Harpenden walks

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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 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.

This Hertfordshire walk mainly uses old green lanes to go through a varied landscape of fields, woods and hedgerows to arrive at the Holt and then by footpaths to Cuckolds Cross. After that there is a section of larger arable fields where you join the Hertfordshire Way to reach Whitwell, an expanded village with an interesting older centre. The final leg passes through a rare breeds farm and The Bury, birthplace of the late Queen Mother.

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

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.

It is surprising how easy it is to escape from urban Luton to quiet open countryside. This walk is a short circuit from Bushmead to Lilley and back.

Particularly lovely late on a June evening, during the summer when the fields are full of ripe crops or in winter to blow away the cobwebs.

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.

A circuit around the village of St Paul’s Walden passing through some of the finest woodland in the North Chilterns and the picturesque parkland surrounding the grand houses of Stagenhoe and St Paul’s Walden Bury. The bluebells in Hitch Wood are spectacular in spring!

A short circuit from Preston village through Hitch Wood, one of the finest woods in the North Chilterns. Worth following for spectacular bluebells in spring or as a pre-pub leg stretch.

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 walk along quiet country paths to Caddington and the ancient woodland of Badgerdell wood before emerging at the top of the steep hillside above Dunstable. Enjoy the extensive views from Blow's Down.

A moderate stile-free walk The walk starts in the village of Great Offley, heading south-west along the ridge above Hitchin before descending to the small hamlet of Charlton. From there, there is a steady, scenic climb back to Offley.

A walk around Knebworth taking in Rabley Heath nature reserve.
A short circular walk that includes a section through woodland of Rabley Heath Nature Reserve. Refreshments can be found at The Robin Hood and The Lytton Arms which has a large selection of real ales.

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

A circuit from Pegsdon, through the Pegsdon Hills Nature Reserve to Deacon Hill with its ancient earthworks. Return past a mature beech wood and Knocking Hoe reserve.

This route offers the walker some of the most stunning views in the whole of the Chilterns and visits a number of important wildlife sites featured in the book by Gay Beattie "The Pilgrim’s Progress Wild Flowers and Where to Find Them in The Chilterns." Pegsdon and Deacon Hills were a favourite of the writer and preacher John Bunyan who referred to them in as the "Delectable Mountains".

This is a surprisingly hilly walk for this general area, being the northern end of the Chilterns AONB, mostly through rolling farmland, with some wonderful views across the flatlands of south Bedfordshire to the north, especially if the air is clear. Most of it is along the edges of/through fields, along grass & hard-surfaced paths & tracks. There are two tree-covered 'alleys'. It passes a large late-Tudor manor house. You will walk part of the Icknield Way & visit Pegsdon Hills Nature Reserve.

A walk that’s attractive at any time of year. The route is quiet and peaceful, with magnificent views looking north into Bedfordshire and beyond. Visit the Iron Age hillfort at Sharpenhoe Clappers.

Starting from Hexton this walk on the borders of Befordshire and Hertfordshire includes the attractive downland between Telegraph and Deacon Hills and a section of the Icknield Way.

A walk through two of the finest nature reserves in the North Chilterns linked by the ancient Icknield Way track. Fine views and a wealth of natural interest.