Walk 29: Wildhill South-West Loop

7 miles (11.3 km) with 143m total ascent

Footpath at the start of the walk south of The Woodman

A good walk for views over the south Hertfordshire countryside. The route follows quiet rights of way and lanes through woodland. The route starts and finishes at The Woodman, Wildhill, but those living in Brookmans Park and Welham Green can pick up the walk at points six or eight, although doing so will probably add about a mile to the overall distance.

Please note that this route involves walking along a section of The Hertfordshire Way which goes along Cucumber Lane where there is no pedestrian pavement. The lane has always been quiet on the dozens of times we have walked it but a user of Hertfordshire Walker has reported (October 2024) that it was busy when they walked the route. Walking groups or those walking with children might want to choose a different walk.

Getting there

There is a bus stop outside The Woodman which is served by the numbers 200 and 201 buses. You can check bus times at Intalink.

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 29: Wildhill South-West Loop
Click on the map for a larger version
Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
Elements © Thunderforest © OpenStreetMap contributors
There is an interactive map at the end of these directions

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

The landlord at The Woodman says that if you are planning on buying refreshments at The Woodman before or after your walk you are welcome to use the pub car park.

1: Leave the car park at the Woodman pub via the gate at the S end (location - https://w3w.co/gravel.like.racks). This is Hatfield footpath 84. Head SSW, cross a footbridge, go through another gate, across another field, another footbridge, turn sharp left, go through another gate, and emerge into a large field (location - https://w3w.co/blocks.latter.nodded).

2: Turn right and head SW and then SSW for 210m keeping the field on your left and the hedgerow on your right until you reach a gap in the hedge (location - https://w3w.co/slam.watch.zones).

3: Go through the gap and head NW slightly diagonally to your right for 35m then follow the path SW for another 190m keeping the field to your left and the hedge to your right as you climb the hill.

4: The path then cuts diagonally through the crops and climbs to the top of the hill (location - https://w3w.co/bottom.humble.space). At the top, follow the path for 400m with the woodland on your right until the path reaches a gate on Grubbs Lane (location - https://w3w.co/deny.behave.club). 

5: Turn left and, after 75m, turn right on Hatfield footpath 83 that heads SW through the crops for 750m. The path crosses a brook and continue diagonally across the next field, through a small copse. At this point, look out for the remains of the WWII Tett turret on your right (location - https://w3w.co/risky.hang.storms). The path is now North Mymms footpath 66 which continues SW across a third field and emerges on Woodside Lane by the garage on the A1000. (At this point you can get refreshments at the garage, or a little further south on the A1000 at The Cock o' The North or The Dutch Nursery cafe and shop.)

6: Turn left and go directly across the A1000 Great North Road and follow Bell Lane SSE, SE, and NNE for 800m until you reach the A1000 again (location - https://w3w.co/pipe.slides.cross).

7: Turn right on the A1000 and head SSE for 110m looking out for a footpath sign on your left across the road (location - https://w3w.co/good.treat.hook).

8: Cross the road and head NE and then ENE down North Mymms footpath 37 for 410m with the Brookmans Park Transmitting Station on your right.

9: After a footbridge the path bends to the right and then the left with the hedge on your right and the field on your left. Soon after you pass the water tower on your right, look out for the spigot mortar emplacement on your right (location - https://w3w.co/lamps.booth.tried). You are now on Hatfield footpath 86. Continue heading NE for 590m until you reach Grubbs Lane (location - https://w3w.co/tins.inches.rival).

10: Turn right and head ESE along Grubbs Lane for 215m until you reach the B158, Kentish Lane. Cross the road and head E down the lane directly opposite, Hatfield bridleway 87, for 760m.

11: When you reach a farm the path continues straight through the farmyard (location - https://w3w.co/bleak.recall.broad) and continue heading E on Hatfield bridleway 87 for 1.4km until you reach a T-junction in the tracks (location - https://w3w.co/person.bills.preoccupied).

12: Turn left on Hatfield restricted byway 88 and head N for 260m until you reach Tyler's Causeway.

13: Turn left on Tyler's Causeway and, after 75m turn right up Cucumber Lane heading NW for 440m looking out for a byway sign on your left (location - https://w3w.co/closet.large.less).

14: Turn left on Essendon byway 18, also known as Hornbeam Lane, and continue NW for 1.4km until you reach the B158 again (location - https://w3w.co/marble.plenty.bonds).

15: Cross the road and go down Essendon footpath 15 directly opposite for 150m.

16: Follow Essendon footpath 15 as it turns right just past a barn and heads NE for 470m through woods then down between fields and into a dell.

17: At the bottom (location - https://w3w.co/fuzzy.metals.gravy), turn left and continue along Essendon footpath 16 heading NW for 720m. You will cross a footbridge and climb up the field with the hedge on your right until you meet the Essendon BOAT 14 (byway open to all traffic) from Wildhill to West End (location - https://w3w.co/cross.think.wipe).

18: Turn left and follow Essendon BOAT 14 SW for 620m until you reach West End Lane (location - https://w3w.co/rats.trying.upgrading).

19: Turn left and follow the lane S, WSW, and then SSE for 770m down the hill to Wildhill.

20: At the T-junction turn left and head E for 120m back to The Woodman car park.

Interactive Map

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