Walk 9: The Howe Green Loop

3 miles (4.9 km) with 77m total ascent

A lake on the edge of the golf course just before point 4

This walk is rich in variety, with a good downhill stretch for striding out, a steady climb back up to Essendon and, halfway round, the hamlet of Howe Green. You cross the golf course twice and pass a quarry, but don't be put off, the views are spectacular and the flora, particularly near the quarry, is rich.

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 9: The Howe Green Loop
Click on the map above to enlarge
Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
Elements © Thunderforest © OpenStreetMap contributors
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.

Park in the village of Essendon. A good place is near the church (location - https://w3w.co/likes.waddled.pads), or down School Lane (location - https://w3w.co/comical.winks.refers), where the walk begins.

1: Start the walk by heading E down School Lane (location - https://w3w.co/exile.covers.eating) and continue for 280m until you reach the school on your right. To the left of the school you will find a footpath (location - https://w3w.co/sums.activism.cloth), see image below.

Take Essendon footpath 3 which heads E with the school on the right

2: This is Essendon footpath 3 which heads E with the school on the right for 75m until it reaches a gate leading to the golf course (location - https://w3w.co/active.filed.losses), see image below.

Follow Essendon footpath 3 heading E across the golf course

Immediately after going through the first gate you enter Essendon golf course (see image above) and the first fairway (location - https://w3w.co/bunny.weds.slug).

Look right to check for golfers teeing off. When it's safe, continue heading E for 130m until you reach a second fairway (location - https://w3w.co/venue.these.upper).

Look left for golfers. When it's safe, continue heading E for 80m until you reach a track (location - https://w3w.co/ozone.pushed.steer), see image below.

Cross the track then continue heading E, still on Essendon footpath 3

3: Cross the track then continue heading E, still on Essendon footpath 3, for 75m until you reach a third fairway (location - https://w3w.co/guess.runner.movie).

Look right for golfers. When safe, continue heading E for 90m until you reach a fourth fairway (location - https://w3w.co/tops.next.begins). Look left for golfers. When it's safe, continue heading E for 70m until Essendon footpath 3 leaves the golf course at a gate (location - https://w3w.co/apply.mime.cried), see image below.

Essendon footpath 3 leaving the golf course

4: Leave the golf course then cross a footpath junction (location - https://w3w.co/roses.guards.home) and then a ford (usually dry) and take the track ahead heading E and uphill. This is Little Berkhamsted bridleway 2 which you follow for 330m with the quarry on the left. Continue until you reach a footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/echo.chats.codes), see image below.

Turn left on Little Berkhamsted footpath 2

Turn left on Little Berkhamsted footpath 2, then follow it NE for 80m until you reach a lane (location - https://w3w.co/loaded.office.pops), see image below.

When you reach the lane, turn right then head E

5: When you reach the lane, which is also Little Berkhamsted bridleway 18, turn right then follow it E for 210m past Ashfield House on the left and Ashfield Cottage on the right, until the lane turns right and into Ashfield Farm.

6: Here you will see a footpath just beyond a large tree (location - https://w3w.co/tile.only.flash), see image below.

Turn left on Little Berkhamsted footpath 4

Turn left on Little Berkhamsted footpath 4. Cross a stile then follow this path NNW for 230m, keeping the hedge on your right and continuing until the path leave the hedgerow and crosses a field (location - https://w3w.co/vines.wire.reef), see image below.

Head NNW across the field for 180m until you reach a footbridge

Head NNW across the field for 180m until you reach a footbridge in the hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/crew.exist.glory), see image below.

Cross the footbridge then continue heading NNW

Cross the footbridge then continue heading NNW for 240m, with the fence on your left and field on your right, until you reach a lane (location - https://w3w.co/monday.sugar.hero), see image below.

Turn left then follow the lane W for 170m

7: Turn left then follow the lane, which is also Little Berkhamsted bridleway 18, for 170m as it heads W. Continue until you reach a footpath on your right soon, after a left bend (location - https://w3w.co/estate.dozen.vision).

8: Turn right on Little Berkhamsted footpath 1 then head W for 150m across a field and down the hill to another stile (location - https://w3w.co/clots.wool.quiz), see image below.

Turn right on Bedwell Avenue then head N

9: Turn right on Bedwell Avenue, which is also Little Berkhamsted bridleway 26, then head N for 450m it you reach Low Road, the B158 (location - https://w3w.co/lease.person.softly).

10: Turn left, taking care here because the traffic can be busy. After 50m, you will see a footpath sign and stile on your left (location - https://w3w.co/adults.space.reds), see image below.

Turn left on Essendon footpath 5 then enter the golf course again

Turn left on Essendon footpath 5 then enter the golf course again. Head SW for 80m until you reach a paved path (location - https://w3w.co/voices.lights.trout), see image below.

Continue heading SW on the paved path, which is Essendon footpath 5

Continue heading SW on the paved path, which is Essendon footpath 5, for 580m until you reach a green on the right and a track going off to the left (location - https://w3w.co/meal.melon.tops), see image below.

Turn left on the track then, after 15m turn right

11: Turn left on this track then, after 15m turn right (location - https://w3w.co/fish.successes.tender), still on Essendon footpath 5, see image below.

Head SW, still on Essendon footpath 5, until you reach another fairway

Head SW, still on Essendon footpath 5, until you reach another fairway (location - https://w3w.co/feared.cans.poppy), see image below.

Continue heading SW across the fairway

Look to your left to check for golfers then, when it is safe, continue heading SW across the fairway to where Essendon footpath 5 cuts through the trees (location - https://w3w.co/thing.reef.magma), see image below.

Follow Essendon footpath 5 through the trees to a gate

Follow Essendon footpath 5 through the trees to a gate then across a field and continue until you come to the B158 (location - https://w3w.co/cable.limit.broken).

Cross the road and take the footpath opposite

12: Cross the road then take the footpath opposite, still Essendon footpath 5, and head SW for 350m. When you enter this field, you will see a house on the far side. Head to the right hand side of the house then exit the field through a gate, emerging on West End Lane (location - https://w3w.co/stack.judges.fantastic).

13: Turn left on West End Lane for 30m looking out for a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/fever.brand.alien), see image below.

Turn right on Essendon footpath 7

Turn right on Essendon footpath 7 then head SSW for 45m until you reach a gate (location - https://w3w.co/giant.became.seat), see image below.

Go through the gate then head diagonally SW across a field

Go through the gate then head diagonally SW across a field to another gate (location - https://w3w.co/lift.pads.awards), see image below.

Go through the gate then keep left and head SE

Go through the gate then keep left and head SE, with the hedgerow on the left and field on the right, for 85m to another gate (location - https://w3w.co/camera.will.joins), see image below.

Go through the gate then head diagonally SW

Go through the gate then head diagonally and downhill to your right (SW) for 110m until you reach a gate leading to woodland (location - https://w3w.co/stone.eager.each).

14: When you reach the woods turn left on Essendon footpath 13 then head ENE for 220m back to the village, skirting the cricket ground on your left. This path leads to the main road, where you turn left and head back to wherever you parked the car.

Interactive map

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