Walk 83: North Mymms South Long Loop

4.3 miles (6.9 km) with 103m total ascent

The view between points 6 & 7

This is a gentle walk that starts and finishes at St Mary's Church, North Mymms, heads south climbing up through Cangsley Grove, skirts a quiet valley at Potwells, continues up through pine woodland in Redwell and Mymmshall Wood, then sweeps back passing an old well and wind-pump that once served the nearby farms and houses. There is a short stretch alongside the A1(M), and then the path crosses a field where (sometimes) there is a bull warning (we have never encountered a bull in 20+ years). If there is a bull in the field you can always take the alternative lane route along Tollgate Road.

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 83: North Mymms South Long 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.

1: Park along St Mary's Church Lane (location - https://w3w.co/recent.chief.holly), making sure you don't block any of the gates leading to the fields.

Head SSW for 520m along the lane, which is also North Mymms Bridleway 2, until the paved part of the road swings to your right (location - https://w3w.co/lions.keen.ends).

2: Continue heading SSW, still along North Mymms Bridleway 2, for 770m at first with fields on either side.

Keep heading SSW as the bridleway climbs up through Cangsley Grove - look out for Purple Emperor butterflies in July and August - before reaching the top of the hill where you have a view over Potwells valley (location - https://w3w.co/skins.enable.really).

This is a fascinating area and you might want to read more about the geology of the landscape in this area.

3: Here you turn right and follow North Mymms bridleway 90, which later becoming Ridge bridleway 44, heading SW and then S for 460m until you meet a gate on the right (location - https://w3w.co/owls.speeds.last). This is an area of geological importance, as described by geologist Mike Howgate. 

Don't go through the gate, but head SE on Ridge bridleway 10 with the woodland on your right and field on your left for 150m dropping down to cross a footbridge (location - https://w3w.co/cling.meal.chop).

After the footbridge continue heading SE for 240m, still on Ridge bridleway 10, crossing a field until you meet a gate leading to a T-junction in the track (location - https://w3w.co/darker.adopt.storms).

The view over Potwells near Cangsley Grove - turn right here

4: Turn right after the gate still on Ridge bridleway 10 (also North Mymms Bridleway 2 at this point) and head S, SSE, and S for 670m passing Redwell Wood and down the hill before reaching a cottage on the left and reaching a track on the left (location - https://w3w.co/finger.clay.quest).

* At this point you could continue heading S for refreshments at The Black Horse (620m).

5: Turn left on the track just beyond the cottage, Ridge restricted byway 11, and head NE and NNE for 280m. Just after the farm on your right this track becomes North Mymms restricted byway 3 and heads NNE, NE then E through Mymmshall Wood for 1.4km until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/bottle.cake.sands) just before the A1(M).

The path through Mymmshall Wood between points 5 & 6 on this walk

6: Here you turn left on North Mymms restricted byway 3 and head NNW for 180m until the track bends to the left. Continue along the track passing a small round building on your left. This used to be a wind-pump. The well in front of the pump used to serve the local farms and homes in Victorian times.

The wind-pump and well on the W side of Love Lane

7: After the wind-pump continue to a junction where you will find a bench (location - https://w3w.co/atomic.lime.pots). Ignore the right turn and head W then NW for 260m until you reach a crossing in the track (location - https://w3w.co/dairy.safe.span).

Love Lane between points 7 & 8 on this walk

8: Turn right on North Mymms bridleway 1 and head NE for 770m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/backed.rocks.switch) just before the A1(M).

9: Turn left on North Mymms BOAT 5 and head N for 150m until you reach Tollgate Road. Here you turn right and head north.

10: Go under the footbridge and take the path on your left leading through the bushes to a gate leading to a field (location - https://w3w.co/glitz.ever.hurry).

* If you want refreshments you can cross the A1(M) and visit The Woodman Inn on Warrengate Lane, Water End.

Go through the gate into the field mentioned in point 10 above

Cross the field on North Mymms footpath 6 and head WNW for 500m back to St Mary's Church Lane.

Interactive map

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