Walk 76: Old Knebworth North Loop

3 miles (5 km) with 53m total ascent

 

A gentle, slightly undulating walk through well-kept parkland, along quiet footpaths and lanes, and over fields offering open views across the Hertfordshire countryside. The route goes through the grounds of Knebworth House and starts and finishes at the Lytton Arms.

You will walk through the grounds of the Knebworth House estate on public rights of way. You do not have to pay an admission charge to use the public footpaths that cross the estate so long as you don't stray from them and don't visit any of the estate facilities, which includes the cafe and toilets.

The Knebworth House Estate stages concerts and other events, and, in some cases, the public rights of way will be closed while events take place. Please check on the estate's website before you set off to avoid disappointment.

Directions

Map for Walk 76: Old Knebworth North Loop
Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
Elements © Thunderforest © OpenStreetMap contributors
There is an interactive map below 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.

1: Take the footpath to the NE of the Lytton Arms (location - https://w3w.co/tell.career.acted). This is Knebworth footpath 14 which you follow SE for 130m to a footpath crossing (location - https://w3w.co/native.flops.jump). Continue heading straight SE, still on Knebworth footpath 14, through the crops until you reach a footpath T-junction (location - https://w3w.co/half.couch.defeat).

Knebworth footpath 14 heading SE across the fields

2: Turn left on Knebworth footpath 13, and head N for 390m until you reach Park Lane (location - https://w3w.co/deeper.waters.scam).

3: Turn right on Park Lane and walk ESE for 150m until you reach the point where the lane narrows just before the houses on your left. Cross the lane and take the footpath just before the first house (location - https://w3w.co/feared.cube.lung).

Take this footpath, Knebworth footpath 16 and follow it for 530m first heading NNE passing a play area on your right. Go through a gate and continues NNE through the next field with the hedgerow on your left and the field on your right.

Continue with Cowpasture Wood on your left and the open field on your right until you reach the corner of the field where you go through a gate (location - https://w3w.co/forced.full.lifted).

Turn left, still on Knebworth footpath 16, and, keeping the woodland on your left and field on your right, head NW. When you reach the corner of the field continue straight ignoring the path on your right until you reach Old Knebworth Lane (location - https://w3w.co/maps.recent.shared).

4: Across the lane, almost opposite and to your left, you will see a gate leading to the Knebworth House estate.

Please read the sign on the gate which contains a number of rules and requests for walkers using the public footpaths that cross the estate. A photograph of the sign is below, but I have copied it for those who want to print off these directions without the images.

Notice to Footpath Walkers

You are most welcome to enjoy the Footpaths, we simply asked that you stay on them, and keep all dogs on leads. If you are tempted to use our facilities, further explore the park, gardens, special events, and playground, please be honest and buy a ticket. We do check tickets. Not only will this help support the future of the park, but it enables us to insure your safety. Have a good day!

The notice to walkers on Knebworth House estate

Take this path, Knebworth footpath 18, and walk NW for 260m through the estate heading in the direction of the church.

* At some point along this path you might meet a member of staff checking for tickets. If you are a legitimate walker passing through you do not need one, but staff are employed to check that people are in fact passing through the estate rather than visiting it.

5: The path continues through the estate and enters the churchyard via a gate and emerges the other side to the left of the church, also via a gate (location - https://w3w.co/digits.hook.rocky).

Continue heading W, now on Knebworth footpath 19 for 140m, with Knebworth House on your left, until you reach the estate road (location - https://w3w.co/dollar.things.locked). At the crossroads head NNE on Knebworth footpath 21 down an avenue of trees for 350m heading for the distant woodland.

Knebworth House viewed from point 5 above

6: On reaching the woodland turn left on Knebworth footpath 22 (location - https://w3w.co/times.mess.worry). Do not go through the gate into the woodland.

Follow Knebworth footpath 22 as it heads WSW with the woodland on your right and the fields on your left for 120m. At the point where the path forks, take the left-hand fork and continue heading WSW for 700m along a pleasant track that cuts through the bracken.

At a second fork, take the right-hand fork and follow the way-marked signs. This area was popular with butterflies when we walked it in July.

7: At the footpath T-junction (location - https://w3w.co/tracks.tolls.nodded) turn left, and follow the path, Knebworth footpath 20, as it heads SSE for 1 km. You will pass through a couple of high gates, presumable tall to stop deer escaping.

Photograph of deer at Knebworth courtesy of Sarah Hurst-Cox

There is a good chance you will come across herds of deer. Keep your eyes peeled as you walk the public rights of way. Continue heading SSE and ignore a track to your left heading to the cenotaph; your way is slightly to the right of the monument, keeping the perimeter fence on your right until you reach another gate (location - https://w3w.co/face.behave.final).

Go through the gate and continue heading SE on Knebworth footpath 20. You will cross a footbridge, go through another gate, and continue with the hedgerow on your left and field on your right until you reach the Park Lane (location - https://w3w.co/scouts.mini.refuse).

8: Turn left on Park Lane then head NE for 10m before turning right down Slip Lane heading SE for 300m looking out for a footpath on your left (location - https://w3w.co/feeds.reject.lies).

9: Take this path, Knebworth footpath 15, then follow it as it heads NE for 250m across the fields to meet a path on your left, Knebworth footpath 14, which you walked earlier and which leads back to the Lytton Arms.

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Interactive map

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