Walk 86: Hadley Wood - Brookmans Park Linear

7 miles (11.15 km) with 206m total ascent

The start of the footpath from point 4

A 7-mile linear station-to-station walk from Hadley Wood to Brookmans Park via the village of Northaw where the walk can be broken for refreshments at the Two Brewers pub/restaurant. This walk can be done in reverse starting from Brookmans Park. This walk is hilly and parts, particularly between points 2 and 3 and 6 and 7 can be muddy after rain.

Directions

Map for Walk 86: Hadley Wood - Brookmans Park Linear
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.

Muddy boots halfway between point 2 and 3

1: Leave Hadley Wood station, turn right and take the cycle track NCN (National Cycle Network) immediately on the right (location - https://w3w.co/gifted.mining.affair) which heads N along the W side of the track.

Follow the track until it becomes a footpath heading NE for 170m to Waggon Road (location - https://w3w.co/future.leads.hotels).

Turn right on Waggon Road then head E for 250m walking along the grass verge until you come to a footpath sign on your left just past the last house on the left (location - https://w3w.co/sober.smiled.price).

2: Take this footpath following it as it heads N then NE for 1km across fields to Stagg Hill. This section can be extremely muddy after rain, and is all the more difficult because it goes downhill and then uphill.

Turn left at this gate between point 3 and 4

3: Cross Stagg Hill then take the footpath directly opposite (location - https://w3w.co/frame.bids.rash) heading NE, ENE, NNW, then NE again for 640m before reaching The Ridgeway.

4: Cross The Ridgeway then take the track on the other side (location - https://w3w.co/richer.extra.thank). This is a public right of way (see OS app screen grab below) but it is gated and the sign has disappeared.

The track from The Ridgeway heading N to a tunnel under the M25
Screen grab from OS app - awaiting permission to include

Take this track then head N for 330m before going under the M25 via a tunnel (location - https://w3w.co/chart.slope.garden). The tunnel under the M25 is wide and high, and you are through it in less than a minute.

The wide tunnel under the M25 at point 4

5: At the other side of the M25 continue along the bridleway, now Northaw bridleway 14, for 1.1km until you reach Coopers Lane Road (location - https://w3w.co/beams.bunny.sushi). This is another stretch that can be muddy after rain.

Point 6: Follow public bridleway 17 which runs through woodland S of the road

6: Turn right on the footpath marked ‘Public bridleway 17 - Hook Lane 334 yards’ that runs SE for 290m along the S side of Coopers Lane Road. Continue until you reach Hook Lane, which is also Northaw bridleway 10, on your left (location - https://w3w.co/save.steps.kicked).

Public bridleway 17 to Hook Lane north of Firs Wood

7: Cross Coopers Lane Road and head NE for 840m along Northaw bridleway 10 until you reach a pond on your left (location - https://w3w.co/likes.stale.manual). At this point your track becomes Northaw BOAT (byway open to all traffic) 16 and heads NNE to Northaw Road (location - https://w3w.co/raft.tonic.pens).

Point 7: Cross Coopers Lane Road and take bridleway 10 along Hook Lane

8: Turn left on Northaw Road West and head NW for 980m first through the village (where you might want to stop at The Two Brewers for refreshments) and continue along Judge's Hill (B156) until you reach the junction with Well Road (location - https://w3w.co/rooms.look.nature).

9: Just after the second junction (there are two roads off to the right forming a triangle) take the footpath on your right, Northaw footpath 4 (location - https://w3w.co/backed.wisely.loud), and follow it W for 420m until you come to a footpath junction (location - https://w3w.co/dots.crazy.slim).

10: Here you turn slightly to your right and head NW for 680m along North Mymms footpath 49, ignoring the path on your left and continuing until you reach the Great North Road (location - https://w3w.co/jumpy.amount.novel).

11: Cross the Great North Road and turn right walking NNW for 290m along the pavement on the W of the road until you reach Swanley Bar Lane (location - https://w3w.co/busy.tilt.tags). Turn left on Swanley Bar Lane and follow it uphill and WSW for 710m until you reach Hawkshead Road with Folly Arch on your right (location - https://w3w.co/sparks.loops.paints).

12: Turn right on the path alongside Hawkshead Road and head W for 150m looking out for a footpath on the right immediately after Folly Arch (location - https://w3w.co/terms.horns.trio).

This is North Mymms footpath 11, and head NW for 210m passing through the first gate in the hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/dark.events.demand). Here you turn right and take a permissive path that heads N for 210m with the field on your left and the hedgerow on your right until you reach Gobions Wood (location - https://w3w.co/flip.bravo.brands). Gobions Wood is a Herts and Middlesex Trust reserve, formerly a private country estate steeped in history.

13: Here you turn right, cross a footbridge then turn left cross a second footbridge and follow the path N to Gobions Pond (location - https://w3w.co/catch.snail.luck).

14: Go through a gate and turn left walking W along the S side of Gobions Pond for 380m until you reach the western edge of the pond and a path leading NW to Gobions Open Space (location - https://w3w.co/poem.neat.prep).

Cross the field heading NNW for 130m aiming for a gap in the hedge just below the play area (location - https://w3w.co/glue.spots.lovely). If you have children with you they might want to let off any steam they have left on the free-to-use play equipment. There are also exercise machines just N of the play area (location - https://w3w.co/front.incomes.lakes) for adults if you have any beans left.

15: Go through the gap and continue along this path with the hedge on your right and field on your left for 280m until you reach Bluebridge Avenue (location - https://w3w.co/rounds.sling.horn). Go down Bluebridge Avenue until you reach Bluebridge Road (location - https://w3w.co/goal.poppy.funny). Turn right on Bluebridge Road and head NNW to Bradmore Green in Brookmans Park village. The station is just after the village green.

There are many opportunities for refreshments in Brookmans Park, including Tealicious (location - https://w3w.co/solve.lace.flag), Brookmans Bakery (location - https://w3w.co/meant.roof.chill), and Brookmans pub/restaurant (location - https://w3w.co/prone.cycle.straw).

If you are on Facebook and would like to discuss this walk with fellow-walkers, please join our friendly Facebook group where members are sharing photographs and comments about their walks in the Hertfordshire countryside.

Interactive Map

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