Walk 146: Flamstead West Loop

8.6 miles (13.8 km) with 179m of total ascent

Flamstead footpath 47 between points 7 & 8

This is an excellent walk that starts along narrow footpaths and continues along bridleways with wide, open views across the north-west Hertfordshire countryside. There is some great scenery and, when we walked in July 2021 the hedgerows were ablaze with wild flowers. There is a short stretch of lane walking between points 16 and 17, but it's a quiet lane and we were passed by one car only.

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 146: Flamstead West 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 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 High Street, Flamstead head W until you reach a T-junction (location - https://w3w.co/precautions.woven.prep). Turn right on Chapel Road and head NNW for 90m looking out for a footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/winks.brass.sheets). Take this path, Flamstead footpath 31, and head WSW with the back of houses on your right and with the field on your left for 190m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/calculating.puff.loving).

Flamstead footpath 31 off Church Road - point 1

2: Turn right on Flamstead footpath 33 then walk through a council car park heading NNW for 35m to Friendless Lane (location - https://w3w.co/zealous.theme.activism).

The right turn on Flamstead footpath 33

Turn left ignoring the lane immediately on the left but take second left along Friendless Lane then head WNW for 80m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/planet.barn.custom).

After turning left ignore the first lane on the left and take the right fork

Turn right on Flamstead footpath 15. This footpath weaves and winds its way in and out of hedgerow. At times the grass, flowers, and nettles hang over the path. But the route is well used and clearly defined.

Flamstead footpath 15 off Friendless Lane

Follow this path first N then NW for 920m until it turns left through the hedgerow then heads SW for 70m before turning sharp right (location - https://w3w.co/walks.firmly.cycle), see image below.

Turn right and head NW for 670m to a junction

3: At the junction (location - https://w3w.co/locals.drove.money) continue heading NW for 560m now on Markyate footpath 21 until you reach a footpath junction (location - https://w3w.co/press.porch.tables). Here you turn right on Markyate footpath 20 and continue heading NW until you reach Pickford Road (location - https://w3w.co/blocks.fever.wing).

* At this point you could turn right and head into Markyate for refreshments. There are two pubs The Swan and The Local.

4: If you don't take the detour, turn left on Pickford Road and head SW for 140m until you reach a road called The Coppins on the right (location - https://w3w.co/wide.shed.record). Turn right here on Markyate footpath 24 and follow it NNW or 90m until you meet Parkfield (location - https://w3w.co/driven.food.wishes). Turn left on Parkfield and head W for 260m until you reach the end of the road and a footpath (location - https://w3w.co/rigid.taps.price).

5: Take this path through the hedgerow and turn immediately left on Markyate footpath 17, which at this point is also The Hertfordshire Way, and follow it S and uphill for 40m until you reach a fork with The Hertfordshire Way going off to the left and your path, still Markyate footpath 17, heading to the right at the fork and continuing SW for 760m, then SSW for 390m until it reaches Roe End Lane (location - https://w3w.co/begin.punctured.steered).

Take the right fork on Markyate footpath 17

6: Turn R on Roe End Lane and head WNW for 370m looking for a footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/bloodshot.musician.pleasing).

Flamstead footpath 47 at the end of Roe End Lane

7: Turn left on Flamstead footpath 47 and head SW for 880m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/copes.joins.snippets).

Turn left opposite the Beechwood Home Farm sign on Flamstead footpath 47

8: Turn left, still on Flamstead footpath 47, and head SE for 960m until you pass Beachwood House School on the right (location - https://w3w.co/cucumber.resettle.repayment) and continue until you reach a footpath on the right at the end of the playing field (location - https://w3w.co/enjoy.decimals.combines).

Turn right, still on Flamstead footpath 47 to gate - see arrow 

9: Turn right, still on Flamstead footpath 47, and head SSE, SSW, then SSE again for 450m to Beechwood Lane (location - https://w3w.co/deluded.fidgeting.stone).

Flamstead footpath 47 between points 9 & 10

10: Cross Beechwood Lane and take Flamstead restricted byway 57 and head SSE for 980m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/nags.acid.developed).

The junction mentioned in point 10

11: Turn left on Great Gaddesden footpath 28 and head ESE for 490m with the hedgerow on the right and the field on the left until you reach a lane (location - https://w3w.co/milkman.array.task).

12: Turn right on the lane and head SSW for 80m until you reach a bridleway on the left (location - https://w3w.co/proud.plugs.member). Turn left on Great Gaddesden bridleway 29 and head SE for 490m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/deleting.solid.serenade).

The junction mentioned in point 12

13: Continue heading SE, now on Great Gaddesden bridleway 42 for 780m to a junction (location - https://w3w.co/softly.bend.fruit).

Great Gaddesden footpath 41 heading NE

14: Turn left on Great Gaddesden footpath 41 and head NE for 300m until you reach woodland and a T-junction (location - https://w3w.co/length.will.snows). Turn right at the woodland and head ESE on Great Gaddesden footpath 41A for 180m until you reach the end of the woodland where you turn left and head NNE on Flamstead footpath 41 for 430m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/fluid.native.window).

15: Turn left and head NW on Flamstead URC 1 (unmetalled, unclassed country road) for 440m until you reach a footpath on the right (location - https://w3w.co/mock.simply.nest).

Flamstead footpath 44 heading NE

Turn right here on Flamstead footpath 44 and head NE for 700m until you reach a farm. The track goes through the farm before reaching Puddephat's Lane (location - https://w3w.co/nails.slips.arrow), but the route differs from that shown on the OS map and app. It seems it has been diverted between the last farm building rather than to the right of it. We have shown the route you need to take in the map below.

Follow the green line to navigate through the farmyard - point 15

16: Turn right on Puddephat's Lane and follow it NE then NW for 670m walking through Trowley Bottom until you reach the Rose & Crown on the left (location - https://w3w.co/games.needed.stores).

The Rose & Crown at Trowley Bottom

17: Turn right at the Rose & Crown and head NE for 70m looking for a footpath on the left (location - https://w3w.co/burn.melt.edges). Turn left on Flamstead footpath 35 and head NNE for 160m to a footpath junction (location - https://w3w.co/elite.trial.guides). Turn left on Flamstead footpath 33 and follow it N for 310m until you reach a junction (location - https://w3w.co/tonic.vital.value).

18: Turn right on Flamstead footpath 32 and follow it for 220m until you reach Trowley Hill Road (location - https://w3w.co/boxer.supper.towers). Turn left and then turn right crossing the churchyard on Flamstead footpath 28 for 110m back to High Street, Flamstead.

Interactive map

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Map of route through farmyard created by Hertfordshire Walker on Map Hub using elements sourced from: Esri, DigitalGlobe, GeoEye, Earthstar Geographics, CNES/Airbus DS, USDA, USGS, AEX, Getmapping, Aerogrid, IGN, IGP, swisstopo, and the GIS User Community.

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