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.

Walk 294: Weston East Loop

5.3 miles (8.6 km) with 75m of total ascent

The bridleway between points 10 and 11

This walk covers the rolling countryside to the east of Weston. It's the third in the collection that starts and finishes in the village and the fifth that passes through. This new route explores several new paths as well as some old friends walked in reverse. You will notice birdsong along parts of this route as you leave the noise of civilisation behind.

Walk 292: Panshanger Park Boundary Loop

4 miles (6.3 km) with 87m of total ascent

Looking towards the River Mimram at point 8

This is another walk in the beautiful Panshanger Park. We have several walks in this area. Unlike the others, this walk starts in the car park off Panshanger Lane then follows the boundary of the park making a loop round the ecologically important River Mimram.

Walk 290: Welwyn Garden City to Wheathampstead Linear

4.8 miles (7.8 km) with 56m of total ascent

Ayot Greenway between points 8 & 9

This linear route follows the course of the former railway line between Welwyn Garden City (WGC) and Wheathampstead. It includes almost the entire length of Ayot Greenway, a former branch line which linked WGC with Luton and Dunstable.

Walk 286: Willian South Loop

4.2 miles (6.8 km) with 53m of total ascent

The Hertfordshire Way between points 4 & 5

This walk explores an area south of and including Letchworth Greenway following many permissive paths which are not marked on the Ordnance Survey map. It's an area of open countryside with some great views. The paths from point 12 to the end are popular with walkers and joggers.

Walk 282: Stanstead Abbotts North-East Loop

4.8 miles (7.7 km) with 57m of total ascent

Hollycross Lake at point 17

This is a wonderful walk from the village of Stanstead Abbotts. You will follow the rivers Ash and Lea, walk along a canal towpath, pass nature reserves popular with birdwatchers so take your binoculars, gaze over peaceful lakes, walk along quiet stretches where you can enjoy uninterrupted birdsong, and follow the route of a dismantled railway branch line.

Walk 281: Datchworth North-East Loop

4.3 miles (6.9 km) with 72m of total ascent

Datchworth footpath 5 between points 9 & 10

This walk explores the rolling countryside to the north-east of Datchworth Green. You will enjoy wide open views, shaded byways, quiet lanes, and well-defined footpaths and bridleways. There is a choice of a cafe, a pub, a restaurant, and a general store for refreshments at the end of the walk.

Walk 278: Reed East Loop

5.5 miles (8.9 km) with 76m of total ascent

The byway after point 34 in the walk

This is our second walk from Reed, this time exploring the countryside to the east of the village. It is a lovely quiet route with large stretches where the only sound is birdsong interrupted by the odd plane overhead. You will pass the site of The Barkway Hoard, where treasure, buried in the 4th century, was found.

Walk 262: Bunkers Park South Loop

3 miles (4.9 km) with 67m of total ascent

The bridleway between points 8 & 9

This is the shorter of two walks that start and finish in Bunkers Park, south of Hemel Hempstead. The route passes through two excellent nature reserves. Unlike most of our routes this walk doesn't pass close to a pub or cafe, so you might want to take some refreshments.

Walk 261: Essendon Short Loop

2.3 miles (3.7 km) with 53m of total ascent

Essendon footpath 13

This short walk from the village of Essendon has been added to the collection following requests in our Hertfordshire Walker Facebook group for more walks that are less than three miles long. It is one of several routes that start and finish in Essendon, and it follows paths that feature in some of our other walks but walked in a different direction and combination.

Walk 259: Tewin South Loop

2.8 miles (4.5 km) with 57m of total ascent

Footpath through a bluebell wood between points 4 & 5

This is a lovely walk south of the village of Tewin. It goes through a section of woodland that is carpeted in bluebells in the spring. The route is one of our new shorter walks created following requests from users of Hertfordshire Walker for routes that are less than five miles long. There is a cafe at the start and finish point and a pub close by.

Walk 257: Thundridge East Loop

6 miles (9.7 km) with 70m of total ascent

The River Rib between points 21 & 22

This walk explores the countryside east of Thundridge and south of the River Rib. It shares a section of bridleway that features in Walk 91: Wadesmill East Loop and also passes the remains of the medieval church of St Mary and All Saints.

Walk 256: Sandridge East Loop

4.2 miles (6.8 km) with 69m of total ascent

The view leading up to Hammonds Lane

This is the seventh walk in the collection that features the village of Sandridge north of St Albans and close to Heartwood Forest. This route explores the countryside to the east of the village over towards Symondshyde Great Wood. The return leg offers excellent views west towards Heartwood Forest.

Walk 253: Peter's Green South-East Loop

5.2 miles (8.4 km) with 71m of total ascent

The footpath between points 12 & 13 in the walk

This walk covers the rolling countryside west of Kimpton and north of Batford Springs in the north-west of Hertfordshire. The route follows public rights-of-way not previously included in the collection as well as paths that feature in other loops in the area. You will walk along well-defined byways and footpaths and down quiet country lanes. At one point you will dip into Bedfordshire before returning to the starting point at Peter's Green.

Walk 245: Nomansland South Loop

6 miles (9.7 km) with 64m of total ascent

Sandridge bridleway 9 between points 14 & 15 in the walk

This is a great walk if you like wide open views and stretches of woodland. It starts on Nomansland Common then heads west before looping south then returning through Langley Wood in Heartwood Forest. It includes sections of The Ver Valley Walk and The Hertfordshire Way.

Walk 244: Stanstead Abbotts South-East Loop

6.3 miles (10.1 km) with 72m of total ascent

The lake at point 15 in the walk

This walk climbs out of the village of Stanstead Abbotts then crosses a high plateau of land before dropping down to the Stort Valley then returning through the picturesque lake area near Roydon Mill, and later cutting through a nature reserve alongside Abbotts Lake before returning to Stanstead Abbotts.

Walk 231: Gustard Wood West Loop

4.7 miles (7.5 km) with 67m of total ascent

Kimpton bridleway 5 approaching point 4

This lovely walk, with some excellent views south over the River Lea valley, includes sections from five other routes in our collection, so regular followers of Hertfordshire Walker might find some of the junctions familiar. However, all the paths that appear in previous routes are walked in reverse, so the views are different and the whole experience feels new. A list of the five walks is included at the foot of these directions.

Walk 225: Rushden North Loop

4.4 miles (7 km) with 72m of total ascent

The bridleway 24 between points 5 & 6

This walk explores the countryside N of the village of Rushden following well-defined paths over rolling countryside. It includes stretches of woodland and some lane walking. There are opportunities for refreshments at a pub and at a garden centre cafe along the way. Signs have been erected along some stretches asking dog owners to keep their pets on a lead. 

Walk 224: Ayot St Lawrence West Loop

4.4 miles (7 km) with 65m of total ascent

Kimpton footpath 11 between points 3 & 4

This is a really nice walk exploring a section of the countryside W of Ayot St Lawrence. The route crosses rolling countryside with some great views N following well-defined paths and bridleways. Regular users of our walks will notice that the route revisits rights of way we have used before, but this time walked in the opposite direction.

The route is possible thanks to a landowner allowing a permissive path to link two public rights of way so that walkers can avoid walking alongside a road. The walk starts and finishes at The Brocket Arms in Ayot St Lawrence then passes The Cross Keys at Gustard Wood two thirds of the way round. There is also the possibility of a short detour close to the halfway point to visit The Boot at Kimpton.

Walk 215: Little Amwell South-West Loop

3.9 miles (6.3 km) with 53m of total ascent

Hertford Heath footpath 9 between points 18 & 19

This lovely walk crosses two Herts & Middlesex Wildlife Trust nature reserves. You will visit part of Hertford Heath and then pass through Balls Wood before looping back along some well-defined footpaths over rolling and open countryside with great views. The walk starts and finishes at The Goat and passes The College Arms. The starting point is 1.7 miles SE from Hertford East Station by road.