Walk 122: Therfield North Loop

6.1 miles (9.7 km) with 174m of total ascent

View between points 2 and 3

This walk offers wide open views across the NE Hertfordshire countryside and passing through the beautiful landscape around the Pen Hills. On a clear day you are supposed to be able to see Ely cathedral from one of the highest points. There is plenty of up and down so you need to be fairly fit. The walk starts and finishes at The Fox and Duck pub/restaurant in Therfield.

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 122: Therfield Loop North
Click on the map above for a larger version
Created on Map Hub by Hertfordshire Walker
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There is an interactive map below these directions

Those with GPS devices can download GPX or KML files for the walk. We've added What3Words 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.

1: From Police Row (location - https://w3w.co/ketchup.aunts.tulip) in Therfield village head W and then NNW along Pedlars Lane for 370m until you reach a T-junction (location - https://w3w.co/ready.sprinkle.hospitals).

2: Turn left then head WSW for 80m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/pasting.handsets.engaging).

Therfield footpath 2 at the beginning of the walk

Turn right on Therfield footpath 2 then head NW and downhill alongside a stream until the path opens up with wide views across the north Hertfordshire countryside (location - https://w3w.co/sandwich.branched.managers), see image below.

The view north from footpath 2 mentioned in point 2 above

3: Continue along Therfield footpath 2 as it winds its way downhill for 465m until you reach a disused chalk pit on the left which is now used as a rifle range (location - https://w3w.co/behaving.fishnet.lame).

4: Continue on Therfield footpath 2, still heading NW, for 1.1 km to Thrift Farm (location - https://w3w.co/relishing.birds.cotton).

5: When you reach Thrift Farm, ignore a footpath on your right but, instead, continue between the buildings leaving the farmyard at a gate (location - https://w3w.co/discrepancy.scrubbing.rice).

Once through the gate turn right on a track

6: Once through the gate turn right on a track that heads E along the side of a training course for horses (see image above).

Take this path, the Hertfordshire Way, which at this point is an official ‘recreational route’ rather than a public right of way. After 220m the Hertfordshire Way crosses a track to the stables (location - https://w3w.co/squeezed.cities.irrigated).

Continue heading E with the trees on your right

7: Continue heading ENE to the left of a line of trees. When we did this walk there wasn't a signpost at this point but be reassured that your way is straight with the trees on your right, see image above.

Continue heading ENE for 840m with the trees on your right until you come to the point where the path bends to the right through the trees (location - https://w3w.co/score.sapping.selling), see image below.

Follow the path to the right through the trees

Then follow the path as it bends left to a junction

8: Follow the path right and SE for 95m until the path bends left (location - https://w3w.co/race.pets.nips). Continue on the path, now heading E, for 170m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/spoon.purifier.push).

9: Turn right on Therfield footpath 5 then head S for 115m until you reach a footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/ounce.zoomed.growl).

Take the path on the left

10: Take the path on the left then follow it as it climbs a steep hill and then heads E for 270m to Fox Covert Nature Reserve (location - https://w3w.co/derailed.punters.string).

Enter the reserve and turn sharp left

11: Enter the reserve then turn sharp left following the path heading first NE then E for 500m passing Jubilee Wood on your right and continuing until you meet Therfield Road (location - https://w3w.co/operating.readers.scored).

12: Cross Therfield Road then follow Therfield footpath 6 as it heads NE for 340m towards Therfield Heath, which is an area of common land with most of it forming a nature reserve and a Site of Special Scientific Interest. It is also an area of significant geological and archaeological importance which is owned by the Therfield Regulation Trust.

You pass the site of a long barrow on your left (location - https://w3w.co/mavericks.milky.represent), which is listed by Historic England.

Follow the track ESE for 840m then SW for 290m until you climb a hill to reach the Icknield Way Trail, a 170-mile long-distance path, which, at this point is also Therfield footpath 11 (location - https://w3w.co/fingernails.stoppage.patting).

Therfield footpath 11 leading S from Therfield Heath

13: Turn right, still on Therfield footpath 11, then head S then SSW for 180m, until the path becomes Royston bridleway 13 (location - https://w3w.co/meatballs.reapply.dress).

Continue on this bridleway, which soon becomes Therfield bridleway 12, as it heads SSW for 1.3km until you reach a junction where the main track swings to the right (location - https://w3w.co/brightens.proclaims.runs).

Ignore the right turn and continue straight

14: Ignore the right turn and continue straight and SSW for 870m until you reach another junction where the main track swings to the right (location - https://w3w.co/puzzles.choppy.unsigned).

15: Ignore the right turn and instead continue straight, walking to the left of a bench (location - https://w3w.co/professed.bypasses.guesswork) and heading for a footpath sign at a gap in the hedge (location - https://w3w.co/harnessed.juices.prices), see image of junction below.

Where the path bends to the right you continue heading straight to a gap in the hedge

16: Continue straight, now on Therfield footpath 42 and heading SW, for 195m until you reach a gap in the hedgerow (location - https://w3w.co/horn.redeemed.logs).

17: Go through the gap, still on Therfield footpath 42, then head WSW for 280m back to Police Row in the village of Therfield.

We have another walk from Therfield village, Walk 121: Therfield Loop South.

Interactive map

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