Walk 58: The Wadesmill North-West Loop

5.8 miles (9.4 km) with 112m total ascent

A pond just before point 8 on the walk

This is a lovely walk over undulating countryside with wide open views. There are well-signposted paths and a stretch along a deep cut waterway hidden by woodland and hedgerow. Apart from one short section this is a quiet walk where you will escape the sound of traffic. If you are lucky you might spot a herd of deer, the odd solitary muntjac, herons, kites, and buzzards. Along the way you will pass several signs urging dog owners to keep their pets on a lead. And you will cross a livestock field where you might meet friendly horses. There are two sections of the walk that can be muddy after rain. If you want refreshments there is a pub/restaurant and a cafe in Wadesmill close to the start and finish points.

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 58: The Wadesmill North-West Loop
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Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
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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.

Park in the village of Wadesmill (location - https://w3w.co/humble.swung.paper). There are several spots where (as of February 2024) you can park free of charge. But do check in case the parking restrictions have changed since this guide was written.

There are two opportunities for refreshments in Wadesmill. The Feathers pub/restaurant (location - https://w3w.co/wiring.error.total) and Ermines Cafe (location - https://w3w.co/flames.hatch.gazed), both close to the start/finish point.

The Feathers, Wadesmill

1: With your back to The Feathers (location - https://w3w.co/verse.spot.outer) turn left then head SW for 75m until you reach a mini-roundabout and Anchor Lane on the right (location - https://w3w.co/hello.supply.zones), see image below.

Turn right on Anchor Lane

2: Turn right on Anchor Lane then head WSW for 200m until you reach a bridleway on the right (location - https://w3w.co/hedge.sleep.unions), see image below.

Turn right on Thundridge bridleway 35

3: Turn right on Thundridge bridleway 35 (which looks like it's part of a private drive) then head NNW and uphill for 270m until you reach a junction with a path going off to your left (location - https://w3w.co/window.global.look), see image below.

Turn left on Thundridge footpath 37

4: Turn left on Thundridge footpath 37 then head SW for 200m until you reach the point where the path bends to the right (location - https://w3w.co/robe.scare.august), see image below.

Turn right, still on Thundridge footpath 37

5: Turn right, still on Thundridge footpath 37, then head NW and uphill for 210m until the path reaches the hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/record.rests.spins), see image below.

Follow the footpath through the hedgerow

6: When the footpath passes through the hedgerow (see orange arrow on the photograph above) it becomes Bengeo rural footpath 4 which you follow as it heads NW. Along the way you will see signs asking dog owners to keep their pets on a lead, see image below.

'Dogs on leads' sign alongside Bengeo rural footpath 4

Continue on Bengeo rural footpath 4 for 200m until the path bends to the left (location - https://w3w.co/speaks.falls.wiping), see image below.

Follow Bengeo rural footpath 4 as it bends slightly to the left

7: Follow Bengeo rural footpath 4 NW for 160m until you reach a farm track (location - https://w3w.co/spoke.epic.desire), see image below.

Cross the track then continue heading NW, still on Bengeo rural footpath 4

8: Cross the track then continue heading NW, still on Bengeo rural footpath 4, for 370m until you reach woodland (location - https://w3w.co/able.cooks.divisions), see image below.

Head SW on Bengeo rural footpath 4

9: When you reach the woodland follow Bengeo rural footpath 4 as it heads SW, with the woodland on the right and field on the left, for 120m where the path bends right (location - https://w3w.co/privately.couch.nets). At this point we stood and watched a herd of deer crossing the field to our left.

10: Continue on Bengeo rural footpath 4 now heading W for 240m until the path enters the hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/abode.bells.veal), see image below.

Follow Bengeo rural footpath 4 through the hedgerow

11: Follow Bengeo rural footpath 4 through the hedgerow and 50m on down to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/hours.kinds.costs), see image below.

Head W, still on Bengeo rural footpath 4

Head W, still on Bengeo rural footpath 4, ignoring paths on the left and right (see orange arrow on the image above) and continue with the woodland on the right for 120m until the path turns right into the hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/strike.exist.called), see image below.

Turn right, still on Bengeo rural footpath 4

12: Turn right, still on Bengeo rural footpath 4, then head NW for 165m with farm buildings on your left and the field on your right. You will cross a small footbridge (location - https://w3w.co/insect.usual.notes) before reaching a gate at the end of a building (location - https://w3w.co/voted.sizes.frames), see image below.

Turn left, still on Bengeo rural footpath 4

13: At the end of the buildings turn left, still on Bengeo rural footpath 4, then head SW for 40m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/kick.healers.pushed), see image below.

Head NW on Bengeo rural footpath 3

Turn right at the junction then head NW on Bengeo rural footpath 3. Continue for 870m to a gate (location - https://w3w.co/sang.report.output) see image below. As you reach this section you will be aware of noise from Ware Road to the left.

Go through the gate then continue heading NW

14: Go through the gate then continue heading NW for 60m, now on Sacombe footpath 11, until you reach a track (location - https://w3w.co/hype.poster.beside). Turn right at the track, which is also Sacombe bridleway 12, then head NNE then NE for 560m until you reach a fork in the track (location - https://w3w.co/peanut.pushes.zest), see image below.

Keep left at the fork then head NNE

15: Keep left at the fork, still on Sacombe bridleway 12, then head NNE for 115m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/lock.neck.stone), see image below.

Head straight at the junction, still on Sacombe bridleway 12

16: Head straight at the junction, still on Sacombe bridleway 12, and now heading N for 400m until you reach St Catherine’s Church, a Grade II* listed building which dates back to the 12th century (location - https://w3w.co/good.doing.during), see image below.

Enter the churchyard then turn right in front of the church

17: Enter the churchyard then turn right in front of the church, now on Sacombe footpath 3.

St Catherine’s Church, Sacombe

There are two benches and a picnic table with a view behind the church (location - https://w3w.co/leads.pirate.fancy) see image below.

The benches and picnic table with a view at St Catherine’s Church

Head ENE on Sacombe footpath 3 through the churchyard for 50m to woodland (location - https://w3w.co/rats.pushed.vest), see image below.

Enter the woodland, still on Sacombe footpath 3

18: Enter the woodland, still on Sacombe footpath 3, then head E then ENE for 180m until you leave the woodland (location - https://w3w.co/buck.plan.square), see image below.

After leaving the woodland head NE and uphill

19: After leaving the woodland turn right then head NE and uphill for 190m until you reach a fork (location - https://w3w.co/acute.stamp.flats), see image below.

Ignore the fork to the left and continue heading NE

20: Ignore the fork to the left and continue heading NE for another 65m to a gate (location - https://w3w.co/dress.vision.blast), see image below. When we revisited this walk in February 2024 there was mud either side of this gate making it difficult to get through, but the mud was shallow and we managed to avoid getting too messy.

Go through the gate then head NE

21: Go through the gate then head NE for 120m across a field which, when we visited, was populated by friendly horses. Walk to the right of a white cottage where you will find a gate leading to a lane (location - https://w3w.co/bits.goad.fool), see image below. This section can be muddy after rain because the horses gather at both gates into the field.

Once through the gate, turn right on the lane

22: Once through the gate, turn right on Sacombe Green Road then head ESE for 35m following the road as it bends left then heads NE for 30m to reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/themes.risen.launch), see image below.

Keep right at the junction then head SE on Marshall's Lane

Keep right at the junction then head SE on Marshall's Lane for 55m looking out for a footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/dairy.raves.tune), see image below.

Turn left on Sacombe footpath 2

23: Turn left on Sacombe footpath 2 then head NE for 310m until you reach a hedge (location - https://w3w.co/behave.tree.void), see image below.

Once through the hedge turn left, still on Sacombe footpath 2

24: Once through the hedge turn left, still on Sacombe footpath 2, then head NNW for 45m until you reach a lane (location - https://w3w.co/moves.reader.opera). Turn right on the lane then head ENE for 80m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/shots.nerve.sage), see image below.

Continue heading straight and ENE at the junction

25: Continue heading straight and ENE at the junction, now Sacombe BOAT 1 (byway open to all traffic). We were lucky to spot a herd of wild deer on our left along this stretch, see image below.

Wild deer to the left of Sacombe BOAT 1

Continue along Sacombe BOAT 1 for 420m until you pass Lowgate Farm on the right at which point the byway you are walking becomes Thundridge BOAT 41. Continue for another 420m until you reach a bridleway on the right, (location - https://w3w.co/punt.reason.eaten), see image below.

Turn right on Thundridge bridleway 42

26: Turn right on Thundridge bridleway 42 then follow it as it heads S, This section can be muddy after rain. Continue for 370m, crossing a field and continuing until you reach woodland and a left-hand bend (location - https://w3w.co/palm.buck.fantastic).

Head in a southerly direction with the woodland on your left

27: Keeping the woodland on your left and the fields on your right, continue in a southerly direction with The Bourne and woodland on the left and fields on the right for 1.4km until you reach Marshall's Lane (location - https://w3w.co/yoga.pops.hoot), see image below.

Cross Marshall's Lane then continue on Thundridge footpath 40

28: Cross Marshall's Lane then continue heading in a southerly direction with The Bourne on your left but now on Thundridge footpath 40 for 1.1km until you reach Cambridge Road, Wadesmill, where you turn right to return to the starting point.

As well as the Feathers, there is the option to visit Ermines cafe for refreshments. The cafe is a 105m detour from point 2 in the walk on the left just after the bridge over the River Rib (location - https://w3w.co/keeps.ladder.pure). Please be sure to check for opening times.

Ermines Cafe close to point 2 in the walk

Interactive map

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