Hertfordshire Walker: Walk 81: Wormley Wood Loop

2.5 miles (4 km) with 76m total ascent

Photograph of The sign at the entrance to Wormley Wood Image by Hertfordshire Walker, released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

A great walk for those hot sunny days when you want to escape the sun and enjoy a good ramble in the shade. Plenty of up and down along the way, with loads of bridges, elevated walkways and stairs. When we walked the route in August there were quite a few midges and flies bugging us, but we always carry insect repellant and didn't get bitten. Unlike most of our walks this one doesn't pass by a pub, so take refreshments with you. There is a picnic table at the end just before you reach the car park. Wormley Wood is managed by the Woodland Trust.

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 81: Wormley Wood 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 below the 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 Bencroft Wood (West) car park on the south side of White Stubbs Lane (location - https://w3w.co/candy.expose.couches). It's a free car park but has limited space. You will find a sign in the car park with a map showing two trail options for Bencroft Wood, but your route is not one of them, although the first section uses one of the paths on our route in order to access Wormley Wood.

1: From the car park head SW, following the wooden signs with the purple circle around the top. Continue as the path heads S downhill, first down some wooden steps and then along a wooden elevated walkway.

Photograph along Walk 81 Wormley Wood Loop

Follow the trail downhill and S

2: When you reach a footpath junction turn right and head SW down to a stream which you cross via a wooden footbridge and then climb the other side using wooden steps, see image below. This is quite a steep but short climb. You will now be following posts with a pink line around the top.

Photograph along Walk 81. Cross the footbridge and climb the steps as you continue to head south-west Image by Hertfordshire Walker, released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

Cross the footbridge and climb the steps as you continue to head SW

Continue heading in a straight line WSW along this path for 980m as it crosses a couple of wooden footbridges, see image below.

Photograph along Walk 81. Continue heading south-west as the track climbs through the woodland Image by Hertfordshire Walker, released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

Continue heading WSW as the track climbs through the woodland

3: At the point where the track meets a footpath T-junction turn slightly left (location - https://w3w.co/dock.arch.views) then head S then SSE and S for 390m following the signs with the green tops and white admiral butterflies.

This is the only exposed part of the walk and you will spend about five minutes walking along an elevated walkway with flowers either side. Look out for butterflies along this part of the path. It's a charming section.

A Silver-Washed Fritillary butterfly on brambles between points 3 & 4

4: Continue heading SSE along this path for 190m ignoring smaller paths to your right and left.

After the elevated walkway section you enter the woods again

5: At a footpath crossing turn left (location - https://w3w.co/walks.loyal.packet), then NE, ENE, then E through the woodland for 480m.

6: At the next footpath crossing turn left and head N and NE for 360m.

7: When you reach the coal post on your left (location - https://w3w.co/words.fact.struck), turn right and head E for 300m.

The coal post at point 7 on the route

8: Follow the path as it bends to your left and heads N and NE for 530m back to point 2 on the route.Turn right and follow the path NE for 130m.

9: At the point where a track crosses your path, turn left and head NNW for 110m back to the car park, see image below.

Photograph on Walk 81. Turn left and head north back to the car park Image by Hertfordshire Walker, released under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0

Turn left and head N back to the car park

Interactive map

6 comments:

AndrewnotandyMonday, August 15, 2022
Worth noting that the Bencroft Wood (West) carpark on the south side of White Stubbs Lane (WSL) is currently closed. An abandoned caravan is stuck in the height-restricted entrance. The local council is aware of the issue, according to stickers. on the caravan. But you can still park in the Bencroft Wood (East) carpark which is also on the south side of WSL just before the junction with West End Lane. There is a well-defined path between the 2 carparks which runs parallel to WSL about 50m in from the road. If you park in the east carpark and follow this path at the beginning and end of your walk, it extends the walk to about 3.5miles, but you will still be in the woods for the whole circuit.
AnonymousThursday, December 08, 2022
Hi David Update from previous message . Caravan has gone all clear . Walked this route again today but in reverse . Still a lovely walk on a crisp day like today . Thank You. .IR.
AnonymousSunday, June 23, 2024
A lovely walk in dappled shade - great on a hot, sunny day.
We walked it in June and there were still a few areas of mud but perfectly manageable in walking shoes. I would imagine it could be difficult in places in wintertime.
Great to see our first “coal post”. I need to find out more about them …