Elstree and Borehamwood walks

Don't want to venture too far from London to find a countryside walk? This is when the Dollis Valley Greenwalk makes an entry. This decently long walk through Barnet and Finchley is that good surprise as it takes you through what is left of former countryside fields in the Capital city.

The Wealdstone Brook is one of the lost rivers of Middlesex. It's a short urban walk, one of my 'lost landscapes' routes around the Harrow area. Ironically, there is no trace of the river left in Wealdstone itself, where it has all been culverted. However, it meanders very prettily through Woodcock Park in Kenton, surrounded by grassy banks and willow trees. This is the best bit! There are further glimpses of it along the route of this walk.

When the sun makes an appearance, we all want to venture outside. But where to go in London to have a pleasant stroll without melting? Well, a walk around Welsh Harp, also known as the Brent Reservoir, comes as a nice surprise. Not so popular (except if you live locally), the Brent Reservoir offers shade and fresh air. It’s a perfect place for a nice day out with friends and family.

This is the first section of a 12 mile walking route which follows the River Pinn from Pinner to Uxbridge. Of all Middlesex's 'lost rivers' the River Pinn is perhaps the most visible.

This is a short urban walk exploring another of the 'lost landscapes of Middlesex'. The Yeading Brook rises at Headstone Manor and can be tracked all the way to Ruislip Gardens. This walk starts and finishes in West Harrow, and follows the most attractive section of the river through two pretty linear parks : The Yeading Brook Open Space and Streamside Recreation Ground.

The stage starts at St Albans Abbey Station. Soon joins River Ver Path for 0.65 miles. Climbs to join the Alban Way (old railway line) all the way to and thru' Hatfield. Passes Mill Green Mill and follows Welwyn Centenary Walk thru' a golf course & The Commons Nature Reserve, then joins the Cole Green Way (old railwayline) to Hertford. Goes thru' the old part of this county town, taking in the castle and grounds, then joins the River Lea Navigation to just north of Hertford East Station.

This is a short urban walk exploring the 'lost landscapes of Middlesex'. I was recently introduced to a secret park which I never knew about, and realised this must be the summit of the original Sudbury Hill before it was swallowed up under the tide of suburban housing. The walk visits Elm Park and also takes you past the Harrow School sports fields. It starts and finishes near Harrow School, Harrow-on-the-Hill.

The good thing about London is that you do not need to go far to track down some exceptionally decent walks. Take Horsenden Hill for instance: who would have thought that you could walk through meadows, a farm, a forest and along a Canal, all within a London postcode and accessible by tube? And you can! A walk through Horsenden Hill will definitely make you forget you are in the city.

This walk visits Rickmansworth and Croxley Green, whose current size and character owe much to the arrival of the Metropolitan Railway. The varied route includes woodland, fields, a moor designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest, a village green, rivers and a canal.

This walk gives you the opportunity to experience the abundance of wildlife in the beautiful Colne Valley across many different types of habitat. It’s a wonderful location for all ages to explore and enjoy with the possibility of spotting rare migrating birds.

This walk starts at Ricky Aquadrome with its 3 lakes and goes along a delightful stretch of the River Chess, through Whippendell Woods (particularly nice in mid April when the bluebells are out), to Cassiobury Park with its 2 cafes and voted one of the 10 best parks in Britain and along short stretches of the River Gade and Grand Union Canal. Do allow plenty of time for exploring the many interesting features on this walk.

A walk through the largest continuous new native forest in England. We’ve chosen a route that features some of the best scenery throughout the year and has a magnificent display of bluebells in spring.

A rewarding, scenic country walk exploring several commons and villages along with an attractive river valley. Good pubs!

Starts at Two Brewers Inn, Chipperfield. Passes thru' Kings Langley where we join the Grand Union Canal for a short distance. Then thru' Bedmond & Potters Crouch before descending past the Roman wall into Verulamium Park and past St Albans Cathedral to finish at St Albans Abbey Station.

A pleasant walk from Harpenden Common down to Redbournbury Mill, along the River Ver and then up to Childwickbury Manor and back to Harpenden.

This walk demonstrates that modern Hemel Hempstead and its environs have much more to offer than cynics would have you believe.

Easy walking with some mild hill climbs and busy road. This is the Route 1.

Easy level walking and solid underfoot throughout.

Adventurous walk with steep hill climbs and a winding woodland path.

Starting from Hemel Hempstead Station this is a walk which can be enjoyed without a car. The station is right on the edge of the town so virtually all the route is through the open country, much of it through Boxmoor Trust land, on the plateau of the Chilterns and along the Grand Union Canal. There are lots of reminders of the history of the area from 1594 through WWII. If you are lucky you may see a couple of rare farm breeds kept on Trust land and some interesting birds along the canal.

A route to the South of Redbourn with gentle hills, good views and pleasant walking through the Ver Valley and water meadows. On a fine day you might see families taking a dip at the ford! A minor detour is possible to look at Redbournbury Mill.

This last walk describes a route from one end of the Borough of Richmond-upon-Thames to the other. It traverses many of the borough's parks and commons and shows how they can be linked by footpaths to form an impressive 15-mile country-style walk we proudly present as "Richmond's Green Trail".

The Brentford to Hanwell canal walk is a gentle stroll perfect for a quiet day out in London to escape the hustle and bustle of the city. Accessible by train on the TFL network, this Oyster Card-friendly ramble takes you to the Grand Union Canal towpath, from a seventeenth-century manor house to a viaduct. There is so much to discover on our doorsteps!

There is so much to discover when you walk along the Thames in London. From Waterloo to Greenwich, encounter London’s most famous landmarks and hidden gems, from ancient sites to modern developments. Take a walk down the history lane along the iconic River Thames to see London from a different perspective.

Follows River Lea Navigation thru' Ware, St Margarets, Rye House, Dobbs Weir and Broxbourne, to finish on the River Lea Path a short walk east of Cheshunt Station. It's almost impossible to go off-course, unless you make a decision to jump into the canal or take a path away from it.

The Thames Path provides easy walking and interesting surroundings. The section from Barnes to Richmond covered by this walk also includes the option to Visit Kew Gardens and enjoy the riverside 'attractions' at Richmond.

This walk has as its focal point the Leg o’ Mutton Nature Reserve (Formally Leg o’ Mutton" reservoir). The walk uses some of the intriguing network of paved footpaths lined with small terraced houses and cottages, which is characteristic of this part of Barnes and Mortlake. Next the Flood Wall Walkway provides excellent river views and leads on to the towpath. The return via pond, green and Mill Hill gives a taste of the village aspect of Barnes, also of the rural scenery of the Common.

A walk off the beaten path from central London to Canary Wharf.

Explore the landscape and history of a special corner of Hertfordshire. Starts in Kimpton and includes two 12th century churches, a neoclassical church, a park designed by Capability Brown and the house of a famous playwright and author.

This linear London walk follows the River Thames upstream between Putney Bridge and Barnes Bridge.

The parish of Kimpton is criss-crossed by an extensive of public rights of way, some of them dating from
pre-Roman times. This walk explores the farmland north of the village which is rich in wildlife and there are
outstanding views.

This walk is over the undulating plateau of the Chiltern dip slope, through the parklands of some of the 18th Century mansions which dot the Chilterns. Although the land is now more given over to arable agriculture, the landscape is still greatly influenced by the great designers, including Capability Brown. A walk with great views over the Gade valley and a revelation of the life style of baronets and local squires in the 1700s and the lesser houses of their tenants.

This walk explores some of the hamlets of the Chilterns which, although close to Hemel Hempstead retain their remoteness in their quiet locations. It goes over the typical chalk uplands of the Gade valley and up to the beechwoods of the National Trust Ashridge estate. It passes charming 17th century cottages, a vineyard, a Buddhist Temple and long established churches. The country truly merits its AONB designation.

This short Hertfordshire walk explores the pleasant countryside to the south east of Jockey End and follows the Hertfordshire Way to descend into the Gade Valley and the village of Great Gaddesden. The return route leaves the valley following the Chiltern Way for the return to the start.

There’s a lot of lovely, rolling countryside in and around Studham Common, and dramatic views from Dunstable Downs. This walk visits a tree cathedral and a 16th-century church, and offers the possibility of spotting exotic animals at Whipsnade Zoo.