Walk 91: Wadesmill East Loop

5.5 miles (8.9 km) with 113m of total ascent

The River Rib along Walk 91: The Wadesmill East Loop

An undulating ramble through some wonderful Hertfordshire countryside following the valley of the River Rib through fields, woodland, across a ford, and through parkland with magnificent trees. You will pass the remains of a medieval church along the way.

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 91: The Wadesmill East Loop
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Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
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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.

1: From Wadesmill village walk SSW down Cambridge Road, cross the River Rib, turn left on Old Church Lane (location - https://w3w.co/double.drank.sudden) in Thundridge and head ESE then SE with the River Rib on your left until you reach an underpass beneath the A10 (location - https://w3w.co/edgy.script.manliness).

After leaving Thundridge bridleway 54 take bridleway 24 heading E

2: Go under the A10 on Thundridge bridleway 54, then follow the track around to the right for 70m looking out for Thundridge bridleway 24 on your left (location - https://w3w.co/gasp.noses.abode). Take this track and head E along what is still Old Church Lane.

The remains of the medieval church of St Mary and All Saints

3: After 530m look out for the remains of the medieval church of St Mary and All Saints on your left (location - https://w3w.co/glad.invest.custom). This area is worth exploring if you have time. Continue heading SE on Thundridge bridleway 24 for another 580m until you reach a junction in the track (location - https://w3w.co/helps.noses.flood).

4: When you reach a track continue heading ENE along the S side of the River Rib for 610m at which point the track will swing round to the right (location - https://w3w.co/neon.slams.acute). Climb the hill heading SSE then E for another 220m until you reach Cold Christmas Lane (location - https://w3w.co/plates.extra.rash). (Be careful not to miss this swing to the right - we did and walked too far along the river bank before having to retrace our steps).

5: Turn right and head S on Cold Christmas Lane for 150m looking out for a track on your left (location - https://w3w.co/using.barks.entire) at the point where the road bends to the right. Take this track, Thundridge bridleway 9, and head E for 130m until you reach farm buildings on the left (location - https://w3w.co/digits.sheets.simply).

6: After passing farm buildings continue on Thundridge bridleway 9 and head NE for 510m.

The junction where you turn left on Thundridge bridleway 2

7: At the next footpath crossing (location - https://w3w.co/prone.holds.cycles) turn left on Thundridge bridleway 2 and head NW for 220m until you reach Cold Christmas Lane (location - https://w3w.co/stamp.couple.union).

8: Turn right then follow the lane NE for 320m looking out for Thundridge footpath 11 on your left (location - https://w3w.co/split.smile.backup).

9: Take this path which continues NE, N, then NE for 1.1km on the W side of Sawtrees Wood until it meets the lane to Barwick Ford (location - https://w3w.co/goods.crisp.wallet).

10: Turn left on the lane and head NW for 210m crossing Barwick Ford. After crossing the River Rib head NW on Standon bridleway 62 for 100m until you meet Thundridge bridleway 45 on your left (location - https://w3w.co/wells.share.bind).

Barwick Ford. There is a well-placed bench on the far bank

11: Follow this bridleway SW for 440m to a fork in the track (location - https://w3w.co/blues.mental.soil).

12: When you reach the fork head W for 760m, still on Thundridge bridleway 45, first to the S of Tyler's Hill wood and then SW again along the N side of Round Wood.

13: When you reach the end of Round Wood (location - https://w3w.co/pull.rooms.raft), take the path that heads SSW, which is Thundridge restricted byway 50 and follow it for 610m until you meet a T-junction (location - https://w3w.co/crest.cages.happy).

14: Turn right on Thundridge bridleway 48 and head NW for 300m until you reach Thundridge bridleway 39 on your left (location - https://w3w.co/truck.monkey.sang).

* At this is the point the shortcut detour, mentioned above, has rejoined the longer route.

15: Follow Thundridge bridleway 39 SW for 1.1km through the Youngsbury Estate. You will eventually go under the A10 (location - https://w3w.co/bend.hosts.fade).

Take the track on your right after going under the A10

16: After going under the A10, continue for 80m until you reach a footpath on your right (location - https://w3w.co/that.porch.topic). This is a continuation of Thundridge bridleway 39. Follow this path as NW for 90m until you reach Youngsbury Lane (location - https://w3w.co/vibrate.waddled.dare). Continue NW along Youngsbury Lane for 150m back to Cambridge Road in Wadesmill (location - https://w3w.co/effort.rock.leaned).

* There is one pub in the village, The Feathers Inn (location - https://w3w.co/fries.model.rides).

This route was recommended by a local walker who posted a message on this site suggesting we add it to the collection. They had completed Walk 58: The Wadesmill NW Loop (6 miles) and took the trouble to point out this loop to the E of Wadesmill. We would like to thank the poster, who goes by the name Pentelium, for the suggestion. Excellent advice and a great walk.

Interactive Map

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