleway 10 goes off to the right and you continue straight, now on Wyddial restricted byway 12. At this point you will notice a moat on the right (location - https://w3w.co/deals.upon.repeating).

Beauchamps Moat is a remnant of a historical feature surrounding a 17th-century farmhouse, indicating a longer history of settlement in the area dating back to at least the medieval period. While archaeological investigations around the moat haven't revealed extensive findings, the presence of the moat itself speaks to the historical significance.

Continue on Wyddial restricted byway 12 for 80m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/advantage.underline.snappy), see images below.

Continue on Wyddial restricted byway 12

Wyddial restricted byway 12 bending left then heading SSE

14: Follow Wyddial restricted byway 12 as it bends left then heads SSE for 650m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/greet.camcorder.drones), see image below.

Turn right at the junction

15: Turn right on a public right of way that straddles a parish border and is both Wyddial restricted byway 11 and Buntingford restricted byway 11. Head WSW for 425m until you reach a bench with a view - a nice spot to stop and have a break (location - https://w3w.co/passenger.reclaim.loops), see image below.

Bench with a view

16: Continue heading WSW on restricted byway 11 for 290m until you reach a bend (location - https://w3w.co/pumps.willpower.mocked), see image below.

Follow the byway round the bend to the left

Follow the byway round the bend to the left and head then S for 50m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/composts.modest.pace), see image below.

Turn right on Buntingford bridleway 10

17: Turn right on Buntingford bridleway 10 then head WSW for 210m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/twisty.travels.innocence), see image below.

Turn left on Buntingford bridleway 4

18: Turn left on Buntingford bridleway 4 then head SSE with a stream called Hayley Hill Ditch on the left. Continue for 90m to a bend (location - https://w3w.co/centuries.muted.crusher), see image below.

Follow Buntingford bridleway 4 as it bends right

Follow Buntingford bridleway 4 as it bends right then heads SW, still with the ditch on the left. Continue for 300m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/backpacks.scribble.freshen), see image below.

Keep heading straight with the ditch on the left

19: Keep heading straight and SW, now on Buntingford footpath 6 with the ditch on the left. After 115m Buntingford footpath 6 goes off to the right (location - https://w3w.co/taxed.pizza.limits), but you continue heading straight and SW, now on Buntingford footpath 34 . Continue for 205m, with the ditch on the left, until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/chatting.stated.users), see image below.

Turn right on Buntingford restricted byway 8

20: Turn right at the junction on Buntingford restricted byway 8 then follow it W for 220m to the point where it enters a shaded tunnel of trees (location - https://w3w.co/obstruct.bolsters.products), see image below.

Continue on Buntingford restricted byway 8 to The Causeway

21: Continue heading W on Buntingford restricted byway 8 for 210m until you reach The Causeway (location - https://w3w.co/hang.like.commander), see image below.

Turn right on The Causeway

22: Turn right on The Causeway then head NE for 45m back to Layston Cemetery car park (location - https://w3w.co/risks.dispose.amending).

Interactive map

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