Walk 20: Essendon Loop

3.7 miles (6 km) with 106m total ascent

Little Berkhamsted bridleway 19 mentioned at point 13

This walk explores the rolling countryside east of Essendon then loops through Little Berkhamsted where there are two options for refreshments. You will cross Essendon golf course twice, walking across four fairways. Although short you will climb the equivalent of a 35-storey building. 

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 20: Essendon Loop
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Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
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There is an interactive map at the foot of this page

Those with GPS devices can download GPX or KML files for this walk. We've added What3Words 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.

There are parking opportunities close to St Mary Church (location - https://w3w.co/moss.police.loss) or on School Lane (location - https://w3w.co/token.comet.sends). Please check whether parking restrictions have been introduced since these directions were written.

1: With your back to the church of St Mary, (location - https://w3w.co/lease.caked.reduce) turn left then turn left again along West End Lane for 120m until you pass the last house on the right then reach a gate on the right (location - https://w3w.co/funded.memo.awards), see image below.

Turn right on Essendon footpath 5

2: Turn right on Essendon footpath 5 then head NE for 360m across a field which is sometimes used by livestock.

Continue on Essendon footpath 5

Continue until you reach Essendon Hill (location - https://w3w.co/sports.news.dared), see image below.

Cross Essendon Hill then take the footpath on the opposite side

3: Cross Essendon Hill then take the footpath on the opposite side of the road (location - https://w3w.co/wash.pardon.camp).

Head ENE, still on Essendon footpath 5, for 200m. This section usually has livestock grazing and dog owners are asked to keep their pets under control.

Essendon footpath 5 crosses a livestock field

Please don't feed the horses; they have regular meals

Continue across the livestock field heading ENE for 175m until you reach a gap in the hedgerow leading to a gate (location - https://w3w.co/chat.stray.glue), see image below.

Go through the gap and then the gate

4: Go through the gap and then the gate then continue heading ENE for 35m until you reach the first fairway on the golf course (location - https://w3w.co/faster.train.showed), see image below.

Look right to check for any golfers then head NE

Look right to check for any golfers then, if it's safe to cross, head NE across the fairway for 90m (see the orange arrow on the image above). Continue until you reach a track (location - https://w3w.co/hiking.gather.sands).

Continue heading NE along the track, still on Essendon footpath 5, for 100m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/rinse.beats.themes), see image below.

Cross the junction then head E, now on Essendon footpath 2

5: Cross the junction then head E, now on Essendon footpath 2. Continue for 155m until you reach a track (location - https://w3w.co/begun.scare.jobs), see image below.

Cross the track then continue for 20m to a fairway

6: Cross the track then continue for 20m until you reach another fairway (location - https://w3w.co/blues.acting.elaborate). Look right to check for any golfers then, when it's safe, continue heading E for 155m until you reach another track (location - https://w3w.co/moons.cafe.slope), see image below.

Look left to check for any golfers then continue heading E

7: Look left to check for any golfers then, when it's safe, continue heading E, still on Essendon footpath 2. Continue for 50m until you leave the golf course then reach a footbridge (location - https://w3w.co/enter.friday.singer), see image below.

Turn left on Little Berkhamsted bridleway 26

Cross the footbridge then turn left on Bedwell Avenue (location - https://w3w.co/awards.match.modern). This is also Little Berkhamsted bridleway 26. Head NNE for 90m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/stole.civil.lobby), see image below.

Turn right on Little Berkhamsted footpath 1

8: Turn right on Little Berkhamsted footpath 1 then head E and uphill for 140m until you reach a gate (location - https://w3w.co/firms.gender.ever), see image below.

Go through the gate then turn left on a lane

9: Go through the gate then turn left on a lane. This is Little Berkhamsted bridleway 18. Follow the lane/bridleway for 180m as it heads ENE and then E until it reaches a house on the right and a footpath just beyond (location - https://w3w.co/humid.camps.chin), see image below.

Turn right on Little Berkhamsted footpath 4

10: Turn right on Little Berkhamsted footpath 4 then head SSE for 225m until you cross a footbridge (location - https://w3w.co/crew.exist.glory), see image below.

Cross the footbridge then continue heading SSE

11: Cross the footbridge then continue heading SSE for 400m until you reach a lane (location - https://w3w.co/slice.locked.tunnel), see image below.

Continue straight on Little Berkhamsted bridleway 18

12: Continue straight, still heading SSE, but now on Little Berkhamsted bridleway 18. Follow the bridleway as it climbs for 440m until you reach a footbridge (location - https://w3w.co/mugs.chart.tube), see image below.

Cross the footbridge then take the left fork

13: Cross the footbridge then take the left fork, Little Berkhamsted bridleway 19. Head SE and uphill for 300m until you reach Breach Lane (location - https://w3w.co/chimp.ranges.spends).

14: Turn right on Breach Lane then head S for 300m until you meet Robins Nest Hill in Little Berkhamsted (location - https://w3w.co/beams.friday.meals), see image below.

Cross Little Berkhamsted Lane then enter a churchyard

15: Cross Little Berkhamsted Lane then head S then SW through the churchyard of the church of St Andrew for 120m until you reach Church Road (location - https://w3w.co/tonic.drip.toast).

Church of St Andrew, Little Berkhamsted

16: Turn left after leaving the churchyard then head S along Church Road for 55m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/logs.line.ideal) just beyond Emmie Murphy's Village Store (location - https://w3w.co/idea.heavy.eager) which sells refreshments, see image below. The Five Horseshoes pub/restaurant is across the road (location - https://w3w.co/degree.orchestra.ramp).

Turn right on Little Berkhamsted footpath 8

Turn right on Little Berkhamsted footpath 8 then head W for 190m with Little Berkhamsted cricket ground on the left. Continue until you reach a gate (location - https://w3w.co/filer.apples.twin), see image below.

Turn right on Little Berkhamsted bridleway 22

17: Go through the gate then turn right on Little Berkhamsted bridleway 22. Head NW for 65m until you reach Little Berkhamsted Lane (location - https://w3w.co/energetic.launch.stars), see image below.

Turn left on Little Berkhamsted Lane

18: Turn left on Little Berkhamsted Lane then head SW for 110m until you reach a bridleway on the right (location - https://w3w.co/deeper.cross.glare), see image below.

Turn right on Little Berkhamsted bridleway 17

19: Turn right on Little Berkhamsted bridleway 17 then head NW for 325m until you reach a gate across the bridleway (location - https://w3w.co/games.enjoy.liner), see image below.

Continue along Little Berkhamsted bridleway 17

20: Continue along Little Berkhamsted bridleway 17 for 650m heading NW with fields on either side. This track drops down through woodland until it passes a cottage on the left before reaching a junction (location - https://w3w.co/salad.hired.shapes), see image below.

Head W and uphill on Essendon bridleway 4

21: Keep straight at the junction then head W and uphill on Essendon bridleway 4 for 180m until you reach the golf course clubhouse (location - https://w3w.co/fled.kind.tricks), see image below.

Turn right at the clubhouse still on Essendon bridleway 4

A vintage Renault refreshment van called ‘Mollie’ is usually parked at this junction. According to the golf club 'Mollie' is open every day during the summer months and serves hot or cold drink, snacks, sausage rolls and draught beer. You can see Mollie in the photograph above. Management at the golf club say members of the public are also welcome to visit The Courtyard Kitchen Restaurant.

22: Turn right at the clubhouse then head NNW for 45m, still on Essendon bridleway 4, then follow the bridleway round to the left, see image below.

Continue still following Essendon bridleway 4

Continue still following Essendon bridleway 4 as it heads W for 125m until you reach the final fairway (location - https://w3w.co/enhancement.packet.paying), see image below.

Look left to check for golfers before continuing

23: Look left to check for golfers before continuing. Head NW for 80m across the fairway, still on Essendon bridleway 4, until you leave the golf course (location - https://w3w.co/seats.terms.garage), see image below.

Head NW and uphill still on Essendon bridleway 4

Continue heading NW and uphill, still on Essendon bridleway 4, for 250m until you reach School Lane (location - https://w3w.co/keeps.decreased.sailor).

24: Turn left on School Lane then head W for 190m until you reach the B158 (location - https://w3w.co/shin.boat.boost).

25: Turn right then head NNW for 190m back to the starting point.

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Interactive Map

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