Walk 87: North Mymms to Welwyn Garden City Linear West

Open countryside, wooded paths, great views

13 miles (21 km) 470 ft of ascent, allow 4 to 5 hours 

The view at point 25 on the walk, about to cross the bridge at Brocket Hall
Image copyright Hertfordshire Walker released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

A 13-mile linear station-to-station route starting at either Brookmans Park or Welham Green stations and ending at Welwyn Garden City taking in part of the Alban Way and wandering through Symondshyde Great Wood. There are a number of pubs either on the route or just off. Parts can be muddy after rain. There are a few noisy stretches close to the A1(M), and you have to cross a few busy roads, but it's almost all on secluded paths with some stretches on quiet country lanes.

Walk 86: Hadley Wood - Brookmans Park linear

Rolling countryside with village pub halfway

7 miles (11.15 km) - 530 ft (162 m) ascent

The start of the footpath from point 4
Image copyright Hertfordshire Walker released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

A seven-mile linear station-to-station walk from Hadley Wood to Brookmans Park via the village of Northaw, where the walk can be broken for refreshments at the Two Brewers pub/restaurant. This walk can be done in reverse starting from Brookmans Park. You can check the weather and train times before you go by visiting North Mymms News.

Walk 85: North Mymms Park S Loop

Hill climb, quiet valley, woodland

7.35 miles (11.8km)

Hawkshead Wood mentioned at point 18
Image copyright of Hertfordshire Walker released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

This walk is a mix of peaceful remote locations and sections walking alongside the busy M25 and A1(M) motorways. The reason we have included the two sections close to major roads is that it enables walkers to follow a loop that takes in the southern part of North Mymms Park. This is a fairly stretching hike with a total of 365 ft of ascent. Parts can be muddy after rain. It should take around two hours.

Walk 84: Waterford Heath Loop

Heathland, chalk-bed river, wild flowers, and butterflies

2 miles (3.2 km)

The River Beane on Walk 84: Waterford Heath Loop
Image by Hertfordshire Walker released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

This is a short walk through several fascinating geological areas including an old quarry which is now a nature reserve, marshland alongside a rare chalk-bed river, and deep woodland. It has a fair amount of up and down as you loop across heaths, down to the river, and back up through the woods. There is a free car park, well-marked paths, but, unusually for this collection of walks, there are no pubs or refreshment stops along the way, so do take water and a snack if you intend to make a day of it. There is an elevated picnic table three quarters of the way round affording great views.

Walk 83: North Mymms S Long Loop

Hilly, with pine woods, and a remote valley

4.20 miles (6.8 km)

The footpath through Mymmshall Wood - August 2018
Image by Hertfordshire Walker, released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

This is a gentle walk that starts and finishes at St Mary's Church, North Mymms, heads south climbing up through Cangsley Grove, crosses a quiet valley at Potwells, continues up through pine woodland in Redwell and Mymmshall Wood, then sweeps back passing an old well and windpump that once served the nearby farms and houses. There is a five minute stretch alongside the A1 (M), and then the path crosses a field where (sometimes) there is a bull warning (we have never encountered a bull in 20+ years). If there is a bull in the field you can always take the alternative lane route marked in red on the map below.